A Day in my Life - Winter Edition | Dartmouth Admissions

Alt text: A snowy landscape with large snowdrifts in the foreground. In the mid-ground, several tall pine trees are scattered across a vast, flat area covered in untouched snow. The sky above is mostly clear with a few wispy clouds

A Day in my Life - Winter Edition

I can't believe I'm almost done with my first winter quarter at Dartmouth! Though it took me a few weeks to adjust to the cooler weather, I'm now settled into a consistent daily routine that allows me to enjoy everything the winter campus offers.

My morning starts around 8:30 to give me ample layering-time for my 9:15 breakfast at the Class of 53 Commons (lovingly known as FOCO). That's one thing that took me a while to adjust to—how long it takes for me to get dressed in the winter to prepare for the outdoors. I usually take around 30 minutes to perfect everything—the leg warmers, thermals, earmuffs—and am heading out the door by 9:00. Even though it's only around a 7-minute walk to the dining hall, bundling up is imperative! This is what today's snow buildup was looking like:

A person wearing a long black coat is standing in deep snow, looking down at their feet. They are partially surrounded by snowdrifts along a path where snow has been cleared. In the background, there are snow-covered buildings and trees under a

Today the snow is around 1 shin tall! Thanks for the measurement Carys!

This term, I'm taking ice skating lessons, which count towards my wellness education credit. These lessons are a fun opportunity to hang out with my friends while learning a new skill. On the days we have skating, my friends and I meet up at FOCO for a quick breakfast before we head to the Thompson Arena, where the Dartmouth Club Figure Skating Team teaches us how to master the ice! Today, FOCO treated us with some divine cookies and cream donuts!

DONUTS!!

After an hour-long session of scooter pushes, swizzles, one-foot glides, and slips and falls, I'm pretty hungry. One of the routes to walk from Thompson Arena back to campus runs through the town of Hanover's Main Street, which houses one of my favorite cafés: The Works. By the time we left the arena, the snowfall had subsided, so the walk was not as cold as before. I get my usual Southwest Chicken Bagel Sandwich, and it truly never disappoints. Before we knew it, my friends and I had talked and devoured our sandwiches for over an hour, and it was time for my next class.

An interior view of a café featuring wooden tables and chairs. The counter is seen in the background with staff preparing drinks, and there are coffee machines and a row of coffee containers along the wall.

The Works!

I make my way to the Moore psychology building, where my Sociology class takes place. It's called Love, Romance, Intimacy, and Dating, and it is one of the most interesting classes I've taken here so far! The class explores the meanings of these words in the context of our own experiences on campus. Today, my classmates and I discussed the definition of love, how it can mean different things to people, and how our campus specifically cultivates a unique form of love—it was such a fascinating conversation!

A winter scene showing a snowy street and a campus area. The bare branches of a tree are visible in the foreground. On the left, a brown brick building can be seen with a few trees around it.

My walk to the Moore Psychology building (pictured right)

After my sociology class, it was time for my Writing 5 course, which was held in Berry Library. Writing 5 is one of the course options that first-years can take to fulfill the writing requirement, along with a first-year seminar. There are so many different themed Writing 5 courses, ranging from chemistry to sports ethics. I chose a Writing 5 course called "Interaction Ritual," which uses various sociological texts to critically analyze novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Passing, and Normal People. A lot of the time, the class feels like a big book club where my classmates and I get to reflect on that week's reading, sharing how we felt during key moments. We listen, laugh, and sometimes excitedly say, "YES! Oh my gosh, I thought that too!" in response to someone's comment. Today's class was mostly about the last section of Passing, which warranted a lot of discussion. It's always fun to hear how others interpreted the readings!

After class, I headed to McNutt Hall, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, for my weekly tour guide training. Today, we had representatives from on-campus offices and programs like the Center for Professional Development, The William Jewett Tucker Center, and the Academic Skills Center. They shared their program's missions and resources—things that we then highlight to prospective students and families on tours. We then split off into our small training groups and went through the entire tour, so each of us trainees got to practice the various stops on the tour. Training to become a guide has taught me so many cool tidbits about Dartmouth, like the fact that the term "Artificial Intelligence" was coined at Dartmouth Hall!

A selfie of two young women standing in front of a glass door with a sign that reads "ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID."

Tour guide training at the admissions office!

The training ended around 6, so afterward, we grabbed a quick dinner at the Courtyard Café, located inside the Hopkins Center for the Arts, before heading back to Thompson Arena for a Men's hockey game. The game was action-packed, and a lot of students came out to support it. Attending games is one of my favorite things about living on campus—getting to scream and cheer for the same team with a bunch of people, then walking just 15 minutes to get back to my dorm.

A selfie of two young women smiling while sitting in a hockey stadium. In the background, the stands are filled with people.

GO BIG GREEN!

Today was a jam-packed and exciting day that is a pretty good representation of my life this winter term. There's always something happening on campus, whether it be a game or a concert, and my classes always keep me engaged. Thanks for coming along with me today!

Posted 04/5/2025 at 9:00 AMAll Text Posts