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!
Whenever things were tough back at home, I always made my way to the local river. It didn't matter if it was a hot, scorching day in the middle of August, or a wet winter evening; There was something so tranquil about listening to the river flow, watching the toads hop into the bushes, and feeling the breeze waft up my hair. It was so simple. As life gets more complex, you forget to save those moments for yourself, and you certainly forget how beneficial they are. As a country boy, I was always immersed in nature, and I think I began taking that for granted before I left for college. Now that I'm in the Upper Valley, fall foliage is an obvious reminder of the beauty that always surrounds us, and it makes me think of the cotton harvest back at home – how simple yet marvelous nature can be.
I mean, just look at this... It's pure art!
Mid-October is the peak season for fall allergies, midterms, papers, and problem sets. It's easy to get bogged down in the workload of a college student. However, Dartmouth has helped me put many of my problems put into perspective. Whenever I find myself struggling over a homework problem, stressing about a paper, or worrying about an exam grade, I take a moment to stand on the Dartmouth Green and look around. I see the sky lit a beautiful orange as the sun sits gracefully to the west. I see the shine of Dartmouth Hall as the sky darkens to the east. I look to my north at Baker-Berry Library in all of its glory. I also pause and take a moment to recognize the colors of the trees, the moon as it shines brighter and brighter, and the sun as it says goodnight just above the horizon. Then, I remember that it's the same sun and moon people see all over the world – the same sun and moon that my brother and sister see. It gives me a sense of peace knowing how small my puzzle piece is that fits into our world.
If I've ever had a genuine smile in a photo... this is it!
I constantly think back to my days on the farm in high school. I remember how tired I used to be after coming home with dirt under my fingernails and smelling like rotten watermelons. I remember the people I worked with and how they still work there – the job they maintain to support their families. Now I find myself with my meals paid for, kicking my feet up as I study for a physics exam, and stressing over an upcoming speech I need to write. I italicize "stress" because, when I look back at all the things I've done, it doesn't really seem like these are things I should stress over. They are important parts of my life now, sure, but this helps me keep things in perspective. The things I stress about now versus the things I used to worry about are two totally different worlds, and I remind myself of that every now and again to keep a realistic perspective on life. Every time I stop to look at the trees, feel the breeze, and appreciate the nature around me, I'm brought back to that riverside.
I couldn't let you "leaf" without showing you this picture ;)
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
