The time to pack your bags for Dartmouth is finally here! Well almost. You probably can taste the independence and autonomy that await you in Hanover this September, and the only thing that stands in the way of your much-anticipated matriculation is the longest darn summer of your entire life.
Even though I am headed into my final year at Dartmouth, I can still remember quite well what it feels like to be sitting at home before freshman year, working long hours at some mundane summer job and getting anxious to escape the jurisdiction of your parents. By the time August rolls around, you will most likely find yourself getting increasingly bitter about the fact that all of your peers seem to be starting their freshman year long before you even head to Bed, Bath and Beyond to stock up on all the college necessities.
As I see it, you have a few options for dealing with your boredom and impatience during this grueling summer. First, you could wait devotedly by the mailbox each afternoon on the lookout for more Dartmouth mail. By reading every word of every information packet, you may get your fill of Dartmouth in the comfort of your own home. As the letters start to form piles on your countertops, however, you might find this option unfulfilling.
A second option, of course, is to pretend you are at Dartmouth already. One guaranteed way to fool yourself is to go pick up a copy of that lovely first-year reading book and start plowing through. I can assure you that you will feel as though you are entering the exciting world of academia in no time. Then again, if you are too hung up on the fact that you have no clue why you are required to read a novel about the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, you might try starting your very own BlitzMail account or joining thefacebook.com.
When I was waiting for my first year at Dartmouth, I found only temporary comfort in these suggestions. Therefore, for those of you ready to rush into your college career, the best piece of advice I can give is to sit back, relax, enjoy your summer and know that Dartmouth is 100 percent worth the wait. Here are a few choice reasons why your freshman year will make the pain of anticipation worthwhile.
Reason number one: while you may be jealous that your friends get to start school a month earlier than you, you will not be envious for long. Whereas students at most schools see the freshman as newcomers to pick on or pass over, being a first-year student at Dartmouth means that you are a star. Even now, as you read these words, there are plenty of upperclassmen up at Dartmouth anxiously preparing for your arrival on campus. Whether it be your Dartmouth Outing Club trip leaders, your floor Undergraduate Advisors or your Peer Academic Advisors, chances are good that you will encounter some upperclassmen who are more excited about your arrival than even you are. Months after classes begin, you will still have upperclassmen explaining how they wish they could be freshman again and how much fun they had during their Outing Club trips.
That brings me to reason number two: Dartmouth first-years receive unbeatable welcoming ceremonies. After having an incredible time on your Outing Club trip, you will be bombarded with Orientation activities. Forget the wimpy three-day orientations you have heard about at other colleges and welcome to what we upperclassmen fondly refer to as "Camp Dartmouth" -- a week and a half of no class, new people and all-night parties. By the time most upperclassmen arrive back at school, you will already know the campus inside and out and you will have met one-fourth of your fellow '08s somehow or another. And although you will be sad to see Orientation Week fly by, you can be comforted by the fact that sophomore summer constitutes Camp Dartmouth, Part II.
Reason number three: just when you start getting settled into Fall term and begin to feel like any other Dartmouth student, it is time for the Homecoming ceremonies, entirely dedicated to welcoming your class into the Dartmouth community over the course of an incredibly chaotic and unforgettable weekend. Once again, you are reminded of just how special you are to our College and how much you are a part of Dartmouth tradition. Whether you have the best time of your life over Homecoming or you simply watch your class run circles around the Bonfire from the sidelines, you will leave the weekend knowing that Dartmouth is a part of your story and that you are a part of its legacy.
Finally, reason number four: as stressful and as hectic as Dartmouth can be, you are coming to a place that lets you set your own standards. Having been admitted to Dartmouth, you have already proven yourself as a capable and welcome member of our institution. No one will care about your SAT score or your class rank in high school. No one will expect you to know what your major is going to be, and no one will push you to take more advanced courses. As a first-year student at Dartmouth, it is okay to be confused, it is okay to be inexperienced and it is even okay to be homesick or unhappy for a while. Whether you love Dartmouth from the moment you step on campus or if it takes you a lot longer to settle into college life here in Hanover, I think you will all agree that the experience of Dartmouth College is certainly worth the wait. Enjoy your summer!
