Olá! I'm Luana from Brasília, the capital of Brazil. I hope to be an environmental engineering major, but, surprisingly, my favorite class right now is Humanities 1. You can find me studying in the Tower Room or at AQ, our Catholic Student Center. One year ago I was looking through this blog hoping to get to know Dartmouth. Now, I get to tell you why I love this place so much while I learn what it means to be a Dartmouth student. Consider this an invitation to accompany me.
As a bookworm who loved dissecting and analyzing novels or philosophical works, a writing class focused on classical literature with weekly discussions was the right fit for me. Between reading Sophocles, Nietzsche, and Rawls, I had the opportunity to reassess my approach to reading, deepen my interpretations, and improve my public speaking skills while broadening my recognition of the significance of critical thinking.
If asked, "What is your favorite season?" I doubt your answer would be winter. It's cold and uncomfortable, so usually I would agree with you. Not anymore. After experiencing this Dartmouth winter term, I am ready to write an ode to this cold season. Between the winter wonderland campus turns into and the outdoor activities Dartmouth offers, staying outside and facing the low temperatures became exciting. Here is what a weekend looks like in the Hanover cold!
Saturday
My day began with so much snow! I left my dorm around 11 am and the whole campus was covered in it. The crunchy sounds followed my steps while I walked across The Green, and my feet would dig into this deep white carpet. It was a winter wonderland at its finest!
My friends and I couldn't help but enjoy some of the best parts of what this weather has to offer. Our first stop was Dartmouth's Golf Course for snowball fights and sledding. We found ourselves surrounded by families that had the same idea, including many alumni from the class of 1958 and 1993 who still live in the area. It was precious to see how special the Dartmouth spirit is to the point where even 67 years later, you can still be found here enjoying hikes and sleds.
Dartmouth Golf Course
After that, we hiked along the Connecticut River, finding beautiful views throughout the path. Once we reached Occom Pond, we found many families and students skating and playing hockey on the frozen pond. We had to join in! With skates the Dartmouth Outing Club offers to students for free, I lived this bucket list moment of skating on an actual frozen pond.
View of my hike!
Occom Pond frozen.
To end the day, my friends and I went to Dartmouth's Hockey game, which we won! All in all, I had a wonderful time.
Dartmouth Men's Hockey game
Sunday
Dartmouth offers free ski lessons to students, through which you can earn a PE credit, and that is what my day revolved around. My lesson began at 9:30 am. With some experienced skiers and many beginners, the lessons were super accessible to all. We spent a couple of hours practicing turns and drills that assessed our balance. Soon, we were ready to hit the slopes. I loved it so much I had to go again, then again and again…
View from the ski lift of one of the trails on the Skiway
Around 6 pm my next stop was Mass at Aquinas, the Catholic Student Center. To be the cherry on top of an already wonderful day, two deers appeared on the bushes of the chapel's entrance. It was such an ethereal view!
Photo taken from a distance, please be careful around wild animals!
There was so much beauty to be encountered in this cold weather and so much fun!
I can't wait to celebrate Winter, so I just had to write a blog post all about it. Read on to hear about all the fun (and affordable) Winter activities at Dartmouth!
My first week back on campus– full of lots of hugs and an extensive amount of time spent making my Google calendar! Cold days and walking to classes after six weeks at home can be an adjustment, but my friends at Dartmouth make it all the more fun!
