Hey everyone! I'm Cooper from Wayne, Pennsylvania, which is right outside of Philadelphia. I am a '28 here at Dartmouth, and plan on studying Quantitative Social Science and Psychology. In my free time, I love getting food with friends, playing pickleball, watching sitcoms (personal favorite is Modern Family), and going on walks. I am super excited to be here and cannot wait to take you along my journey at Dartmouth!
I vividly remember the day when all of the '28s received their housing information. Getting the email that I was living in French Hall, a residential building a part of West House, was both exciting and nerve wracking. It was at that moment that it felt so real, that college was actually happening. I researched extensively about French Hall, finding that it is a part of the River Cluster, meaning it is very close to the Connecticut River. I found that online, this was seen as a negative thing since the walk to nearly every building was quite long; in addition, I also learned that this is a pretty old dorm, with not very modern amenities. So, although I was incredibly excited for my college journey, I was certainly nervous about where I was living my first year.
Nevertheless, I am here today to say that all of the negative aspects associated with French Hall are simply inaccurate. Let me tell you all about my experience living in French so far!
My dorm room in French Hall!
For one, Dartmouth is an extremely walkable campus, so quite literally no matter where you are on campus, the farthest you might have to walk is 20 minutes. For reference, to get from French Hall to our dining hall Foco, you have to walk only 7 minutes. So the notion that French Hall is far away from everything is just an exaggeration, as it is really not that bad at all. Plus, you can walk with your hallmates to and from places, which allows for even more connections, and you can get your steps in as well! But in all seriousness, any place at Dartmouth is not actually "far" from French Hall at all.
In addition, although French Hall is certainly not the most modern building on campus, it is certainly not "run down". Every room is carpeted, decently spacious, and has its own microwave and refrigerator. Plus, the common room in French is amazing and has a sort of cabin-like feel to it, with an attached kitchen that has a water filler, sink, Keurig, refrigerator, microwave, and stove! I will admit that it is not anywhere near modern, but it is comfortable and liveable which is really all that matters.
And finally, I want to highlight the community of French Hall. Quite literally everyone in this hall is friends with each other, and I have already found myself getting super close to them in just a month's time! Whether it is spending time in the common room or in each other's dorms, the people of French Hall really make it such an accepting and incredible place.
A picture of the French Hall common room!
Even though I have only lived in French Hall for a month, I can already say that it is simply an incredible place to be and has contributed to such a positive first-year experience at Dartmouth already.
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Sarah Getraer '26, a studio art major, showed me around her dorm room, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
