Greetings from the woods! My name is Gavin Fry, and I'm a student blogger with the People, Places, and Pines team. I'm a proud first-generation college student, carrying with me the full support of my crazy family. I plan to be involved with undergraduate research, outdoor activities, and club golf here at Dartmouth! You can find me geeking out about the weather, reading novels, and always drinking coffee (at any time of the day). So nice to meet you!
Academic Program
Prospective Environmental Earth Science Major with a Minor in Public Policy
Favorite Thing Right Now
My idea of starting a chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) here at Dartmouth!
Oh. My. Goodness. What a fun class this was! As a certified weather and climate geek, I was totally entrenched in everything we done in this course. From the labs and weather presentations to the "flipped" classroom experience, I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Dr. Osterberg's excitement for the course material made it that much more enjoyable! It was truly an extraordinary first-year course to take.
I’ve loved this class from beginning to end. For one, I enjoyed it because of the people in it, but I also loved it because of the content. Through frequent class discussion, I learned about the health of our democracy and the ways it is compromised. Very enlightening class!
Religion 5 was a quintessential liberal arts course that deepened my knowledge in a subject I thought I had all figured out. As a STEM-oriented student, this class offered the perfect balance to my spring term schedule. As a result of this class, I became more introspective of how I was raised, and I'm more grateful in my ability to be a free-thinker.
SummerOff Campus Internship - Princeton, New Jersey
This summer, I explored my future career plans by participating in a research internship with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University. I learned a lot about what I want (and what I don't want) in a future career, and I made so many awesome lifelong connections!
A course rooted in both philosophical theory and real, practical methods of becoming a better public speaker was the highlight of the term. Our class of 16 students grew to be a sort of "mini-family," and I'm so grateful for the connections I made. I completely changed the way I view public speaking and homed in on my own skills as a public speaker!
Once again, a course outside my major found its way into my favorite class list. This sociology course helped me better understand how children are viewed in society, the way sociologists study youth, and the major differences in norms around childhood around the world. Who knew there was so much to learn about youth culture!
I remember the way the winds picked up the sandy soil and whipped across my skin as I went for a run down my dirt road. I remember the fleeting moments when I would sit on the fence in the front yard and watch the sunrise before school. It was simple. I especially remember the light-hearted conversations I would have with my nana and my best friends back at home. Sometimes, simplicity is beautiful. That being said, my life became much more complex after moving to college, and I'm sure yours will also. Don't worry, this is a good thing. I suppose it goes without saying but I think the mental shift going into college shouldn't be glossed over. In fact, I think it's something you should consider and be aware of well ahead of time.
You're going to make friends and maybe some enemies along the way. You will start making independent decisions that you may not want to make, face hardships, have the deepest laughs you've ever had, cry the biggest tears, and find yourself in situations that may prompt you to ask yourself "how did I get here?" That's okay—it's a part of finding more about yourself and who you are meant to become. I have no doubt that you can achieve all of the great things you aspire to. You will check off all the boxes necessary in order to succeed. You will stress, sometimes fail, and of course succeed in the process. This dynamic drives you. You think of the next accomplishment and strive for it until you're there. When we use that drive and ambition to fuel us, it's easy to get lost in that quest. So, I challenge you to remain present in the moment.
Notice the things around you—the clouds, sun, grass and your place in it all.
Take into account the people around you, how you know them and what they've done for you. Think about how you felt when you woke up in the morning. What was your first thought? Why do you think that was on your mind? Breathe. If you're anything like me, you put more focus on the future without giving weight to the present moment. Look around you and find something to appreciate. What comes with a more complex life in college is developing a more complex system to maintain your mental health all the while finding and sculpting out your future self. For now, instead of focusing on what the next accomplishment will be, think of a way to acknowledge what you've already done and how far you've come. It's only when you figure out who you are in the present can you carve out your future self. My life has certainly changed in profound ways in the past year, and I'm grateful. I've been tested, fell down, and picked myself up time and time again. The mindset I've described isn't my own, unique perspective I thought of overnight. Rather, it's the stitching together of advice I've gotten from peers and mentors from my time at Dartmouth so far. No matter what your future holds, I hope you will remain present. Once you've developed this skill, there's no limits to your potential.
Fishing at dusk is a great way for me to be in the moment. Find the hobby that allows you to be removed for a while!
Learn about the different programs Dartmouth offers prospective students to explore campus life, learn about Dartmouth, and enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Hanover!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
