Julianna Thomson

Many of Dartmouth students live within driving distance of the campus. Some students elect to drive to school at the beginning and end of the academic year to move their belongings. Because I keep my car here on campus, I will usually make the 8.5 hour drive from my home when I start classes in the fall. For those that enjoy a good road trip, driving to campus is one of the best ways to see the beauty of New England! 

Members of the Dartmouth community often elect to fly into an airport close to campus. There are three airports that are most popular: Boston Logan International Airport, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Burlington International Airport. All of these locations offer flights around the country and internationally. Boston Logan International Airport is usually the most popular choice among students as the Dartmouth Coach (see below) offers daily service to and from campus to the airport. The Lebanon Municipal Airport also offers flights to Boston, New York, and other locations around the North East. 

The Dartmouth Coach not only offers daily service to Boston Logan International Airport, but has routes to New London, South Station in Boston and direct to New York City. Many students love taking the Coach because it offers an easy route from Boston that doesn’t require pre-booking a ticket. The Greyhound Bus also offers different routes around the East Coast, including their popular trip from the Upper Valley to Montreal, Quebec.

More popularily known as Foco, Dartmouth's main dining hall boasts a plethora of daily breakfast and serves brunch on the weekend until 2PM. 

My Foco order:

-Made to order omelet with gouda, turkey, spinach and green peppers.
-A bowl of fresh fruit (options change daily).
-A cup of nitro brew coffee from the coffee station.

Collis is my go-to option for breakfast most days before class. While the majority of the menu options are made to order, there are also some grab-and-go options!

My Collis order:

-Made to order breakfast sandwich with egg and sausage on a bagel.
-Acai bowl with banana and honey or strawberry banana smoothie (depending on my mood of course).
-Baked good (everyday Collis has a rotating selection of homemade cookies, browies, muffins etc.!).

"KAF" (for short) is a great place to grab a light snack before your early morning class. Known for their incredible chocolate milk, the popular cafe is convinently located on the first floor of Baker-Berry Library.

My KAF order:

-Chocolate milk with a shot of espresso.
-Fruit cup.

At the Ledyard Canoe Club, students are able to rent canoes and kayaks to spend lazy hours out on the Connecticut River. Students can also elect canoeing and kayaking classes that serve to fulfill the Physical Education requirement. If water activities aren't your favorite, the club has a number of hammocks and lounge chairs set up on the shore, so you can relax and maybe even open a new book!

A little further down the College officially operates Swimming Docks. During the summer term, these docks are patrolled by lifeguards and are a popular place to cool off during hot summer days. 

Located on the southern edge of Hanover, Mink Brook Nature Preserve is a 112-acre tract of land that serves to protect the habitat of trout, bears and other wildlife. However, if you follow the Mink Brook trail out from the south-west end of Maple Street, it will bring you to a large, open expanse of the Connecticut River. Here, students can swim and use the famed rope swing that has been hanging from a large tree for years. There are beautiful views of the treed shoreline of the River.

This swimming hole is not patrolled by life guards and students must exercise caution while swimming alone!

While located a short 5-minute drive off-campus, Wilson's Landing is one of Dartmouth student's favorite places to swim. Constructed as a public dock where locals can launch their boats, there are a number of picnic tables and parking spaces on shore. While students must be aware of boat traffic in this part of the Connecticut River, from Wilson's Landing you can see right across the river to Vermont. 

This is one of my favorite places to go after a long day of classes and homework because it is usually less crowded than the swimming spots of campus. Removed from the busy everyday life of campus, Wilson's Landing acts as my personal retreat and escape. 

While still located in a dorm building, Living Learning Communities offer students an opportunity to further connect with the people they live with. Living Learning Communities (more popularly known as "LLCs") offer students the opportunity to extend their learning outside of the classroom, specifically promoting learning opportunities among residence halls. There are a number of different communities on campus, ranging from language based communities that encourage residents to practice their spoken language skills, to other communities such as the Interfaith Floor where residents meet for a weekly dinner discussion about religion. Living Learning Communities are a great housing option for students who are wanting to fully immerse themselves in their learning environment.

Affiliated students can opt to live in their Greek house starting their sophomore winter. Specifically, many affiliated students will live in their Greek houses during sophomore summer or senior year. This is a great opportunity to become closer with other members of your fraternity or sorority! The majority of Greek houses are organized through Dartmouth's housing department, making it an easy application and transition. 

Another popular housing option are Dartmouth's Senior Apartments. During senior year, members of any housing community can apply to live together in a school-owned apartment. There are apartments located on the east and west sides of campus. These apartments are majority three or four-person units with a bathroom and a living room and kitchen. This is a great option if students are interested in cooking some of their own meals or want to live with friends who are in different housing communities. 

Donovan '21 talked to me about how he feels a sense of community on Dartmouth's campus. Whether it's supporting each other in intramural sports games or attending a fellow student's thesis presentation, Dartmouth provides many different opportunities that foster community growth. One of the most recent additions to Dartmouth's efforts is the housing communities. You can read more about the housing communities here.

Abby '22 commented about the incredible people she has met during here first year here at Dartmouth. Dartmouth students hail from all corners of the United States and represent many different countries around the world. Integration of different cultures is important in Dartmouth culture and students have the ability to learn about other cultures, especially through different clubs.

Kate '21 has found her fellow students to be passionate about all different aspects of their lives. From academics to professional opportunities to extra-curriculars, Kate told me that she is inspired by the work ethic and dedication of the student body. She thinks this stems from the supportive staff members at the College. Students are encouraged to create long-lasting relationships with their professors and mentors. There are also programs in place to assist with these relationships, such as the "Take a Faculty to Lunch" program run every term.