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A group of students in BEMA for the Twilight Ceremony

When I've talked with my fellow '26s so far, an underlying theme in our conversations is the disbelief in how fast time has gone. How does our orientation and experience feel like yesterday when we're entering the second half of our time at Dartmouth? 

Even though I was not an orientation leader or involved in First-Year Trips leader this year, I got the fun opportunity to come on campus a little earlier than most to rehearse music with my acapella group for the acapella orientation showcase, which happens before most students arrive back on campus. Being here for the second time as a non-first-year student, I remember how new and unfamiliar the campus felt when I first arrived, the small actions I took, and the small events that happened to make me the student I am today. 

The Dartmouth Aires singing at night for the orientation showcase
The orientation showcase was a success!

Had I not been part of a First-Year Trip that focused on music (Camping and Jamming), I may not have auditioned for acapella with my trippees, and I would never have been part of the acapella group that has become a defining part of my college experience. 

Had I not tried out for club tennis, I would not have found my current tennis partner, that I've been enjoying playing tennis with the whole time I've been here. 

Had I not gone to the Biology and Women's & Gender Studies open houses and taken their flyers, offering all sorts of classes, I would not have found some of my most memorable classes in my first-year fall, which directed the course of my education. 

Had I not explored the Hop Performance Center during orientation, looking for a quiet space to play piano, I would not have noticed the Individual Instruction Program and Music Foreign Study Program flyers that advertised individual lessons and journeys to London and Vienna, respectively. I may have never taken the leap to apply for the program during my first year.  

An image of the 2024 Club Fair
The club fair is where so many interests start!

I suppose all of this is to demonstrate that my unfamiliarity with Dartmouth College has faded, but the new experiences and people I've gotten to know during that first orientation period and the first couple weeks of fall have cemented how I move through this campus today. I remember orientation, and college in general, as an exciting but frightening experience, as my first extended time away from home, from classmates and teachers I had known my entire life. As daunting as the prospect was, I am glad that my first-year self was bold enough to take even the smallest steps toward exploring Dartmouth and what it had to offer. 

If you are applying to college or just starting your college career, I hope that you will enjoy the ride; as scary as it seems at first glance, every step and action you take may lead to something wonderful!

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