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!
There's something truly special about seeing the Earth open back up after a winter reset. Throughout the months of January to April, a calmness sets on Dartmouth and the Upper Valley as frequent snowstorms blanket the rolling hills and soften the skies with a light gray film. I've always heard snow absorbs sound, but I didn't appreciate that idea until I walked across the campus during a New Hampshire winter. Everything is so peaceful, quaint, and it's almost as if snow acts as a yearly reset – cleaning the Earth and preparing it for the year ahead. As we transition into the early parts of April, the sun starts to beat down a little bit harder than the weeks preceding. The snow is mostly gone, except in the corners behind buildings and trees where it hides in the shadows. The grass starts to look a little bit greener, and you start to get that first hint of a southerly spring wind. That's when you truly realize just how beautiful the springtime is here in Hanover. The solitude of winter is slowly replaced with everything you love about the outdoors, and it makes you appreciate the outdoor activities you've been removed from for the past few months.
Spring means golf season is arriving, and just look how beautiful the local practice facility is! Such a relaxing way to destress from a busy week.
From my two spring terms I've been on campus, there seems to be one picturesque day that hits you out of nowhere and reminds you just how powerful a beautiful, warm spring day can be for you. When you feel that you're caught up in all the college-life intricacies like homework, studying for exams, etc., I'm confident that a quick stroll outside in the newly birthed spring warmth can work wonders for you. It certainly has contributed to my boost in productivity this term. Once I've studied for a few hours and I feel that my focus is slipping away, I merely walk outside, take a deep breath, and walk around the block and stare at nature coming to life. It really is quite remarkable. Just this past week, I took a study break in the early evening around 5 pm and decided to go on a light jog to the old Hanover Country Club, which is now a picturesque spot for hikes, picnics, and runs. I got to the top of the hill that I managed to climb to, sat down, looked out at the beautiful scenery, and took a moment for myself. Not too long after I plopped down, I noticed that I wasn't alone. Two deer were also enjoying the freedom of the spring warmth just a few paces from me.
Two friends decided to join me as I recovered from my jog to the top of this hill at the golf course. What a nice surprise!
Without the rural campus of Dartmouth, I don't think I would've appreciated nature and the season transitions as much as I have. Because Dartmouth is immersed in nature, you are a part of it as well. You actively watch the wildlife spring into action around you as the flowers start to bloom and the grass starts to grow. It's truly wondrous, and I hope you have the chance to experience it. I never thought I could have these kinds of experiences in college. I imagined that I would be in some large town with big buildings blocking my view of the nearest naturally growing tree, miles from the nearest trail or body of water. At Dartmouth, I've been able to extend my love for nature that I developed back at home instead of being removed from it.
