Hi, and welcome to my corner of the woods! I'm Lauren, a '27 from Munger, Michigan. My favorite places on campus include Sanborn (for writing), the river (for paddling), and the Green (for everything else). I'm excited to share a bit about my favorite place with all of you!
Hello, and welcome to my blog! My name is Lauren, and I'm a '27. I was born and raised in Munger, a rural community in Michigan. I love listening to (and making) music, writing, spending time with my friends and family, watching sports, and traveling (especially road trips).
I was unable to visit Dartmouth before I applied. Everything I knew about New England came from Gilmore Girls until I stumbled upon a People Places Pines post. I spent the next few hours exploring the blog (which I encourage you to do!) and quickly fell in love with Dartmouth and all of its traditions.
I ultimately decided to attend Dartmouth because I loved my hometown. Wait—let me explain myself. Despite being separated by over 700 miles, Munger and Dartmouth share two important similarities:
1. Community
Dartmouth features an incredibly close-knit community. I've only been on campus for two weeks, but I've already become accustomed to seeing friendly faces wherever I go. While walking across the Green, grabbing food at Foco, or studying in Blobby, I've met a multitude of kind, welcoming, and friendly Dartmouth students.
My friends and I won trivia at Collis, and were rewarded with these cool Dartmouth Winter Carnival posters!
2. Connection to the outdoors
I'd like to consider myself a pretty adventurous person, but I'm not the most outdoorsy. Luckily, no matter your level of expertise, Dartmouth has an outdoor opportunity for you! The Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) is comprised of 23 sub-clubs, which range from Nordic Skiing to Surfing to Organic Farming. I'm excited to engage with these opportunities and explore the beautiful Upper Valley (and beyond!) over the next four years.
My friends and I have been enjoying walks by the River and studying on the Green!
In addition, Dartmouth provides a world-class liberal arts education and unparalleled opportunities. I'm academically interested in Quantitative Social Science and Cognitive Science, and here at Dartmouth, I'll easily be able to explore both. I've also already engaged with multiple clubs, including the Dartmouth Sports Analytics Club, Cabin and Trail (a DOC sub-club), and the Dartmouth Democrats.
I'm not going to mislead you—I was incredibly nervous to come to Dartmouth. But discomfort leads to growth, and I've already grown so much here. I've found myself saying yes to every opportunity I can, introducing myself to people wherever I go, and smiling almost constantly. I've also met some incredible friends and been incredibly engaged by my professors so far.
I hope that I can represent student life at Dartmouth authentically through my blog posts and that you are excited to learn more about this wonderful place along with me. Go Big Green!
If you're like I was—staring at your closet wondering what "essentials" actually means—here is what I packed, what I'm grateful I brought, and what I now know you can leave behind.
New England's most iconic clock tower, captured from every angle and in every season! From sunrises to snowfalls, here's Baker Tower in all its glory. A visual love letter to Dartmouth's most timeless landmark.
