Hey y'all, welcome to the woods! My name is Garrett Crouch, and I'm a '26 from Edmond, Oklahoma. Besides blogging, I'm involved in Greek Life and Dartmouth's Psychological and Brain Sciences Department. I enjoy reading fiction, listening to 90s rock, and playing video games and guitar in my free time. Other than that, I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share a bit of my Dartmouth student experience with you—stay a while and enjoy!
From Southern Heat to New England Bliss: An Introduction
Howdy y'all, welcome! My name is Garrett Crouch, and I'm a '26 here at Dartmouth. (At Dartmouth, we introduce ourselves based on graduation year, not class name, i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior, senior. So, since I'll graduate in the year 2026, I call myself a '26.) As you'll probably see in later posts, Dartmouth has lots of fun quirks associated with its social, academic, and campus structure—the graduation year introduction is just one of many, but more on that later! As this is my first official blog post, I want to spend some time sharing a little bit about where I'm from, what my passions are, and what I plan to do at Dartmouth and beyond. Let's get on with it, shall we?
Home (away from Dartmouth!)
I grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, which is a medium-sized suburb just north of Oklahoma City, go Thunder! To provide some perspective, Dartmouth is exactly 1,646 miles away from my house. Or 24 hours and 1 minute by car according to the holy grail that is Apple Maps. To me, that distance is significant, especially since my dad and I road-tripped to Hanover! Here is a picture of me on move-in day with all of my belongings:
Home sweet Fayerweather Hall
Academic passions
As of right now, I plan on studying Earth Science and Biology, I'm really passionate about science, planets, as well as the formation of life, so I think those two concentration areas would be an intriguing blend; however, I'm open to experiencing other subject areas as well. That's the wonderful thing about a Dartmouth, liberal arts education—trying new things and gaining experience in different areas of study is both emphasized as well as encouraged!
Speaking of trying new things and gaining experience, here is me on my First-Year Trip learning how to fish!
At Dartmouth, before classes start in the Fall, first-year students have the opportunity to go on broad activity-based camping trips alongside peers and upperclassmen—a tradition commonly known as "First-Year Trips."
Beyond Dartmouth
I don't have everything figured out right now, but I plan on attending medical school after my time at Dartmouth. How cool would it be to wake up every day and change lives through science? I'm hoping to pursue research as an undergraduate student as well as gain clinical experience through shadowing to figure out what I like and dislike about medicine. Who knows, maybe I'll discover something equally fascinating along the way.
Hopefully, through this brief introduction, you've gotten to know a little bit more about me! The initial learning curve of moving across the country and starting a new life is prevalent to say the least—hopefully, through this blog, I'm able to provide meaningful insight as a Dartmouth student while simultaneously conquering my own challenges, I'm definitely nervous, but I'm also determined and excited.
Dartmouth offers students incredible opportunities during breaks through the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) trips. Options vary widely, from cozy cabin retreats with friends to adventurous climbing expeditions under starry skies.
It's hard to fully express just how meaningful Cabin and Trail (CnT) is to me. Since coming to Dartmouth a year and a half ago, this community has shaped me in ways I never expected. It is a source of hope and a new home.
