Welcome to Dartmouth!
From the moment you set foot on campus, you'll be swept up into a whirlwind of amazing people, extraordinary places and crazy, unique traditions that celebrate Dartmouth's newest members. It's no wonder, then, that so many upperclassmen still talk fondly about freshman fall. Certainly freshman year might have been as full of cringe-inducing moments as it was warm-fuzzy ones, but on the whole it should be an exciting, fast-paced time for experimentation and exploration.
For those of you embarking on Freshman Trips, you'll be urged to break out of your "comfort zone" and actively pursue different experiences. Though this may sound like trite advice, it will provide you with the basis for making the most of your short time at Dartmouth. The College offers incredible opportunities if you're willing to try new things and reliably give of your time and effort. Attempt anything and everything, but don't be discouraged if you can't find what you love right away.
The range of opportunities at Dartmouth is almost endless -- and it is expanding all the time, developed by each unique class here. So take a role as a drill instructor, host a radio show or write for The Dartmouth. Join the crew team, play rugby, scale the climbing wall below the River Apartments or take a snowboarding physical education class. Take courses on natural disasters or vampires or the history of baseball. Make the most of your time.
This freshman issue of The D is intended to help you find your bearings on campus. We've included suggestions and tips about what life at Dartmouth may have in store once you set foot on campus. Keep them in mind as you explore all that the College has to offer; this place can be overwhelming at first, but it's amazing how quickly you'll find yourself immersed in what we only half-jokingly call "The Dartmouth Bubble."
Then, not too long after, you'll realize that the bubble has become home -- and that whether you criticize it unabashedly or love it unequivocally, it is part of you as much
as you are part of it.
Enjoy the end of summer and we'll see you in the fall!
