Cooper Ballard
Fall at Dartmouth!
The leaves have begun to fall, the air has become crisp, and the weather has gotten colder. It is officially peak fall season at Dartmouth! Before coming to Dartmouth, I was told that the fall is simply breathtaking. Now that I have been here for almost two months, I can confirm that that statement holds true. Let me tell you about the beauty of fall here at Dartmouth as well as some of my favorite fall activities!
First, let me just talk about the absolute beauty of fall. The fall foliage is simply incredible, and it's hard not to just want to stop and stare at how beautiful the trees are. If you're looking to get an incredible view of the foliage in New Hampshire, I highly recommend going on the Gile Hike. It is super short and easy, and has such unbelievable views of the trees. Even though I am from Pennsylvania and we certainly get some of this foliage, never have I seen it like this. Dartmouth in the fall is just truly magnificent.

Beyond the beauty, there are so many activities that I love to do while fall is still around! The Norwich Farmers Market is a must. They have an incredible amount of vendors there, ranging from coffee to grilled cheese to even pickles! The Farmers Market is only about a mile from campus, and there is a bus that takes you there for free on Saturday mornings. I would highly recommend the grilled cheese: it is absolutely delicious! If you want a break from work and to get off campus for a little bit, it is so easy to go to the Farmers Market and have a lot of fun with friends.

Another activity I love to do is simply sitting on the Green with friends. Because it is not insanely cold yet, sitting on the Green while doing homework and talking with people is one of my favorite things to do right now. And because the Green is surrounded by so many beautiful trees with amazing foliage, I cannot help but go to the Green nearly every day. It is truly a one-of-a-kind experience to sit on the Green and take in the beauty around me. You can always find me on the Green in the fall before it gets too cold!

And finally, although not an outdoor activity, I love watching movies with friends at night. As I have said in my previous blogs, French Hall is such an incredible place because of the tight-knit community. And because we have a TV in our common room, movie nights are a must during the fall! Most recently, we watched The Conjuring, a horror movie, which was just so much fun. As the weather gets colder and colder, I anticipate movie nights becoming more and more common, and I cannot wait!
As you can see, Dartmouth during the fall is truly a remarkable time, and I love every single second of it
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