Hi my name is Omar, Class of 2029. I am a first-generation student from Palestine. I like to discover Dartmouth from a nuanced perspective. My love for this place comes from all the first-time experiences that I had here: my first time canoeing in the Dartmouth river, my first time skating on Occom Pond, along with my first hockey game in the hockey arena, and many more! At Dartmouth, I am taking Spanish, Government, and am very interested in Film. Please reach out, I would be happy to connect!
Since I came to Hanover, everyone has told me that Dartmouth winter is not for the weak. I came from Palestine—the coldest it gets is just pouring rain. As the winter quarter was approaching, I was getting more nervous. In the fall term, the First-Generation Office (FGO) here at Dartmouth gave us L.L. Bean winter gift cards, so I was able to buy some winter gear.
I remember vividly studying in Rauner Library, where there is a huge window overlooking the clock tower. I glanced outside to see my first snowflake ever before it started snowing a ton! I was so overjoyed that I ran outside to kick the powdery snow and make snowballs until my hands went numb; I was having so much fun that I didn't even notice the cold!
Later, one of my friends asked me if I wanted to join his Intramural hockey team. I told him I don't even know how to skate, and he said neither does he. Just like that, we formed our team and sent email invitations to our friends to play at the Thompson Arena, where Dartmouth holds its official D1 hockey matches.
This is where the varsity team plays their games
As soon as we stepped on the ice, we started falling like dominoes. Our first game was brutal; we didn't even touch the puck. However, I was not going to let that slip. I started renting skates from Robinson Hall, home to the Dartmouth Outing Club, and practiced skating on Occom Pond, a five-minute walk from my residence hall. There, they have all the hockey gear outside where you can skate until your legs go to failure. Later in the term, every Saturday, the Dartmouth Outing Club cabin on Occom Pond organizes open skate sessions with s'mores and hot chocolate next to the warm bonfire, while everyone gets to skate and play hockey. Although our team didn't make the playoffs, we secured two wins at the end of the season.
My favorite scenery of Occom every week
I was also able to go cross-country skiing, fortunately my humble skating experience helped me muscle through the snow, but it was definitely a different process.
One of my countless falls...
One other fun tradition during the winter term is when Dr. Seuss calls for a snow fight! The day of the first major snowfall, all students will receive an email to gather on the Green (Dartmouth's main quad) at midnight for a snow fight.
Now that the snow is melting and I can smell the trees again, with the wet ground forming a beautiful petrichor, I must say I will miss the winter term. Other than having all the buildings heated, my take is that if you are ever outside in the winter, you will be doing something! As long as you are in motion, you won't feel the cold. I am thankful to have been able to try as many new things as I could last winter, when I discovered my love for hockey and had so many first-time experiences. Personally, the winter term was my favorite so far, and I am excited to continue experiencing all four seasons here on campus. It is so earthily beautiful.
