Nathan Hammerschmitt Le Gal
You are here
A Photographic Fall Term
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.

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).
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.
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!
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.
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!).
"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.
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.
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.
At last, my room was packed and it was time to go. Until winter term!
Posts You Might Like
After a long winter term where everything was overlaid in snow and serenity, the weekly Norwich farmer's market is finally back—and I could not be more excited.
New term, new room at Gender Inclusive Greek House Alpha Theta!
The summer is approaching quickly and I'll be staying on-campus taking classes with other sophomores. Read on to learn more.
In my last blog post, I reflect on my Dartmouth experience ahead of graduation!
When I look back on my time at Dartmouth, and it is hard to believe I will be graduating in just two weeks, I know that Africa Week will always stand out as one of the moments when this campus felt most alive, most joyful, and most like home.
In this post, I write about the Dartmouth Creatives Networking event in NYC.
It's my first spring ever (!!!) and I have been blown away by the beautiful scenery that continues to bloom right in front of my eyes. Here are some of my favorite scenes from campus in spring!