You've distinguished yourself from a highly competitive applicant pool of 22,385 individuals. One out of 9.7 students was accepted. Approximately 1,100 people from across the globe will have the privilege of calling themselves members of the Dartmouth Class of 2015.
The faster you erase these ego-inflating statistics and the inevitable hubris that comes along with an Ivy acceptance letter, the faster you will find success here at Dartmouth College. The time has come to face reality you are just one of 1,100 with a completely clean slate. In a society that emphasizes uniqueness and individuality, the question now becomes: How do you distinguish yourself from the rest? How does your 2400 and first-in-class rank make you stand out from all the other perfect scorers and valedictorians in your class?
Perhaps you'll say life shouldn't always be about winning or losing, excelling or falling behind. Leave behind your idealism society glorifies those who rise above the rest and to achieve success, you must adhere to its rules. At a place like Dartmouth, this competitive spirit is well-concealed by a very social and down-to-earth student body but appears in more subtle ways academics, pong, the social scene, corporate recruiting and Greek rush, to name a few.
The best advice I can provide is not about pong, Greek houses or classes; it is advice on how to make decisions at Dartmouth, decisions that will shape your experience and perhaps your life.
Robert Frost wrote in The Road Not Taken: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." My advice to you is simple: Take the less-traveled road every now and then, and try to do something different.
I've seen too many students come to Dartmouth and quickly assimilate to Dartmouth culture. At a College so deeply rooted in traditions, perhaps it is difficult to do something unique, something that preserves one's individuality. Whether the cause is the social fabric or tradition, Dartmouth should not be a machine that churns out identical finished products. It should be a melting pot. I encourage each and every one of you freshmen to think about your values and interests do not forget them just because you are entering a new environment with different values.
Let me be more specific. While I am a member of a fraternity and strongly believe in the benefits of the Greek system, I do not believe the Greek system is a social panacea. Perhaps playing pong is fascinating and socially stimulating, but one need not spend multiple nights every week in fraternity basements. Some of my most memorable nights freshman year were spent camping with my best friends on Gilman Island in the middle of the Connecticut River and spending time off-campus with the men's volleyball team. While there may be a new party every Friday night and a new playlist every several weeks, the Greek system will not change. The only thing that may change is you and I'd argue that being a frat-star is not a positive change, but who am I to judge? Take the time to develop friendships outside of fraternity basements and explore the majestic outdoors that Dartmouth provides.
Robert Frost's wisdom doesn't only apply in your social life. Too many students feel that they have to take "popular" classes and double-major in economics and another subject. As an economics and government double major, I am not necessarily unique in my academic pursuits. Still, I can tell you frankly that I find these two subjects uniquely stimulating. Use what I like to call the "after-dinner test:" If you cannot passionately talk about your major for multiple hours after dinner, then maybe you should find a new major. Dartmouth's greatest asset is its liberal arts curriculum. The College has distinguished faculty in all departments. Freshman year should not be about taking the most advanced classes in one subject, it should be about ruling out different subjects and developing new academic passions so that you can discover your interests. If you are concerned about job opportunities after college, I assure you that employers would rather hire a passionate English major than an uninterested Economics major.
Before arriving in Hanover this fall, I challenge you to think about your values and what you hope to get out of the great investment you are making over the course of the next four years. If you arrive in the Still North with strong values and an open mind, and heed to Frost's road less traveled mantra, you will leave this fine institution a wiser individual with a more nuanced understanding of the world around you.
