Welcome!! My name is Serena and I'm a '28 from New York City. I couldn't be more excited to be here at Dartmouth and share my experiences with all of you! I know I want to explore English Literature alongside a STEM discipline. I love to run, play volleyball, hike, knit, and read books! If you want to hear about a city kid's adventures in rural New Hampshire, follow along as I experience life in the woods!
Forays into the Forest and Other Ways to Create Your Own Wellness at Dartmouth
I love Dartmouth's proximity to nature: Trees. Stars. Grass. Dirt. Flowers. Sky. Clouds. Sunsets. Sunrises. Mountains. Leaves. Lakes. Trees. More trees. Even more trees.
You name it; I love it.
I chose Dartmouth because its campus and culture seemed so intertwined with nature, and I'm happy to confirm this now that I'm halfway through my first term here. As a city kid, I am constantly enamored by all the trees and stars, and I hope those feelings never go away. It feels so right and natural to reset in nature, so I thought I'd share some of my forays into the forest (and other wellness things) with you all!
Nature:
Walking in nature, right on the edge of campus: I take this time to call a family member or friend, listen to music, or simply listen to the sounds of nature around me! My personal favorites are Woccoms (walks around Occom Pond) and meanders through Pine Park.
Swimming: I LOVE being able to swim outside in the Connecticut River! I am so grateful that I can take a short walk and be in an actual body of water!! My favorite river memory is walking down to the river with my friends and swimming at sunset!
Utilizing the DOC: The Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC), the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the country, is also a great place to become one with nature and get involved with the outdoors. My friends and I love signing up for free trips such as "Chill Afternoon Paddle" where we canoed on the Connecticut River one Friday evening.
Relaxing on the Green: I love hanging out on the Green, our central quad, with friends. We are trying to soak up the last of the sunny, warm weather!
Going on self-led hikes: My friends and I have taken the (free!) campus connector bus—Dartmouth's bus service on and around campus—to go hiking. I love being so intertwined with the natural world around me!
Last but certainly not least, going on First-Year Trips: Camping and hiking outside for four nights and days was so magical!!! The views and the people made this, one of my very first memories at Dartmouth, the absolute best.
Spiritual life:
It's really nice to make new connections and meet people within the Jewish community! I love going to Hilleland Chabad. Check out one of my recent blog posts to learn about Rosh Hashana at Dartmouth!
I have also connected with my spirituality throughmeditation!
Late night at Foco:
I love that our dining hall, known among students as "Foco," is always open for a late-night snack! Whenever we go to "Late Night," my friends and I always see people we know and start conversations; it is a great time to catch up with people you don't see as frequently. And, as you might know from one of my earlier blog posts, I love ice cream! There are always such cool flavors to try at Late Night: pumpkin pie, caramel, maple, and, of course, chocolate or vanilla.
I hope this blog post gave you a sense of more unstructured ways I've found enjoyment and relaxation at Dartmouth. My last post focuses on the Student Wellness Center (SWC) and talks about Dartmouth-run programs that have helped me reset and relax. I hope you will check it out!
Dartmouth is no stranger to a variety of student-run full-year performance groups in dance, a cappella, improv, and comedy. Sophomore summer is particularly special, as most of these groups allow sophomores to audition and join just for the summer.
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned how I joined a sorority earlier this fall by going through the recruitment process. I've come a long way since then. In fact, I am living in my sorority house for my sophomore summer!
Dartmouth is not just a college. With world-renowned graduate schools, why would we choose to call ourselves a college instead of a university? The story behind that decision dates back to a significant Supreme Court ruling.
On a quiet spring Saturday in Hanover, I traded the usual campus buzz for Monet in the morning and archery in the afternoon—a reminder that Dartmouth weekends can be just as meaningful when they're slow, reflective, and a little unexpected.
During my sophomore spring quarter, I took on the challenge of four STEM courses, and while it has been intense, the unexpected connections across subjects and the joy of learning have made it one of my most rewarding academic experiences yet.
Read about the Sophomore Summer Soiree and how I got to witness the beginning of something that hopefully grows into a long-standing Dartmouth tradition!
