Abbi Fralick
Changing Leaves & New Experiences
As a student from South Carolina, experiencing my first New England fall has definitely been one of the highlights of my first terms here at Dartmouth! Everyone said that fall was a special season on campus, but I figured it wouldn't be all that different from what I'd previously experienced – I was wrong about that! Thanks to the cool temperatures and wide variety of trees in New Hampshire and Vermont, the tree tops surrounding campus turn began to turn into a quilt of reds, oranges, and yellows at the beginning of this term. As I've watched the leaves change colors, I've also found that there are a ton of ways to enjoy fall, on and off campus.
My favorite experience so far has been visiting a local apple orchard to pick apples, try apple cider, and explore a corn maze. The farm also offers Maple Creamees, a regional dessert that involves a delicious combination of soft serve ice-cream and maple candy sprinkles; if you're ever in the area, you have to try one! I went to the orchard with Christian Union, one of the groups I'm involved with hear on campus, but there are a ton of other student organizations that also sponsor apple picking trips. I have friends that have gone with acapella groups, sports teams, and engineering clubs, so whatever you're into, there will be an opportunity to explore a local apple orchard.
Another great way to experience the fall foliage around campus is by hiking through it! The Dartmouth Outdoors Club, or DOC as we like to call it, leads hiking trips of various skill levels every week, so it's easy to get outdoors whether it's a short hike after class or an eight-mile trek on a Saturday. The DOC also loans out any gear you might need, so being involved is accessible even for those with limited hiking backgrounds. Another uniquely-fall, uniquely-Dartmouth experience, is the Spooky-Scary-Full-Moon-Night-Hike, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like and is super fun!
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