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Why Sophomore Summer?
Welcome to Sophomore Summer! As I stepped off the Dartmouth Coach onto a humid, lush green campus, I found myself not quite believing that I was going to stay on campus through the months of July and August. But here we are!
Sophomore Summer is a unique facet of Dartmouth's D-Plan, in which students can choose (to a degree) which terms they want to be on or off campus. One term where students are highly encouraged to be on campus for is the summer term between students' sophomore and junior years. With much of the student population away in the summer, the student population here is mostly made of '26's this year!
The tradition began in the 1970's with the implementation of the D-Plan, in which the exploding student population (as a result of opening the school to both men and women) could not be solely contained on one campus at one time. The D-Plan allowed the school to stagger which students were on and off campus, overall lessening the burden on student housing. Sophomore Summer was another aspect of this, where one class is required to be on campus and fill up on class credits when most of the school is not. What began as a wily solution to a housing problem has become a famous part of the Dartmouth Experience. The campus is more relaxed, and the weather has never been better!
Sophomore Summer is often known for being a more relaxed time, with less commitments. The dance groups host a more relaxed, fun version of their groups in which students who don't usually dance can join. Outdoor activities like flyfishing, hiking around New Hampshire and swimming in the Connecticut River are commonplace. And many usual activities that occur in the fall, winter, and spring (such as ensemble groups like the Coast Jazz Orchestra) are on a break.
For me, my individual piano lessons are on a break, as well as my a capella group, so I'll be filling that time with other things, such as being in a summer dance group, working on research in the Chemistry department, hiking around the Upper Valley, and catching up with friends. I've also signed up for pickleball lessons! Already, I've seen so many classmates and friends to catch up with.
The truth is, even with a more relaxed campus atmosphere, my schedule seems that it'll be as busy as ever, so I'm hoping that I can continue improving in my time management and my health management, too.
Here's to a good summer!