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!
Congratulations to the high school graduating classes of 2023 all over the world! You've officially completed a saga of your life, and it's a feat worthy to be proud of no matter where you think you stand in terms of accomplishments and prestige. If there's anything I've learned coming from a family of blue-collar workers, it's the importance of an education. Many of my family members didn't finish high school, and they always remind me how they wish they would've graduated to pursue a more enjoyable life working with the mind instead of the hands. I know you've spent the past few months thinking about college, but I think it's beneficial to stop and appreciate the fact that you've completed this part of your life. Take a moment, reflect, and give yourself a pat on the back. I think graduating high school might be glossed over in today's world, but don't take it for granted!
So, you're on the cusp of taking the world by the horns; you've got all these intricate, detailed plans, and you're ready. The world is your oyster (insert whatever cliché saying you want)! If you're anything like me, as soon you graduate, you might rest for about half a day before you start researching things about your college, career advice, and even internships before you even start college! I know how the high achieving mind works. However, I want to tell you something I wish I'd been told once I graduated high school. You can come up with the most highly detailed and sophisticated plan for what your college journey will look like in the next few years. You might even be mapping out what your life will look like after college. Perhaps you're looking into research opportunities for the college you're pursuing. I certainly admire the focus and determination, but…
I challenge you to embrace the "unknowing" aspect of this phase of your life. Now, I'll be the first to say that this stage isn't easy – I like to ensure I've got everything planned out and nothing unexpected could change my trajectory. That's where Dartmouth came into play for me big time. I spoke with a professor during my first week on campus about getting involved in his research. He gave me the subtle advice to explore what Dartmouth has to offer and develop my interests before I latch onto something too quickly. Of course, I was adamant about getting involved in the research, and I've only recently learned to embrace the advice he gave me – instead of trying to navigate the rushing rapids of life, just let them take you where they want for a bit. If you find yourself in a place where you're not happy or satisfied, then you can steer the boat on a different trajectory. But, attempting to steer yourself down the exact path you've envisioned is futile.
Dartmouth is the perfect place to introspect and think about what makes you happy. Views like this around campus truly help me sit, relax, and gather my thoughts.
The point of this post is to shine a little light on my experiences so you can use them in your larger plan for life in college. I hope that you can embrace the uncertainty over the next few years instead of trying to map out every last detail. In the process, I truly believe you will learn to introspect, learn more about yourself and what you want out of a future career. Take time to see what makes you happy. I think we've overused the term "find your passion" in today's world. This advice is so abstract and unclear, and what happens if you don't find your "passion?" Then it's easy to feel like you've failed at something if you don't. Instead, focus on the things in life that fill your battery and give you a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. If you're patient and open enough to notice the subtle hints life throws at you, I'm confident that you will find the path you are meant to be on!
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
I have written about being a student worker plenty of times in the past, but I have yet to talk about one of my favorite jobs ever: ticket selling at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a phenomenal total solar eclipse occurred — and we happened to be within the path of totality. As a result, Dartmouth hosted a variety of eclipse-related events on- and off-campus. Find out how I spent the eclipse!
