Hi! I'm Chelsea Mills, a '26 from North Potomac, Maryland. I'm a pre-med student pursuing a Psychology major and a Biology minor. I'm a tour guide, co-president of the Student Mental Health Union, and an outreach coordinator for Camp Kesem (a college-run camp for kids with a parent who has cancer). On weekends, you might find me grabbing a bite at The Works Cafe, spending time with friends in my sorority house, or taking a stroll around Occom Pond. I hope you enjoy my blog- thanks for reading :)
Beyond Hanover: A guide to transportation from campus
If there's one thing that the Dartmouth community can agree on, it's the beauty of Hanover. Inside and out, the town is gorgeous. The population of only 10,000 people echoes the close-knit community of the college itself. Hanover is undeniably welcoming. You'll know the life stories of its residents after just a couple of visits to the local stores on Main Street.
Dartmouth is lucky enough to call Hanover, New Hampshire, home. But the Upper Valley, consisting of several towns in NH and VT along the Connecticut River, is also fun to explore. Students are incredibly connected to the local community, and we strive to maintain that connection through our involvement in the neighborhood.
Beyond the walkability of Hanover, transportation is helpful to explore otherwise. Zipcar is a nationwide car-sharing program that provides transportation on an as-needed basis. With an inexpensive monthly subscription, students can take day trips with friends or skip the 15-minute walk to the Co-op Food Store. Zipcars are convenient for students who don't have cars on campus which, as a freshman, includes pretty much everyone. I highly, highly, recommend getting a Zipcar account.
Sunset in Boston!
As lovely as the quaint New-England vibes are, the city life offers an exciting change of scenery. The Dartmouth Coach is a transportation service that makes the commute admirably convenient for students; The bus stops right in front of the Hop (Hopkins Center for the Arts) on campus. And access to both Boston and New York City is at our fingertips. I love the Dartmouth Coach. I could write a whole blog post about it.
The hallmarks of the bus service include the hourly schedule that runs from 3:00AM to Midnight each day and the convenient locations. Boston South Station is in the heart of the city. It's the perfect stop for those looking for a fun day/weekend trip. I've yet to take advantage of it though; I'll make sure to update you all when I do. I have only frequented the other stop so far, the Boston Logan International Airport.
I live in Maryland, and the Coach makes the commute convenient. I'll take it to the airport, from where I take my flight to DC. We haven't even had our first seasonal break yet, but I know that I'll be taking advantage of it. On the other hand, Zipcar helps for intermediate casual trips. We could all use a breather from Hanover at some point, regardless of how captivating the Fall Foliage may be.
This past Friday, my French program stepped beyond the classroom and into history itself with a day trip to Montauban and Moissac, where art, architecture, and place came together through hands-on learning.
During my freshman year, I lived in the River Dorms as part of West House. This past fall, I moved to Fahey, one of the nicest dorms on campus. Keep reading to see what it's like!
Our first weekend in Toulouse took us to the medieval town of Carcassonne, where exploring historic ramparts, sharing regional food, and traveling together turned history into a communal and meaningful experience.
In this blog, I share how joining Ujima, Dartmouth's oldest hip hop dance team, became not just a creative outlet but a family built on collective work, responsibility, and love.
