Hello! My name is Mario and I'm a Dartmouth '28. I am double majoring in government and economics with a concentration in international relations. I love to spend my free time swimming at the Connecticut River or skiing at the Dartmouth Skiway with friends!
In today's blog, I want to take you guys with me through some of the traditions at Dartmouth during the winter quarter.
I participated in some of the most iconic and fun activities Dartmouth offers around campus during the winter term—like the snowball fight, learning to ski, and the Dartmouth v. Princeton hockey game. Yet I was not able to participate in all of Dartmouth's winter traditions, such as the Polar Plunge—where Dartmouth students jump into a carved hole in Occom Pond when it's frozen during the Winter Carnival—and Ice Sculpting—although I did get to watch this one!
Let's explore some of these incredible traditions!
1. The Annual Dr. Seuss Snowball Fight
Every year after the first substantial snowfall of the season, Dartmouth students are invited by Dr. Seuss—a Dartmouth 1925—to gather on the Green—the main courtyard—and have a gigantic campus-wide snowball fight.
In this fight, friends turn into foes, and strangers—well—also turn into foes. This fight is the most fantastic opportunity to have fun with your friends by throwing snowballs at each other.
My first snowball fight at Dartmouth!
2. Skiing/Learning How to Ski at the Skiway
Learning how to ski or making a day trip to the Dartmouth Skiway is an incrediblt popular winter tradition at Dartmouth. The Dartmouth Skiway is one of the most accessible ski mountains near Dartmouth, being only a 20-minute bus ride away from campus—Dartmouth even offers free shuttles running daily to the Skiway.
Dartmouth offers students discounted ski-passes and also free lessons to beginners to allow everyone to enjoy skiing and snowboarding at the Dartmouth Skiway. As a result of its affordability and accessibility, making a trip with your friends to the Dartmouth Skiway is one of the most popular traditions during winter.
3. Dartmouth-Princeton Tennis Ball Tradition
Every year during the Dartmouth-Princeton Hockey game, Dartmouth students have a tradition of throwing tennis balls into the ice rink as soon as Dartmouth scores its first point.
While we eventually lost the game this year, it was enjoyable to watch students throw tennis balls after the first goal with friends while enjoying some snacks at the Thompson Area—a facility at Dartmouth's campus used for ice skating and hockey training!
Tennis balls on the rink!
4. Ice Sculpting
Ice sculpting is an enjoyable and popular activity during the Winter Carvinal, an annual weekend filled with several winter activities at Dartmouth. In the ice sculpting competition, students compete in teams against their peers and other residents of the Upper Valley to win a cash prize.
This competition is based on carving the best-looking ice sculpture on campus. This competition is entertaining to watch and participate in as it can serve as a bonding experience between students and their friends as the clock runs out while they-re trying to finish their sculpture.
Some of the submissions in the ice sculpting competition!
While these are not all of the winter traditions at Dartmouth, these are some that I participated in this year! I hope to show you guys more traditions next winter!
