![Gavin Fry](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x420_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/image/g.fry_.jpg?itok=_PWvKscY×tamp=1632243446)
![Riverside sunset](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x236_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/bg/pxl_20220315_233925146.jpg?itok=CcDH3FPa×tamp=1648144898)
Gavin Fry
![Gavin Fry](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x420_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/image/g.fry_.jpg?itok=_PWvKscY×tamp=1632243446)
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Gavin's D-Plan
What's a D-Plan?-
FallOn Campus
Favorite Class: EARS 14: MeteorologyOh. My. Goodness. What a fun class this was! As a certified weather and climate geek, I was totally entrenched in everything we done in this course. From the labs and weather presentations to the "flipped" classroom experience, I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Dr. Osterberg's excitement for the course material made it that much more enjoyable! It was truly an extraordinary first-year course to take.
WinterOn Campus
Favorite Class: GOVT 7.14: Does Democracy Work?I’ve loved this class from beginning to end. For one, I enjoyed it because of the people in it, but I also loved it because of the content. Through frequent class discussion, I learned about the health of our democracy and the ways it is compromised. Very enlightening class!
SpringOn Campus
Favorite Class: REL 5: Early Christianity: The New TestamentReligion 5 was a quintessential liberal arts course that deepened my knowledge in a subject I thought I had all figured out. As a STEM-oriented student, this class offered the perfect balance to my spring term schedule. As a result of this class, I became more introspective of how I was raised, and I'm more grateful in my ability to be a free-thinker.
SummerOff Campus Internship - Princeton, New Jersey
This summer, I explored my future career plans by participating in a research internship with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University. I learned a lot about what I want (and what I don't want) in a future career, and I made so many awesome lifelong connections!
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FallOn Campus
Favorite Class: SPEE 20.01: Public SpeakingA course rooted in both philosophical theory and real, practical methods of becoming a better public speaker was the highlight of the term. Our class of 16 students grew to be a sort of "mini-family," and I'm so grateful for the connections I made. I completely changed the way I view public speaking and homed in on my own skills as a public speaker!
WinterOn Campus
Favorite Class: SOCY 31: Youth and SocietyOnce again, a course outside my major found its way into my favorite class list. This sociology course helped me better understand how children are viewed in society, the way sociologists study youth, and the major differences in norms around childhood around the world. Who knew there was so much to learn about youth culture!
![My shelf showcasing my academic awards, family pictures, and coffee machine](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20231112_004859639.jpg?itok=SNtgogV-×tamp=1699816254)
Recap of My Fall "Off-Term"
This is my second off-term of my Dartmouth career, and it's been quite unique. Let me walk you through it!
![Inside Baker-Berry Library at the main desk in the quiet of night.](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20230315_062320109.jpg?itok=C_KLRbuc×tamp=1699300182)
Classes Outside Your Major: The Best Dartmouth Courses
In my experience, some of the best courses I've taken at Dartmouth have been outside my immediate area of academic study, and I'd like to give you a term-by-term rundown of them in this blog!
![Students gathered outside the Collis Center listening to some music](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20220521_171305065.jpg?itok=ns7iGUul×tamp=1698079931)
Things I Miss About Dartmouth
I've been away from Dartmouth's campus for about four months now, and there are some specific things I miss about the Upper Valley….
![Me and my research professor discussing my meteorology research while looking at a computer monitor](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/gaverich.png?itok=71reLwnC×tamp=1697070053)
Special / Custom Majors at Dartmouth
The academic flexibility offered at Dartmouth was very attractive to me when choosing a college. Here's how the "special major" is a perfect encapsulation of that flexibility.
![View of the Hanover country club during foliage season](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20231026_192014011.jpg?itok=JJAoO46T×tamp=1698633806)
Visiting Dartmouth After a Hiatus: What's Different?
I recently visited Dartmouth for a few days after being four months removed from campus. Here are a few things that caught my attention…
![Me sitting in the upstairs dining hall while working on my research project (on my laptop).](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/capture_0.png?itok=fpf3Kjxa×tamp=1696602523)
Pursuing Independent Research at Dartmouth
Let's clear up some vagueness around the term "research" and investigate ways you can conduct your own research at Dartmouth.
![Recording equipment at the Dartmouth College Radio station](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20210922_224626985.mp_.jpg?itok=dlPTcUYo×tamp=1697424894)
Dartmouth College Radio: A Retro Safe Haven
I got involved with Dartmouth College Radio (WDCR) during my first term on campus, and it's something I still cherish to this day.
![Me taking a selfie in front of a local lake enjoying the sunset Me taking a selfie in front of a local lake enjoying the sunset](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20230913_233910916.jpg?itok=o_HHUpzr×tamp=1695658582)
Having a Productive Off Term at Dartmouth
A productive off term at Dartmouth looks different for everyone, and I'm embracing that idea this fall.
![Panoramic view of the Old Town in Vilnius, Lithuania with red-bricked buildings and a beautiful sky](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20230623_111344378.jpg?itok=Mt27nBs2×tamp=1694814103)
Studying Abroad: The First-Generation Perspective
During my term-long hiatus from blogging, I spent my summer abroad in the Baltic countries. Here's what it was like from a first-gen, low-income perspective.
![Picture of me in front of the U.S. Capitol building for my internship orientation!](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/pxl_20230529_213141820.mp_.jpg?itok=q_ErRmuE×tamp=1685402891)
Recap of My Second Year and Looking Forward
I'm officially halfway through my time at Dartmouth, and it's been a wonderful journey. Here are some reflections and thoughts about my future!