Greetings from the woods! My name is Gavin Fry, and I'm a student blogger with the People, Places, and Pines team. I'm a proud first-generation college student, carrying with me the full support of my crazy family. I plan to be involved with undergraduate research, outdoor activities, and club golf here at Dartmouth! You can find me geeking out about the weather, reading novels, and always drinking coffee (at any time of the day). So nice to meet you!
Academic Program
Prospective Environmental Earth Science Major with a Minor in Public Policy
Favorite Thing Right Now
My idea of starting a chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) here at Dartmouth!
Oh. 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.
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!
Religion 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!
A 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!
Once 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!
A few weeks ago, in the early part of June, I submitted my final assignment of freshman year. Just like that, 1/4th of my undergraduate career had passed… in the blink of an eye. The thing that I've come to realize is that I didn't give myself enough time to appreciate what I'd accomplished in those past several months nor did I reflect before moving onto the next task. Additionally, I think I was caught up in a lot of the "formalities" of college that side-tracked me from focusing on things that truly matter — things that I'm just now starting to understand.
For me, coming to Dartmouth meant getting a competitive education without breaking the bank. I saw it as an opportunity for the broke kid from the middle of nowhere to make something of himself. In hindsight, I think viewing this goal through a slightly different lens would have been more beneficial. The past year has been hard for me. I've dealt with a plethora of family problems and personal issues that put significant mental strain on me. However, I never let those issues interfere with my ability to succeed in the classroom. If I needed to isolate, cut people off, dismiss an extracurricular, or even neglect my mental health in order to perform well in the classroom, then that's what I did. While I'm grateful for my determination and motivation in academics, Dartmouth has taught me a few lessons about growth and maturity that have shaped my mindset.
It wasn't until I left Dartmouth at the end of the spring term that I began to truly realize just how much I missed it. I think of the views at the top of the Shattuck Observatory (featured in my past blog posts) after doing the weather observations. I remember the laughs that me and my friends had while sipping coffee in ONE Wheelock. I still feel the cold air that struck me during the first snowstorm of the year. Most importantly, I remember the friendships and connections I've made at Dartmouth. While each relationship is unique in some fashion, there is a commonality among all of them: they made me feel at home, supported, loved, and gave me a sense of belonging.
Me and some good friends enjoying a picnic dinner
I'm one of the most career-driven people I know, and it's easy for me to be independent. This is partly due to my family situation and having to become independent early in life. An intangible concept that the Dartmouth community has taught me is that I don't have to live my life that way. There are people who do genuinely care about me, like to be around me, and see me as a friend. Beyond the beauty of campus, the intellectual discussions, or the academic challenge, this is what makes my Dartmouth experience. This place pulls you together in a way that I never thought was possible, and I miss it. I'll be back in a few months to start my sophomore year, and I can't wait. I genuinely mean that.
Here's the takeaway, especially for you incoming and prospective students: I want you to relax a little bit. The perseverance that got you here will continue to drive you as long as you let it. I challenge you to learn more about yourself and what you truly need to understand about your character. Dartmouth has helped me learn a lot outside the classroom. It's an amazing experience, so remain open-minded, loosen up, and immerse yourself in the incredible community Dartmouth has to offer.
This phrase is on the t-shirts we are wearing in the main photo. It's meant to say, don't let life control you, take control of your life!
Most students have to go back to college after Thanksgiving to take their finals, but not at Dartmouth! We have a six-week winter break, known as "winterim!" Let me tell you how I spent my winterim!
As a second-year at Dartmouth, I've embraced leadership roles that foster community, creativity, and support! Here's a look at how each role has shaped my journey.
