Tess Hunter

Collecting Winterim Passport Stamps

All aboard! We've finally made it to winter break (in Dartmouth language, winterim), so come with me on a journey to see what Dartmouth students are doing over the holidays. First destination, the Relaxation Station…

The Relaxation Station

I have spent a lot of time relaxing over this Winterim. In my introductory blog post, I talked about my dogs, and promised they would be discussed again. Well, as part of this stop, dog walks are essential. They are definitely the happiest out of my family that I'm back (I was told by my brother that my being home got old after a week). Two weeks of orientation followed by ten weeks of classes takes its toll, so after four weeks I am still sleeping nine blissful hours each night.

The Global Gateway

Yes, we are already on a trip, but there is no better time than the present to start planning for the next one! Study away at Dartmouth is highly popular, and applications for the next calendar year are due at the start of February. So, one of my Winterim tasks has been to research the options I have, and what I'd like to apply for. There are so many different choices—which department to choose from, during which term, exchange or language study, destination… I am most interested in the Asian Studies winterim trip to Vietnam . This is a unique program, considered a Fall+ study abroad. Rather than an entire term, it is three weeks after the end of Fall term. I would have to complete a prerequisite course during term time, culminating in a research project with Fulbright University Vietnam.

The Impact Outpost

Although not a destination I personally have visited over my winter break, one of my friends has participated in the ImpACT Winterim Leadership Intensive. What a long name. Anyway, it's a program run by the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact (DCSI), where students are funded by DCSI to identify a social challenge in their hometown and work on a project related to it. My friend who lives in Boston is working at the International Institute for New England, an organization focused on refugee and immigrant resettlement through education, career and citizenship advancement. So far, she has helped distribute government benefits such as RCA (Refugee Cash Assistance), organize clothing and household donations, and shadow and support the housing, employment, and TVAP (Trafficking Victim Assistance Program) teams. This stop has been extremely rewarding, in her words, 'I LOVE IT!' She has really enjoyed getting to know employees and helping assist in different projects.

The Wilderness Waypoint

My own Winterim trip

Now we are venturing far from my comfy bed at home. Every interim, the Dartmouth Outing Club runs Break trips, which are multi-day, student-led trips that happen in the breaks between terms. All trips are subsidized by the DOC, so no trip costs above $250, and financial aid is available. From backpacking in Arizona, to staying in yurts in Montana, to canoeing in the Everglades, to hiking in Big Bend National Park, there is something for everyone. I was particularly interested in Nordic skiing in Norway, until I read that it required 'proficiency in skiing.' That immediately rules me out—next year, though? 

Nostalgia Harbour

And of course, meeting up with old friends. Although most of my friends' breaks haven't aligned with mine, I have really enjoyed visiting them at their universities. These visits allowed me to see Dartmouth through a new perspective.  It's very interesting to see how although we have spent the last four months apart, we still have loads to talk about, including continuing to unpack high school lore. 

Having collected our passport stamps from all these destinations, it is finally time to go back to Dartmouth. Well-rested, well-travelled, and ready for the term ahead.