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 am a member of the Entrepreneurship LLC and a few on-campus clubs focused on service, mental health, and business. 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!
For the last two weeks I've been daily chasing sunbeams. Every single one tended my enthusiasm that winter is actually on its way out the door, shooed like some overstayed guest by my own delusion. But I've come to realize that's not quite fair. Winter is one of New Hampshire's most famous seasons; it ought to have a few months to itself.
Not only that; yesterday I looked at the weather, realized it was ten degrees outside, and caught myself thinking, "Oh good, it's warm!"
Oh good, it's warm.
I think that's the beauty of Dartmouth in the winter. We make the best of it and put aside our preconceived notions of "winter"—Seattle's grey misted paradise, Florida friends' sunshine state, and even the current summers of the Southern hemisphere. As wonderful as all those seasons are, they offer the opportunity to just go outside and lay on the grass, feel the sun, come inside only when hunger or sleepiness prompts, and never due to the weather.
Not so much here. Instead, when we're wanting some warmth, we look to those around us. Despite the chill, sudden need for hats, and conversation rendered visible white puffs in the oh good, it's warm temperature range, goodwill isn't a seasonal affair.
Warmth actually abounds on Dartmouth's campus. Take for example, Dartmouth's uncommon suitability to this weather: cozy nooks abound in libraries where students can snuggle in and watch the snowfall. Cafes emanate warmth of the literal variety, coffee mugs becoming miniature heat sources with which we brave the walk between classes. And even commoner than all of that is the warmth of companionship; as cliché as it sounds, students walking in small hat-topped flocks, laughing through brisk air, is a sport we take seriously around here. And it's one of the best ways to stay warm.
The weather is a classic conversation starter with the power to turn acquaintances into friends. People smile and laugh while stomping their boots and never seem too busy studying to say hello. As though compensating for the weather, we seek to bring warmth to others. It's the people here that make winters fun. And though I'm still learning how to balance on the snowscape and how best to warm-cut my way between classes, I'm glad to be weathering the winter with them.
Though fall was a term for adjusting and settling in, now feels like a time to put down roots. I can only imagine what spring will bring!
Standing on the Green, Dartmouth's historic grass-covered field, you get a front seat to the sunset that paints the sky a vibrant shade of berry-red and gold: fall has arrived.
After a much needed break for the summer term, I'm super excited to be back and writing to you all as I tackle my sophomore year taking online classes in New Orleans, Louisiana.
It's weird to think that an entire year has gone by. I could take this moment to lament how I lost half my first year (Spring and Summer) to COVID-19. There's really a lot I could complain about, but strange thing is, I don't really feel like it.
The world of on-campus jobs can be confusing! I hope this blog post and my own experiences can shed some light on how I've navigated work while attending Dartmouth.
We know this year may not be shaping up the way you thought. I'm not even going to write the words U-----------d T---s. But you're a savvy bunch, and I'd be crazy not to think you'll find a way to enjoy yourselves. Hence the title.
