Welcome to the woods! My name is Matt Catrambone and I'm super excited to be joining the People, Places, Pines team as a new blogger. As of now, I am majoring in biology and quantitative social science (QSS), but who knows where I will end up! I will be sharing my journey as I try out classes, activities and research opportunities in various departments. Outside of the classroom, I like to listen to music, hike, ski and explore the surrounding area with my friends. Nice to meet you all!
It's been getting busy on campus! Because of the quarter system, the final days in Hanover can be pretty hectic, but I'm finding the routine quite enjoyable. I've definitely been studying with friends in the library and trying my best to get outside to have some fun. To finish off this term, I'm going to share some photos that capture what the Upper Valley has to offer.
1. First Year Trips!
I've probably mentioned my trip in other blog posts, but it feels necessary to address it some more in this post. I was on the more strenuous hiking trip, so we, you guessed it, hiked and camped about 20 miles off Dartmouth's campus. The trip culminated in our summit of Mt. Moosilauke, but what I will remember most is how tight-knit our group was. We shared many laughs on the trails over (many) bags of trail mix and banana chips, and still get together about twice a month to reconnect. It's been a great source of community and has grounded me if I ever feel like I need to talk to someone. We're planning a part 2 very soon!
2. Trips to Queeche Gorge and Woodstock
I've tried my best to take advantage of the surrounding area and visit some neighboring towns - most notably Queeche and Woodstock, VT. With my housing community (West House), we took a trip to the Queeche gorge (pictured above) and also visited a farmer's market which was a great way to get to know the people I'll be living with for the next four years. On parent's weekend, as I've mentioned, we visited Woodstock to shop, walk around and go on a short hike which allowed me to catch up with my parents. Totally recommend exploring the Upper Valley if you make the visit!
3. Riverview Farms Apple Picking with Club Ski
I plan on joining the club racing team this winter, so I attended a meet-and-greet social at a local apple orchard. We weaved through the many apple trees to try to find some Yellow Delicious and, more importantly, was able to explore my options of how I could get involved. The trip eased my nerves because I had never raced before, but the upperclassman reassured me that they had their fair share of falls and I should come out to join them. I'm really excited for this winter and to meet some new peers outside of my current involvements.
4. Hiking Mt. Cardigan with friends
As you can tell, I've tried my best to check out some cool hikes in the area - this time I took a Zipcar with my friends and headed out to Mt. Cardigan. It took us about 45 minutes to get up to the top where a watchtower (and the beautiful sunset) awaited us. And if you don't have access to a car - there is nothing to worry about! The Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) runs many trips each weekday and weekend all around New England. It's a great way to meet peers and older students, and I'm even trying to lead a trip in a later term!
5. Homecoming Bonfire
Each quarter on campus, we celebrate with a main tradition - in the fall, it's the Homecoming bonfire. Many alumni return to campus to reunite with their classmates, and there are many events - like dinners, barbeques, and information sessions - to welcome our friends back to campus. The most tangible is the large bonfire that is built by my classmates (the '26s) and is decorated with posters from student organizations. My entire class walked all around campus to return to the Green where alumni and current students cheer us on and initiate us into the community. It was a really beautiful moment.
6. Hanging out on the green
I'm trying to soak up some of the last warm-ish days on campus, so I've been getting outside to do some homework. Above I am working on an outline for my WRIT5 research paper. There are always students out on the Green, throwing around a frisbee or competing in sometimes-heated games of Spikeball. Moving out of the library makes me more efficient if I've spent an hour or two inside, so I'll sometimes recruit friends to join me.
It's hard to believe that it has been a year since I wrote my first end-of-fall-term reflection. It felt like only yesterday that I stepped into my dorm room this September, eager to reunite with my friends.
Applying early to a university can be overwhelming and confusing. As someone who did not apply to Dartmouth through early decision, here are a couple tips that I could have used when thinking about applying early to a school!
