Hey there! My name is Joanna Jou, a '26 from El Paso, TX. I love Hanover sunsets, relaxing out on The Green, and the Starbucks in downtown Hanover. I'm beyond stoked to have y'all follow along my Dartmouth journey!
Academic Program
History and Asian Studies, International Studies Minor
One of the best things about coming to school in the New England region is definitely the foliage. Back home in El Paso, I had never seen leaves that changed color the way I've been watching them every morning as I leave my dorm. These past two weeks of October have marked a mass influx of visitors traveling up to Dartmouth and the surrounding Upper Valley area to… you guessed it: look at leaves. I'd never considered fall to be any different than winter as I've only experienced mild winters and scalding summers, but I guess now you can say that fall might just be my favorite season as I have learned to appreciate the autumn leaf colors that come with it, and the excitement of peak foliage.
The Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) runs a variety of trips all around New Hampshire and the Upper Valley to different hikes and outdoor events ranging from 2 hours or less hikes to 9-10 hour hikes, canoeing, paddleboarding, apple-picking, rock climbing, mountain biking, trail work, farming, fly fishing, and anything else outdoors related - the DOC's got you covered! Gile Mountain located in Norwich, Vermont (just around 20 minutes from Dartmouth) has been the hotspot for students to do relaxing and beginner-friendly sunrikes (Dartmouth lingo for sunrise hikes) and sunsikes (sunset hikes). It is one of my favorite hikes because of the fire tower that hikers can climb up to where you get a beautiful and extensive 360 degree view of the surrounding New England landscape - perfect for peak foliage!
The beautiful sunbeam setting through the view up on the fire tower of Gile Mountain
Just this week, in the midst of finishing midterms and now studying for the next one, my friends and I decided to rent a ZipCar, a car sharing/rental service on campus, to arrange a trip to Gile Mountain before peak foliage ends. After we finished class on Friday, we left campus at around 5:00 pm in order to make it to the top of the fire tower before sunset. While driving to Norwich, we played, of course, some Taylor Swift, the perfect choice while driving past the vibrant glory of the Vermont landscape. As we were hiking up, we encountered many other visitors as they were also trying to catch the last few days of peak foliage, and what better way to end your day than visiting Gile? My friend Paulie and I have hiked Gile before, but this was going to be the first time Keva, Lili, and Angel have been on a sunsike, so it was exciting for Paulie and I to show our friends the beautiful summit that First Years have to visit at least once. After we climbed up, we enjoyed the stunning panoramic views that extended all the way over to where Baker Tower is visible. After our hike, we enjoyed some good old McDonald's and a Target run before heading back to Hanover while jamming to some carpool karaoke. Despite being very occupied with hectic schedules, and balancing academia with social life, the Dartmouth fall term is one you don't want to miss as it's not everywhere that you get to experience the heart of foliage.
My friends and I stopping at the power lines, where we get a nice view of the sky after sunset, while on our way down.
From surfing in Puerto Rico to backpacking in Joshua Tree to Norway: Break trips are a unique Dartmouth experience, giving students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the outdoors
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Gabe Brigham '26, a psychology and sociology double major, showed me around his dorm room, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
On the final segment of The Stretch, we explored other planets, walked atop volcanoes, and went to the very bottom of the Grand Canyon (and back). Read about it here.
