Hi, and welcome to my corner of the woods! I'm Lauren, a '27 from Munger, Michigan. My favorite places on campus include Sanborn (for writing), the river (for paddling), and the Green (for everything else). I'm excited to share a bit about my favorite place with all of you!
I took this class as part of Dartmouth's first year writing requirement. We read a pro cyclist's life narrative, discussed research papers on controversial topics in sports, and wrote our own papers on a contentious sports technology of our choice. I really enjoyed this course's emphasis on discussion, and the small class size!
This was my first class in the classics department, which was super exciting as a classical studies major! We learned about the ancient Olympics and the connections between athletics and other aspects of ancient Greek society. I loved the final project in this class, which involved creating an argument about how the ancient pentathlon was scored!
To conclude my language requirement, I took Latin 3! This class was super exciting because we began to read ancient texts and poetry. We also took a class trip to the Rauner Special Collections library so we could physically handle and read some manuscripts. And as an added bonus, Latin counts as a prerequisite for my classical studies major!
As a part of my language study abroad in Italy, I also took a class on Italian history and culture! We went on field trips to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, participated in walking tours of Rome, and watched a lot of great cinema in this class! I loved it so much that I decided to minor in Italian.
This class, in addition to being a pre-requisite for my major, was super interesting! I loved learning about archaeology through hands-on projects and lectures that felt like TED Talks.
My favorite course on my Italian LSA+ in Rome is focused on Italian literature, which we are studying in a reverse-chronological order! It has been incredibly fun to see different topics and styles evolve over time and to learn from the works of the best writers.
I’m absolutely loving this hands-on introduction to paleography, and the fact that my class meets at Rauner every day! I can’t wait to hear from our guest lecturers, too, and I’ll be sure to share those experiences on the blog. All in all, Latin 10 was a great way to get back into the language after a term away in Rome.
When I was applying to college, I treated the whole process like a solo mission—just me, my laptop, and a terrifyingly detailed spreadsheet. But in reality, it was a full-blown family operation. Sure, I was the one filling out applications and hitting submit, but behind the scenes, my parents were along for the ride too.
I recently asked my mom what worried her most during the whole process. Her answer? That I wouldn't get into a school that I was genuinely excited about. "I wasn't worried that you'd get into a 'good' school," she told me. "I just wanted it to be the best school for you." Translation: she knew I'd be fine academically wherever I landed, but she wanted me to find somewhere that felt like home.
Another major source of stress? Money. Like a lot of families, we didn't have much information about college finances. "We didn't really understand the cost or how to prepare for it," my dad said. Thankfully, we eventually found that there are great resources to help with that—like Dartmouth's financial aid website.
When my parents visit campus, we like exploring trails in the Upper Valley together!
When I asked what they would do differently, my mom immediately mentioned Early Decision. "I would've been more involved in your research," she said. "You knew what you wanted, so we went with it—but I'm not sure we totally understood the whole process!" My parents let me take the wheel, which I appreciated, but looking back, they both wished I had looped them in more on the "why" behind my choices.
Fast forward to now, though, and they couldn't be happier. "You've had so many opportunities these past two years," my dad said. "You've done things you probably wouldn't have even had the chance to try anywhere else," my mom added.
They still talk about our first visit to campus during Dimensions (Dartmouth's admitted student programming). "We were just so excited," my mom said. "The mountains, the historic buildings, the Green—it was surreal to think that you'd be living there." Coming from a rural town in the Midwest, they immediately felt at ease with Dartmouth's small-town charm and safe campus. Hanover felt a bit like home, but just unfamiliar enough to be exciting.
When my family visits campus, they tell me they feel right at home.
If you're a parent in the thick of college applications right now, here's what I'd say: trust your student, but know when to step in. Ask questions (and stay open to any answer). Be curious. Share in your student's excitement and be there for them when they need your support. Your student might seem like they've got it figured out, but your perspective is important!
In the end, I couldn't be happier with my decision. Dartmouth has become my home—and knowing that my family loves it too? That just makes it even better.
In today's blog, I want to discuss transportation options to/from and around Dartmouth's campus. Even though Dartmouth is known as "the college in the woods," that doesn't mean students don't have access to ample transportation options!
