Hi guys! The name's Tulio (yes, like the guy from Rio) Huggins, and I am navigating my first year at Dartmouth! I am from the beautiful state of Pennsylvania, where I have lived for the past couple of years. I hope to study either Government or History, but I'm open to other majors as well. In my free time, I love to hang out with friends at Christian Union, to paint, and to take pictures! Feel free to ask any questions you might have about Dartmouth. I hope that you all have a blessed day!
I usually don't bet on things, but today's going to be an exception.
I will bet you prospective '24s and '25s — or if you are a really ambitious 1st grader, '35s — five dollars that you are nervous about making friends on campus. Did I get it right? If I did, you can Venmo me my righteous winnings (just kidding, that was a joke).
But seriously, most of you probably said yes. You're nervous that when you get to Dartmouth, that you'll be too shy for friends, that nobody will like you, or that people won't talk to you because you smell. That last one might have just been me. Nevertheless, that fear of loneliness is justified. You are going to be in a new environment with new people, and your friends back home might be states or even countries away.
Going to campus, that was certainly me, but I have found out that there isn't anything to worry about with building friendships at Dartmouth. For one, everyone here is in the same boat. We've all left home and journeyed to this new environment, and we are all setting out on our own. That means that we are all searching for new relationships. For me, that was really comforting. I didn't have to fear that I wasn't doing enough the first couple of weeks in making friends, or that everyone here had their set friends for life.
Also, people at Dartmouth are REALLY friendly. Dartmouth College isn't the type of school with a "dog-eat-dog" type of mentality. You don't see people trying to one-up each other here and using friendship as a way to get ahead. Instead, people collaborate with each other and are happy when people succeed. They want to make lasting friendships here.
Finally, there are TONS of clubs and extracurriculars you can do at Dartmouth. For me, I've joined just three extracurriculars, and my schedule is filled with different events that have led to many opportunities to make new friends. Take ROTC. Through this extracurricular, I have been able to grab breakfast with the group after PT (physical training) in the mornings and grow closer to the people in ROTC. Joining extracurriculars is a great way to make friends.
Honestly, don't sweat the friendship aspect of college. It might take time to make lasting friendships, but that is completely normal. College is a great place to meet new people and expand your horizons of life. So just remember: You will find friends. You will find your group. And you will make lifetime memories. You're going to do great!
Because the town and school are small, they are extraordinarily interconnected and, in my experience, people in the community have been super welcoming. One long time Hanover resident even helped me pick out a good winter coat!
When I think of "old" at Dartmouth, I think of the many parts of campus that are rich in history. So this week, I went around to a couple of locations on campus to capture some of the historical parts of campus and their history.
I don't think any place exemplifies the stereotypical college town like Hanover and our dear old Dartmouth. Of the places at Dartmouth that have the best vibes, my vote — without question — goes to The Hop.
When I came to Hanover almost four years ago to start my freshman year, finding every place that serves coffee was of the utmost importance. Here's the rundown on the best places in town for coffee.
It's almost the end of my first winter here in Hanover, but that doesn't mean my friends and I didn't hop on the opportunity to go check out some ice castles an hour and a half north of us.
