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!
My first thought as I finished one haphazard lap in the pool at Dartmouth's Alumni Gym was one of mixed feelings. While I would like to say I'm a proficient swimmer, I've definitely been challenging myself as a new member of the Dartmouth Triathlon Team (Swim, Bike, Run!).
Running and cycling are more my forte, but swimming has been a positive experience despite being humbling. After only two swim practices, I can already feel the momentum building and my skills developing! I have to give credit to Coach Reed, who's guided me on technique. The cues "High elbow!" and "Head down!" are still echoing in my head. Even as I write this post in the Tower room of Baker-Berry Library, I'm imagining the wood-paneled walls filling with water and the confusion of students as the silence is broken by swimming instructions.
In this first sense, I've been literally re-learning how to swim. I would like to, however, shift to how Dartmouth is improving my swimming technique in other ways.
The image says it all—let me explain!
This view is from Gile Firetower, a short drive from campus in Vermont; it's an incredible fall hike and offers unrivaled views during foliage season. It also embodies how it feels once you arrive on campus and begin to consider what you'll pursue.
As I gaze into the endless expanse of forest, I'm struck by a vastness of space that reflects the boundless sense of opportunities at Dartmouth. The forest seems limitless; it's both a symbol of Dartmouth's outdoor culture and the effect of the institution on students' trajectories in life. In other words, Dartmouth makes me see an endless array of possibilities for my future.
In fact, I would say my options are so open I'm relearning to navigate them. I'm relearning how to swim, so to speak. Dartmouth is one big pool, and staying afloat requires dedication to class, time invested in studying, joining new extracurriculars, and getting involved in opportunities for deeper scholarship (internships, research, co-curricular programs, etc.).
Ok, maybe Dartmouth isn't actually teaching me how to "swim" outside of my Triathlon endeavors, but I would like to think it is. After all, it'll mean I can have some fun in the water while I'm at it.
While first-year students don't have to worry about customizing their D-Plan right away, upperclassmen may encounter some constraints when trying to modify theirs. Here's how I petitioned my D-Plan to accommodate my double-major!
