Joanna Jou

During freshman spring, I started going on various walks throughout campus and Hanover with my friends Becca and Lauren. As soon as we were all back on campus, we decided to go on a walk to Pine Park after not being on campus for the summer. I love my walks with Becca and Lauren as we always get to decompress and relax, so I was excited for our first walk back before it got cold in Hanover. 

My fellow Admissions Communications Intern Lauren and I decided to plan a morning breakfast for our new bloggers! This special breakfast entailed a very early morning, and help from our boss Kevin. 

I had the opportunity to attend President Beilock's inauguration as Dartmouth's 19th president, and first woman president in the Wheelock Succession! I was really excited to be on campus during this historic moment since it isn't every year, or every couple of years that your college elects a new president. As I was a first-year during President Hanlon's last year as president of the College, I'm really lucky to see the transition into a new leadership team for the next few years.

One of my favorite primetime freshman fall experiences was definitely hiking Gile Mountain. My boyfriend did not hike Gile last fall, so I thought it would be fun to hike Gile this year together. There is a firetower that takes you many elevations up, where you can see a gorgeous 360 degree view of the trees and foliage. Although I've hiked Gile quite a few times already, I always look forward to the sunset at Gile, and appreciate my surroundings a little bit more!

My beautiful mom got to visit me in Hanover for a few days, which I was so excited about. Since I was on campus two weeks early for First Year Trips, I was feeling a bit homesick already, so I was incredibly excited my mom had the opportunity to come visit me this term and see the New England fall. While we went to a variety of restaurants in Hanover and around the Upper Valley, our favorite was the breakfast at Pine Restaurant. Our server introduced us to a jalapeño maple siracha sauce, which we were absolutely obsessed with. 

Dartmouth traditions are always an exciting time. This year, as the community welcomed the Class of 2027, one thing was different: I was on the outer ring of the bonfire, and not walking a lap around it this time as all first year students do. Although there was light rain the entire day of Bonfire Night, that didn't stop the bonfire from lighting up; I'm really glad I got to celebrate my second Homecoming as we welcomed the new incoming class!

As a spontaneous trip with my friend Julian, we decided to attend the Dartmouth vs. Harvard football game in Cambridge. Our day leading up to attending the game was unplanned as we roamed around Boston and Cambridge especially looking for good eats. Some eateries we came across include Black Sheep Bagel Cafe, Sweetgreens, and Seoul Topokki. 

The following week after Boston, I had a planned weekend in New Haven to visit my lovely friend Julia, whom I met through the Dartmouth Bound fly-in program in high school. Last fall, I came down to New Haven for a quick visit, so I thought to come visit her again this year as a weekend trip. We often reminisce about our high school selves as we have supported each other through the college application journey, entering college, and now as sophomores in college.