Nuna Agbodza

Finding Community at Dartmouth

I flew across the North Atlantic Ocean to get to Dartmouth. Everything was brand new—the people, the food, the weather and my dorm room. I have grown to love all of these things, but college is a big transition from all the comforts of home. This is even more true for an international student, but finding your community is a cushion that softens the blow and makes the transition that much smoother. 

Being an international student, I got the opportunity to move in a few days before our official move-in day to participate in the International Student Pre-Orientation Program (ISPOP). This experience helped me to connect with other international students who had traveled even farther than me and were experiencing the same mix of emotions I was. This shared bond helped me to make new friends, and the icebreakers and events that were organized were catalysts for this process. I particularly loved the talent show we had on the first night. I didn't showcase anything, but I got to watch some amazing singers, dancers, fitness enthusiasts and people with other impressive abilities. 

People who share your interests, hobbies and worldviews are also a great place to find where you belong in this institution. After arriving on campus, I was welcomed by the Dartmouth African Student Association (DASA). Having people who were from the same continent as me and shared many of my experiences helped me feel welcome and diminished my feelings of homesickness. They showed me that I still belonged, even if I was thousands of miles away from home. Our karaoke night, complete with several trays of African food, was a pleasant bonus as well! 

The poster for the first DASA event—karaoke night—we had when I got to campus. I had so much fun singing, dancing and eating with new people.

Last but not the least, Dartmouth has House Communities (like in Harry Potter!) which have their own residence halls and events. Each student is allocated a house and they remain in that house for their entire duration in the college. I'm in West House, and I'm living in French Hall this year. Most of my friends are also in West House, because we see each other so often. Your house is like an automatic family, where you can meet new people and get to know them, because you're all gonna be in the same house for your entire time at Dartmouth. This system allows you to bond with people over a long period of time, and we even have certain inter-house competitions, which brings us together even more. I love the West House members I've met so far and I can't wait to meet even more of them over my time here. 

My friends Reece and Ellie on Matriculation Day! They're also part of West House, and they coincidentally live on the same floor as me. We're like one big happy family!

Meeting all these new people at once was slightly overwhelming at first, and I'd be lying if I said I remembered every single person's name, but these experiences have made Dartmouth feel more like home. At any given time, I know I can get a meal with one of my friends from DASA or study together with a fellow West House member. Finding my people was easier than I thought, and I know I'll continue to find more over the next four years.