Hello, and welcome to my corner of the woods! I'm Lauren, a '27 from Munger, Michigan. On campus, I enjoy writing sports for The Dartmouth, going on as many DOC trips as I can, and hanging out with my friends. I also love Woccoming, doing the daily NYT mini crossword, and paddling!
I took this class as part of Dartmouth's first year writing requirement. We read a pro cyclist's life narrative, discussed research papers on controversial topics in sports, and wrote our own papers on a contentious sports technology of our choice. I really enjoyed this course's emphasis on discussion, and the small class size!
This was my first class in the classics department, which was super exciting as a classical studies major! We learned about the ancient Olympics and the connections between athletics and other aspects of ancient Greek society. I loved the final project in this class, which involved creating an argument about how the ancient pentathlon was scored!
To conclude my language requirement, I took Latin 3! This class was super exciting because we began to read ancient texts and poetry. We also took a class trip to the Rauner Special Collections library so we could physically handle and read some manuscripts. And as an added bonus, Latin counts as a prerequisite for my classical studies major!
As a part of my language study abroad in Italy, I also took a class on Italian history and culture! We went on field trips to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, participated in walking tours of Rome, and watched a lot of great cinema in this class! I loved it so much that I decided to minor in Italian.
This class, in addition to being a pre-requisite for both my major and my spring study abroad, was super interesting! I loved learning about archaeology in a chronological sequence, and I feel so much more prepared for my trip to Greece after completing this class.
Walking around campus on a sunny day always puts me in a great mood. I spend as much time outside as possible, especially since the weather in Hanover has been so beautiful lately! One of my favorite places to soak up the sun is on the Green.
On the Green, which serves as the heart of Dartmouth's campus, students engage in a variety of activities—including picnicking with Green2Gos (takeout containers from dining locations like FoCo and the Hop), studying, hanging out with friends, and getting some energy out by playing sports. Some of the most popular sports on the Green are Spikeball, Frisbee, and volleyball. But if you spend enough time on the Green, you'll see a wide range of activities—from hacky sack to slack lines! Club sports teams use the Green to get some outdoor practice time in, and many students jog or run around the Green too.
Many students bring their own sports equipment from home, but if you don't have anything to play with, there's no need to worry! Collis has a free rental system for sports equipment. And joining in a game that's already going on can be a great way to meet new friends! There's never a dull moment on the Green, and I think it represents the spirit of Dartmouth incredibly well. I always run into my friends, and it's a great place to unwind and catch up with each other.
Winter in Hanover was great. Campus was beautiful, I enjoyed skiing and sledding, and a warm jacket made getting around campus more than manageable. Despite that, I was looking forward to warmer weather, and I'm excited it's finally paid off!
Since the Green is located at the center of campus, there's no excuse not to enjoy it. One of my favorite memories on the Green was just a couple of days ago—on a Friday afternoon, my friends and I emerged from the Class of 1953 Commons (FoCo) after lunch to sunny weather and a Kona Ice truck. We grabbed a (free!) sweet treat and then headed toward the Green. I wasn't planning on stopping, but the warm weather was too much to resist. I talked to a few of my friends and classmates, then hopped into a game of Spikeball! After that game dispersed, I took a break to sit with my friends and read a book (for fun)! One of my goals for spring term is to get back into reading casually, and the Green is a great place to do just that. I kicked around a soccer ball for a bit and then gathered up a group to go eat dinner with. Spring term has been my favorite so far because it's conducive to so many spontaneous adventures. Although I could have spent that Friday afternoon in the library, my mental health benefited greatly from a few hours on the Green.
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
