"Riner! You are lost in the sauce!" Gunnery Sergeant Sampson screamed into my ear. I snapped to attention, petrified. I had been caught and knew I was about to get "smoked." I had drunk all the Gatorade in my water bottle -- and thought the evidence was disposed of -- but the sergeant's eagle eye had spotted a bit of powdery residue. He berated me: "I guess you didn't know Gatorade was contraband, did you Riner? No, you knew but you didn't care. You were too busy smoking and joking to care."
We had been hiking since 4 a.m. that morning and the sun was now directly overheard. I stood there in the Virginia summer sun, arms extended, holding my 50-pound rucksack in front of me until my limbs could take no more. But each time they went down they'd come back up, thanks to motivation from the rasping, almost mystical voice pouring into my left ear. Gunnery Sergeant Sampson never knew it, but not only did I have Gatorade, I was supplying my fellow officer candidates with Gatorade and Powerbars. Later that night, one of my fellow candidates asked me what I was thinking, taking a banned item on a hike. "Oh," I replied, "I like Gatorade."
Now, I'm not an outlaw by nature. My father's a Baptist minister, and, back where I come from in Kentucky, insubordination won't get you very far. However, I tell this story because there are a few important lessons about Dartmouth we can learn from my experience at boot camp this summer:
First, Dartmouth is nothing like boot camp. This point is awesome.
Second, if you like Gatorade, drink it. Taking the initiative is costly, but well worth it. You'll find opportunities at Dartmouth everywhere you look. Half of them are looking for you, trying to recruit you for their a cappella group or the crew team (you really should join the crew team, heavyweights preferably). Other opportunities, however, are tucked away in the less trafficked areas, and it's up to you to discover them. Don't wait for someone to take your hand and show you the rope swing, the jewelry studio or the Great Gatsby Party. If you want to be a Rhodes Scholar, sorority president or just a dude wearing a cowboy hat and driving an army truck (my preferred way to roll), you can do it at Dartmouth. Take the initiative and take full advantage of the Dartmouth experience. This will almost certainly involve causing mischief of one form or another (see point four).
Third, share the Gatorade. So many Dartmouth students are involved in community service because they know that life isn't all about them. You're a part of a community now. You'll find this out as soon as you step off the bus and see people in pink tiger-stripe spandex dancing like wildebeasts, but Dartmouth people are crazy about Dartmouth. Inside the Dartmouth community there's a lot of smaller communities such as sports teams, cultural groups, faith organizations or Greek houses. Find your own niche, and if you can't find it, carve it. Get involved with a smaller community, but don't forget the greater community.
Fourth, legalize the Gatorade. Unlike boot camp (remember point one), at Dartmouth you can change the rules -- if you're willing to overcome obstacles. If you've seen the movie "Animal House," you know that college wouldn't be college without a good old-fashioned fight for student rights. With a budget of over $90,000, Student Assembly is a powerful force on campus, representing your needs and interests. From helping organize a massive protest when the swim team was eliminated, to working with the administration to renovate the campus gym facility to the ongoing campaign better to fund club sports, joining Assembly has been and will continue to be a great way to engage Dartmouth and make it an better place. Whether or not Assembly is for you, look for ways you can contribute to Dartmouth.
Dartmouth is a big little place. Our sense of community makes us close-knit, but the opportunities for discovery, learning and good times are huge and seemingly limitless. If you want to do something, go for it. If you want to change something, change it. You're likely to catch heat for your initiative, but that's half the fun. Everyone is looking for something a little different from his or her college experience, so I won't pretend to know it all. My Christian faith has guided me during my time at Dartmouth. Jesus said, "seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you."
I've found that spiritual truth to also be true of our college experience. It's up to you to take the initiative and let the adventure begin. See you in Hanover, and feel free to blitz me: riner@dartmouth.edu.
