Sydney Wuu

Sunny Post-Quarantine Adventures

Hey blog, what's new?! I'm currently sprawled out on a picnic blanket working on the Green with a friend, savoring the last few days of short-sleeve weather before the Hanover seasons begin to change. As a Southern California native, the early fall weather has been absolutely sublime – the leaves above me turn deeper shades of orange and red with every passing day. Classes are well underway, we've completed our 14-day quarantine, and it's the perfect time to soak in the sun with new friends!

Spending time on the Green in front of Dartmouth Hall is a great way to spend your late afternoons.

Hanover may be small, but it's taught me the joy of exploring by foot. My step count has increased exponentially while on campus (no, really—I've taken walks up to 12 miles!), and just venturing out is one of my favorite activities thus far. In between Zoom lectures, I'll walk with friends around Occom Pond, to the Organic Farm, or down the Pine Park trail near the Connecticut River. I even plunged into the river and swam across to Vermont, which was a super cold yet memorable experience that is sure to be one of my highlights of freshman fall. The town has a lot to offer – in the short period we've been allowed out so far, I've tried Lou's Restaurant and Bakery, TukTuk Thai, and visited the Co-op local grocery store a couple of times. 

Here's a glimpse into my typical day. In the mornings, I'll head to FoCo (the main dining center) for a hot breakfast with friends. Now that FoCo opened its doors for in-person dining, we can meet the incredibly friendly kitchen staff and select from a wide range of options in the buffet. I'll then head back to my dorm room to start work for classes with a nice lo-fi playlist. In the afternoons, on top of my classes, I might do some creative activities like tie-dye masks or pot some succulents courtesy of the Dartmouth Programming Board. I'll also meet up with friends – just earlier today, I saw my orientation group for the first time socially distanced on the Green. It was great putting faces to names. At night, there is so much to do! I recommend stargazing out on the golf course and identifying constellations with an app on your phone; the sky is so much clearer here coming from a city. In the late hours, I'll usually invite a floormate over to work in my dorm room (which now that quarantine is over, has been a nice way to socialize and end the day on a productive note!)

Settling into Dartmouth has been smooth sailing so far – full of virtual club meetings, an enriching academic load, and plenty of long walks. I'm eager to embrace more of what Hanover has to offer in the coming weeks as the weather and leaves continue to change. Here's to the next chapter of freshman fall!

Dartmouth has such strong school pride!