Welcome to the blog of an Englishman studying at Dartmouth—do take a look around! Hopefully, my blogs will provide you with an insight on life at Dartmouth, and specifically through the eyes of an international student. Dartmouth has a ton to offer from the staggering natural beauty of its surroundings and stellar academic programs to the wonderful people you meet along the way. So stay a while, I'll make us cups of tea, and take a moment to discover life at the College on the Hill.
When I woke up this morning ten tonnes of nostalgia from fall term hit me all at once – it was a warm beautiful day! Though winter is beautiful in its own way, a warm sunny day at Dartmouth provides an atmosphere like no other. For the first time in weeks the sun had graced us with its presence – and let me tell you the students responded in full. The green was PACKED with people playing spikeball, soaking up the sun, having picnics, and even playing volleyball! It reminded me that it won't be long for a lot of the fun of fall term to return: swimming in the river, studying outdoors and in the woods, sunny hiking, canoeing/paddle-boarding, and playing frisbee golf on the frisbee golf course (I have a friend Omar who is a HUGE frisbee golf fan).
Big frisbee fan
I found myself going straight to the hop for a burger, and astoundingly I got it to take out! I met up with some friends to sit and eat on the green, and we watched many people play outdoor games. Unrelated to the weather, me and two friends have decided this term to start a radio show on Dartmouth's radio station! Signing up was surprisingly easy and after filling out a simple form and doing a quick training session, we were ready to go! Opportunities like this and the taekwondo club I joined this term are what I am excited to show the new '26's on their way to campus.
It's been so refreshing to see prospective students on campus the past few weeks as they tour to make their decisions, it makes me think back to when I was in their shoes and deciding. I honestly think for the better I have changed so much over the past year, and it's simultaneously hard to process that I was like that only a year ago and that a whole year has passed already!
The lack of snow is weirdly awesome!
I do know personally, however, that for students in my exact position last year it is extremely hard to visit campus if you live abroad! What I would say though is that Dartmouth offers a litany of opportunities to explore through alternative means: the online sessions and tours through the admissions Instagram and zoom calls were really fun for me! And also meeting fellow students through the local group chats was awesome. I would say in summary that you should definitely use all the resources you have available to you to continue your search, and I look forward to meeting you in the fall
Three years ago today, I received an email that would shape my entire Dartmouth experience in a way I never could have predicted. It's funny to think that it all started because I was a prospective student obsessively reading this very blog.
The River Cluster (the group of residence halls closest to the Connecticut River, including French and Judge Hall) has a reputation…and some of it is warranted. But there's more to living in the River than you might expect!
