Griselda Chavez
You are here
Winter Expectations—Exceeded!
Before coming to Dartmouth, I absolutely dreaded the idea of staying on campus during the winter. It terrified me -- lack of sun, freezing weather and my lack of winter apparel. However, I have come to really appreciate the snow and winter season. Being from Los Angeles, it usually felt like there was only one season, but there are so many weather changes and nature here in New Hampshire. I'm loving the various weather changes and each season's fun activities.

My favorite type of days are those when there's fresh snow and the sun comes out, causing the white soft snow to glisten under the sunlight. Then, at night, the skies become so clear that you can see so many stars and constellations. It makes me want to take an astronomy class just so I can learn more about them.
At night, the College shines a blue light on some campus buildings and the only words that come to my mind are "winter wonderland." Big chairs are placed outside, scattered around campus, with bonfires to keep community members warm. I have found them to be so comfortable a great place for some conversations with friends. Hot chocolate from Hanover's local diner, Lou's Restaurant and Bakery, has also become a staple drink on campus and treat while gathering around the bonfire. It has become a small ball of warmth in the freezing atmosphere and the chilly weather is a nice contrast to the warmth the setting provides.

We also had the large snowball fight -- an annual tradition -- after "receiving" an email from Dr. Seuss after the first heavy snowfall. Students met on The Green at midnight and participated in this tradition despite the unusual year. It was so amazing having a small "normal" tradition despite the numerous changes.

My favorite experience so far has been the ice-skating on The Green with other FYSEP community members. It was a great opportunity to meet other FGLI students in-person from various different classes, and it was also really cool to meet several upperclassmen who have become amazing mentors and strong support system. Whenever these smaller reunions happen, it definitely feels like a small piece of home on campus.

Even if I haven't been able to participate in all of the cool activities there are so many small aspects that have made it super enjoyable. With four weeks left in the term, I am doing my absolute best to make the most out of it!
Posts You Might Like
You have to see it to believe it—my Winter Carnival scrapbook
A lesser-known aspect of the college application, the art portfolio is a great way to showcase your creative work!
Winter Carnival kicked off this weekend with an opening ceremony straight out of Jurassic Park!
A quick review of common ways to get to Dartmouth!
Read this post to hear about my first time skiing on Dartmouth's own ski mountain! My friends and I had so much fun :)
It truly does feel like a winter wonderland! Join me as I recap my first Winter Carnival at Dartmouth.
The Lunar New Year festivities continue! Here's a photo gallery of Korean Student Association, Malaysian Student Association, and Vietnamese Student Association's celebrations!
A weekend of embracing the cold and finding fun activities to do! From winning money at a game show to the Annual Snowball Fight, this weekend is a core memory of my experience with Dartmouth winters!
"Only three classes?!" The typical response I get from someone outside of Dartmouth. Come and join as I describe how those three classes actually feel in a ten week term!