Welcome! My name is Serena and I'm a '28 from NYC. I'm so excited to be here at Dartmouth and share my experiences with you! On campus you can find me organizing events at Hillel, hosting socials for the women's club frisbee team, trying every single Dartmouth tradition, and yapping in the library. I also love to run, play volleyball, hike, knit, and read fantasy books! If you want to hear about a city kid's adventures in rural New Hampshire, follow along as I experience life in the woods!
Usually, I count sheep to fall asleep at night, but recently whenever I try to count sheep, somehow I end up counting ice creams jumping over the fence instead. One ice cream, two ice cream, three ice cream…
Sorry, I started falling asleep for a second!
Anyway, it's time to get serious. Let's start with the first bite of delectable ice cream I consumed:
Follow the red arrow on the picture above to find the ice cream hidden in the photo.
BOOM. Ice cream. Let's get technical: the remains of a perfect vanilla bean ice cream scoop on a scrumptious square of chocolate brownie. This picture was taken at The Moosilauke Ravine Lodge (aka "the Lodj") on my First Year Trip. We are all smiling because we just ate the most delicious ice cream ever. This was our first day back in "civilization" after camping outside for three days, and everyone at the Lodj was so warm and welcoming. After a long couple of days, this dessert was the icing on the cake!
Next up is my free sample of maple caramel swirl ice cream from the Explore the Arts Open House! Did I mention I love ice cream yet? One of the last days of New Student Orientation (NSO) was a day filled with academic open houses all around campus. Dartmouth is unique in that first-year students only elect courses once we have been on campus for a week or two rather than picking our classes at home. I loved this setup and am taking an Art History course just because I went to the amazing Art History open house! This open house was located right outside the Hood Museum of Art at the Maffei Arts Plaza. I learned about the jewelry, ceramics, and woodworking studios where Dartmouth students can create beautiful art (no previous experience required)! Anyways, back to ice cream. My ice cream was locally made by Red Kite Candy, an ice cream shop right down the street from Dartmouth. I could really taste how fresh it was!
This ice cream was soooooo divine. On the last day of NSO, The Collis Center for Student Involvement set up an "Ice Cream Social." There were tables with free ice cream and toppings right outside of the Collis building! My friends and I enjoyed a sweet treat in preparation for our first 'real' week of college!
Last but not least, I got some delicious ice cream from Late Night (Late Night refers to the hours between 9:30 pm and 1:30 am when the dining hall is open. Students can grab a late night snack)! Words cannot describe how wonderful this ice cream was, but I shall attempt to by calling it sublime.
I hope you dream of ice cream tonight, and I can't wait to see you next week!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't worry. My life isn't all ice cream, so stay tuned to hear how I stay active!
This winter, I'm studying abroad in Toulouse, immersing myself in French language, literature, art, and culture through place-based classes, city explorations, and firsthand experiences across southern France.
My study abroad experience this past summer helped me grow in meaningful ways. The lessons I learned didn't stay in China—they continue to shape how I approach my life, relationships, and goals today. Read on to hear more!
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Gabe Brigham '26, a psychology and sociology double major, showed me around his dorm room, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
