For Dartmouth students, the hype surrounding sophomore summer is unavoidable: the intersection of the X-curve, the renowned scholastic offerings of Organic Farming, Engines 3 and Astro 2 and the opportunity to run back summer camp sans supervision -- all on a campus full of pong tables and no upperclassmen to take precedence. Even with legends of Tubestock fading into folklore, the allure of Summer term holds strong.
But is there really something magical that happens between June and August, aside from the chemical imbalance that inevitably results from swimming in copper-infested waters? Or does the hype simply set the stage for a disappointment that no one wants to admit to or let on to future classes?
Expectations aside, as an over-the-hill, sophomore summer vet stopping by the 03755 for a few weeks, watching '10s launch 08X and adjust to life with breakfast wrap-free Sunday mornings has helped me to recall my own Summer term more clearly in retrospect.
What I've realized is that -- truth be told -- any term can be devoted to fulfilling distribs in overly-populated courses, and finding a great makeout can happen anytime -- although tans and skin-bearing attire can really expedite the process. But the real beauty of summer is the treat of reuniting with your class for the first time since freshman spring, an event that won't happen again until senior fall. The summer hype creates a self-perpetuating cycle where the excitement and energy that is brought into the term compounds over time with endless outdoor grilling, an exponential increase in adherence to costume themes and more sunlight than one sees in all four winter terms. Considering the distinct lack of sophomore presence in the spring, the huge numbers of juniors who take the Fall term off to work and travel and the inevitable influx of new faces and crowds in Collis come September, Summer term should stand out as a beacon of enjoyment and class unity amidst other terms marked by D-Plan-induced separation. Trading stories with friends from home stuck shuffling paperwork, battling copy machines and waiting tables just reinforces the point.
So if the secret of sophomore summer is merely the stark contrast between this term and all other terms, what can I really say to you thousand-odd enthused sophomores ready for the "best summer of your life" during the "best four years of your life"?
Take the initiative to actually make it the best summer ever, worthy of screaming "SOPHOMORE SUMMER" at the top of your lungs at any given moment in the basement and drinking to. Don't shower, just swim. And become a bona fide expert at hanging out.
For the only time in your Dartmouth career, campus is exclusively yours. Even if you get rashes from exposure to sunlight and have a wheat allergy that prevents you from indulging in Keystone Light, find a way to make it memorable on your own terms.
It's a one-shot deal, so you've got 10 weeks to make it all you want. If your first Green Key was less-than-stellar, you've likely found solace in the fact that you have three more; but if summer doesn't meet your expectations then you're SOL. Being at Dartmouth as an '09 feels like crashing a younger sibling's birthday party -- everyone's friendly and familiar, but it's just not quite your crowd.
So have a blast, and make it one for the books. Oh, and if you see me looking slightly out of place in the basement in the next week or so, take pity on my post-sophomore self and come say hi.
