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!
German was absolutely one of my favorite courses Freshman Fall. German, like many other languages at Dartmouth, are taught in small, tight-knit classes that help students become comfortable practicing a language while receiving support from your fellow students. This course was incredibly interactive between students and the professor with activities ranging from role-playing buying a house to having improvised acted conversation mid-class. If you're looking for a class with a small group of people that's very interactive and fun, you should look no further than GERM 1!
ENGS 12 was an incredibly fun and fulfilling course during Freshman Winter. It consists on learning how the design process works when it's centered to address specific human needs. This course teaches you several new skills such as using photoshop, video editing, working with foamcore, sewing, and more. It's such a fun course to make new friends through group projects, learn new skills, and a adopt a new mindset for analyzing your ideas. Specially, it provides you with the tools to bring your craziest ideas to life!
Weapons of Mass Destruction was my favorite class during Spring Term. Throughout this class, I got a chance to learn the theories behind the use and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Specifically, I studied the origins and taboo surrounding nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Ultimately, I applied my theoretical knowledge to a prospective scenario where I evaluated the likelihood of Saudi Arabia's obtaining nuclear weapons. Incredibly fun class with lots of discussions with between the professor and the students.
Growth and its Critics was my favorite class during sophomore Fall. In this course, I studied the theories and arguments behind population growth, economic growth, pollution, and technological innovation. The class was taught by Professor Henry Clark—a brilliant and incredibly dedicated professor. I enjoyed the course's center on current political-economic issues as well as the ability of students to discuss their various points of views with the professor and other students. Incredibly insightful and fun class!
I hope you guys are doing well. In today's post, I want to take you guys through my jacket collection to give you an idea of the jackets you could wear during the late fall and winter months at Dartmouth. Let's get started!
Fleece Jackets
One of my main picks for the beginning of the cold season are fleece jackets. These are warm, versatile jackets that can be worn when the weather is starting to shift from warm to cool—around mid- to late-October—or as layers when the weather is incredibly cold. I would say I wear these jackets primarily when the weather is around 50 to mid-30 degrees Fahrenheit.
I would say these jackets are my favorite pick for most of the season since they are easy to put-on and take-off when layering as well as keep you quite warm when the weather is starting to cool down. Below, I have attached some of my favorite fleece jackets in my wardrobe.
Patagonia Fleece Jacket
L.L. Bean Fleece Jacket
Mountain Puffer Jacket
Another one of my late fall favorite picks would be a Mountain Puffer Jacket. These puffer jackets are great for when the weather starts to get windy and your fleece jackets are not enough. These jackets provide windproof insulation which will keep you warmer than a regular, non-windproof jacket.
Another upside of these jackets is that you can layer them—especially with fleece jackets underneath—during the early winter months when the weather is around 20 to 30 degrees fahrenheit. Below, I have attached my favorite Mountain Jacket which is from the Dartmouth Co-op Store—always got to be representing Dartmouth!
Now, moving onto the coldest months at Dartmouth, I would recommend the wind-proof and water-proof puffer jacket. These two specifications are especially important because of the nature of winter at Dartmouth—lots and lots of snow and a bit of rain. Your main winter jacket should be warm enough to let you walk at least 20 to 30 minutes out in the cold as you walk from class to class.
This means that these jackets should have a hood and enough insulation to withstand weather conditions between 30 to 0 degrees fahrenheit. My favorite pick of my winter jackets is the Canada Goose Macmillan jacket. I love this jacket because of how warm it is. I do not need to layer underneath it most of the time—layering can keep you warm but it can sometimes be tedious to deal with whenever you go into any building as you will get hot very quickly! Below, I have attached some of my jackets for the 2026 Winter season:
Canada Goose Macmillan Parka
Beater Jackets
Last but not least, you need a good and warm jacket that you do not mind getting lost or dirty at Dartmouth. It is important to be well-dressed during the colder months, but you need to have a jacket you can wear when you go exploring the outdoors, or when you attend packed school or student sponsored events—there is always the chance of ruining your jacket or your jacket getting lost in the frey of an event.
In this case, I bought a jacket that is warm, cozy, and durable. This jacket does not necessarily need to be the most expensive or fashionable—instead, it should keep you protected from the cold and the snow most of all. Below, there is a picture of my beater jacket for most outdoor and school events!
Northface MacMurdo Parka
Hope this short guide to winter jackets helps you with your next/upcoming Winter at Dartmouth!
This past Friday, my French program stepped beyond the classroom and into history itself with a day trip to Montauban and Moissac, where art, architecture, and place came together through hands-on learning.
During my freshman year, I lived in the River Dorms as part of West House. This past fall, I moved to Fahey, one of the nicest dorms on campus. Keep reading to see what it's like!
Our first weekend in Toulouse took us to the medieval town of Carcassonne, where exploring historic ramparts, sharing regional food, and traveling together turned history into a communal and meaningful experience.
