Jack Heaphy
New Year, New Location, Same Me
Hello all! While it has only been a bit over a month since I've last written a post, a lot has changed. I am writing from a newly-assembled desk (proud to say I put it together myself) in a corner apartment outside of Boston. I am remotely enrolled in winter courses for the next ten weeks, and I am excited to face this new term, no matter how unusual it may be.
Due to limited capacity on campus as a COVID-19 precaution, Dartmouth originally didn't give freshmen access to be on campus for the winter term. Because of this, some other '24s I met in the fall and I have decided to live together to try to resemble some sort of independent college experience. While the college later did allow freshmen to apply for campus housing, I was already set on a remote term, and my friends and I settled on Boston as the location of our dreams. Two months later, and here I am! I've been living here for about a week and I'm excited to see what the next few months have in store for us (probably lots of snow, which I am not at all prepared for).
While this term is far from regular, I am hopeful that it will add a lot of new insight into my life at Dartmouth. In a normal, pandemic-less year, freshmen are required to live on campus for fall, winter, and spring terms. This is not the case for sophomores and juniors, however, and people often take off terms to explore internships and discover new opportunities. While my situation is nothing like an actual off-term that upperclassmen take, it is interesting for me to get a small bite of what that experience may one day be like. One of my favorite aspects of the "Dartmouth experience" is the flexibility in a yearly schedule. I don't think I would have opportunities like this at many other places, and I am once again falling in love with the school, even when I'm miles away. Living fully independently as an 18 year old in a city I have only ever been to prior for college visits is a bit daunting, but I feel ready to take on the challenge.
While I'm still getting used to hearing the sounds of traffic as I fall asleep and cooking three full meals for myself without assistance from family or a dining hall, I am extremely happy, grateful, and excited to be here. I know that I'm lucky to have an opportunity like this, and I am curious as to how this winter quarter will ultimately play out. Stay tuned, because I will keep you all updated!
Posts You Might Like
With all the amazing dining options Dartmouth has to offer, rest assured you will not go hungry on this campus! In this blog post, I will be discussing one of my favorite dining locations, Collis Café, with you.
Dining on campus can be a little confusing the first time around---what's DBA anyway? But you know what's not confusing? Smoothies.
Three years ago today, I received an email that would shape my entire Dartmouth experience in a way I never could have predicted. It's funny to think that it all started because I was a prospective student obsessively reading this very blog.
Read this post to hear about my first week of summer term and to get a picture of what the rest of my term will look like!
The River Cluster (the group of residence halls closest to the Connecticut River, including French and Judge Hall) has a reputation…and some of it is warranted. But there's more to living in the River than you might expect!
A look back at what I wish I'd known before move-in, paired with photos from my first-year fall!
Life on campus this spring, as seen through the lens of my film camera!
and how you, dear reader, can too!
Come with me to explore some things I have done during the first week of my Sophomore Summer!