Hi there! I'm Nathan, a '27 from Lynn, MA (just outside Boston). I'm an intended Engineering Sciences Major and Studio Art Minor—I like to understand, design, and create things. I also love reading about history, writing, and photography (hence this blog). On-campus, I'm involved in the Triathlon Team, French Living Learning Community (LLC), and Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship. Explore my posts for an inside perspective of everything Dartmouth has to offer!
Fall term is a busy time—especially a first-year's fall term. As I look back on my camera roll, I'm able to reflect on all the amazing things I got to experience. Ever since I arrived at Dartmouth on a slightly muggy August day, time has flown by to the point where that final—kind of cold—week of November arrived before I knew it. Let's dive into a visual summary of the term.
The first picture of my dorm room view!
Moving-in wasn't that bad of a process. It just consisted of, well, moving a lot of stuff. Fortunately, I happened to be assigned one of the newest dorm buildings on campus (McLaughlin Complex), so I was able to use an elevator (I don't tend to share this because my access to an elevator is usually perceived as controversial).
Crossing the green at night on move-in day.
Walking across the Green in the evening for the first time was surreal. I captured the moment because there was a feeling of "crossing-over" and I felt as if the person I was changed during that first day. As Baker-Berry library glowed in the distance, I knew the next few weeks were going to have a lot in store for me.
Capturing a superb sunrise!
Though only my second sunrike (sunrise hike), this was my last hike on First Year Trips. My trip ended at the Dartmouth Ski Lodge (the Skloj, if you sklow what I sklean), and the sunrike was an optional activity that I simply had to do. I carried my camera up the Appalachian Trail and this was the result!
An acapella group performing during student orientation (I won't say who—come to Dartmouth and you'll know)
Acapella is, just maybe, one of the best parts of Dartmouth. A performance during orientation week showcased all the groups, and the following few days saw many of my friends scrambling between auditions trying to join a group. Whether you sing or not, Acapella will connect you to the Dartmouth community.
Learning to use a pizza oven! (Sadly, we did, in fact, not make pizzas)
One of my favorite trips was super casual, yet a nice break from campus that taught me how to use the O-Farm's (Organic Farm) Pizza oven. A former student, Jack Walker, showed us how to fire up the oven, heat the oven over time, and clean the oven. I owe my "Pizza Oven Certification" to his words of wisdom (this means I can book the oven for an evening and have a pizza night with friends!).
DOC (Dartmouth Outing Club) headquarters during "The Fifty."
"The Fifty" is a long hike from Moosilauke Ravine Lodge back to the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) building (Robinson Hall, or Robo for short). I aspire to hike it during Sophomore summer or later, so volunteering now got me some points to increase my chance of selection (getting the opportunity occurs through a lottery system). I volunteered at Robo by cleaning up the DOC basement and chalking up the outside! It was a great way to talk with upperclassmen and meet other potential fifty hikers.
I was given a masterfully produced poster by the Triathlon Team.
My time on the Triathlon Team grounded me throughout the term; this poster is still on my door—at least I think (who knows what I'll come back to during Winter term). Check out one of my last posts for an overview of the team.
Studying biology for finals!
Finals! They weren't as final as I expected them to be. Dartmouth has so many spaces for studying, but I like being in an empty lecture hall with some friends where you have entire blackboards and whiteboards at your disposal. This was the product of a biology review session and my spontaneous desire to draw out most of the cell cycle. In the end, all my exams ended up being relatively reasonable.
My room moments before leaving (very empty).
At last, my room was packed and it was time to go. Until winter term!
Dartmouth is no stranger to a variety of student-run full-year performance groups in dance, a cappella, improv, and comedy. Sophomore summer is particularly special, as most of these groups allow sophomores to audition and join just for the summer.
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned how I joined a sorority earlier this fall by going through the recruitment process. I've come a long way since then. In fact, I am living in my sorority house for my sophomore summer!
Dartmouth is not just a college. With world-renowned graduate schools, why would we choose to call ourselves a college instead of a university? The story behind that decision dates back to a significant Supreme Court ruling.
On a quiet spring Saturday in Hanover, I traded the usual campus buzz for Monet in the morning and archery in the afternoon—a reminder that Dartmouth weekends can be just as meaningful when they're slow, reflective, and a little unexpected.
During my sophomore spring quarter, I took on the challenge of four STEM courses, and while it has been intense, the unexpected connections across subjects and the joy of learning have made it one of my most rewarding academic experiences yet.
Read about the Sophomore Summer Soiree and how I got to witness the beginning of something that hopefully grows into a long-standing Dartmouth tradition!
