Hi, my name is Liliana (or Lili, for short) and I'm a '26 from Hawaiʻi! On campus, I can be found performing with my dance troupe, going on walks with friends, and spending an excessive amount of time in Collis. I also love collectible stickers, ultra-specific playlists, free verse poetry, and iced tea. Excited to share my Dartmouth journey with you all! :-)
Dartmouth is highly characterized by its myriad of traditions, from fall term's First-Year Trips to spring term's Powwow! Despite chilly New Hampshire winters, Dartmouth thoroughly loves its winter traditions - one of my favorites being the midnight snowball fight. When Hanover gets its first substantial snowfall, students receive an email from "Theodore S. Geisel" (aka, Dr. Seuss, who famously attended Dartmouth back in the day!) instructing them to gather on the Green at midnight. During my first year, I had no idea what to expect - and even planned to skip out on the tradition - but I ended up having a blast running around with friends and playing in the fresh, powdery snow.
This year, the snowball fight occurred on a Sunday evening, which was unfortunately not the best for my schedule, as my Mondays begin with an 8:50 am math class. Nevertheless, my friends and I trudged down to the Green, where we were met with tons of other Dartmouth students having fun in the snow! A lesser known fact about the Green is that it's void of lighting once the sun sets, which adds an extra layer of fun to the snowball fight. The entire time, I couldn't really see anyone, but it didn't matter - in that moment, we were all just playing in the snow like little kids.
For some, the snowball fight is a sweet reminder of childhood snow days, when school would get canceled due to high amounts of snowfall. I think it's so great that Dartmouth allows us to have these small moments of peace and fun, even as college students stressing about our various assignments and exams. Even as someone who didn't grow up in a snowy environment, I still find joy at the snowball fight, and I'm continuously amazed at how Dartmouth students can come together for something as simple as this. The Dartmouth community is truly unparalleled!
After about thirty minutes of playfully chucking snowballs at one another, many students left the Green and began heading to late night dining at our dining hall, Foco. From 9:30 pm to 1:30 am, Foco offers late night dining, including but not limited to fried foods (my favorite), candy, snacks, and bottled drinks! Late night is a great stop after having fun with friends at the snowball fight. Personally, I skipped out on the long lines and instead made my way to the a snack bar, where I purchased some candy to snack on as I got ready for bed.
I was so pleasantly surprised by the turnout on the Green during the snowball fight, and I'm even more excited for next year's fight. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime (or, once-in-a-term, rather) experience at Dartmouth!
In my freshman year, I wrote a blog revisiting my decision of attending Dartmouth College. Now that more than a year has passed, I would love to revisit my decision again, with a more realistic lens.
As a practicing Christian, my faith has always been the foundation of my life. Coming into college, I didn't want to lose that essential part of my identity. I wanted to deepen it. That's when I found Cru — and it changed everything.
