Hi everyone! I'm Estelle, a '23 from Seattle, WA. When not in class you can find me perusing every shelf at Still North Books, getting fresh bread at Umpleby's Bakery, spending time with friends, looking for a cup of coffee, and listening to music. I work part-time at the Magnuson Center, most of the time on homework, and full-time at navigating this new world that is Dartmouth!
This advice was offered to me during fall term, and I've since quoted it a dozen times, and thought it daily. You may have heard that terms at Dartmouth are "sprints." Certainly, at times that is how they feel.
At the end of the day I'll think back to what I had for breakfast and wonder, "Was that today?" But at the end of each week I look behind me with the sense of having run a race without realizing it, my bewilderment defying the calendar date which, yes, sometimes I feel compelled to double-check.
Happy February, by the way!
Still, it can be a source of consternation that the day can feel like a compilation of snapshots. A cozy cup of green tea in my room sometimes feels like a precursor to a marathon rather than a cherished ritual. I'll catch myself thinking, "In an hour I'll be taking notes," or imagining the feel of the wind on my face and wondering whether I will regret omitting a hat for the day… before the day has even begun. If there's one sure way to squander a day, it's by worrying about the future. Becoming a college student has made this more difficult to remember.
Any of my friends could attest to the planner I keep on hand, flicking through it as one might an old Farmer's Almanac, trying to divine the future through class schedules and meetings. While I'm a big fan of an organized schedule, I'm also learning how to respect the world outside the land o' lists. My college life can seem like a disjointed, airbrushed, gapped summary of what a day really is. "Science assignment" "Quizlet" "Wash dishes" "Office Hours" "Study for x hours" –what kind of reality is that? It isn't!
Do you know what I've realized? When I close my eyes at the end of the day, visions of checkmarks don't dance in my head. Rather, I try to recall every positive moment of the day, every friendly smile, every correct answer, every shaft of sunlight through an obliging window. That which my planner omits, I try to preserve. And the fact that I'm willing to entrust some details to paper but hold tightly to others reminds me of the pursuits from which I derive joy.
In summary, for this post I am rejecting the idea of a "snapshot." Because I'm rejecting the idea of living in a series of them.
I'll get back to pictures next week. But for now, I'm trying to remember—as I hope you readers already know—how fun it can be to embrace every moment, the boring ones, the light ones, the "unproductive" ones, the friendship-filled ones, and especially the peaceful ones.
Cheers to all of you, and here's hoping you fill that empty space in your planner with things that fill you up and bring you joy.
At Dartmouth, you have a unique opportunity to talk to really, really cool people. And, if they're not coming via official Dartmouth programming, you can invite your own speaker!
Dartmouth is a very outdoorsy place. However, you don't need to be involved with any outdoor clubs to fully experience the outdoors Dartmouth and the surrounding area have to offer. Sometimes, you just need a free day and some friends!
As I navigate a virtual senior spring term, I'm taking account of all of the fun ways to enjoy this term. Here's a list of three of my favorite spring activities!
Dartmouth is home to a diverse range of students that will become your lifelong friends. For this blog post, I thought I'd interview a few of my fellow '24s to give you a glimpse into the crazy awesome people that make Dartmouth, Dartmouth!
In terms of fears about going off to college, I've noticed some recurring themes, both from my conversations with '25s and from my own experience. Read on to see my responses to some frequent questions and concerns!
Because of the pandemic, visiting the College is not possible and can make the process of choosing a college more difficult. Therefore, I thought I would post several photos of what Dartmouth looks like to get a sense of the environment.
For most of my time at Dartmouth, I've been lucky enough to live on campus. Though that's all changed now that I've moved off campus to West Lebanon (or West Leb) and am now living with two graduate students.
