Congratulations, '15s, and welcome to Dartmouth College. We're excited to have one of the most accomplished and motivated classes ever to grace the Green join us in Hanover this fall. The '14s are relieved to no longer be the worst class ever. The '13s are exiting sophomore Summer mature, bonded and ready to embrace responsibility on campus. The '12s are happy to be on top, but anxiously eye an uncertain future. And the '11s well, the '11s bemoan your arrival, which follows their departure from the comforts of Dartmouth. They envy you and the time you have ahead. Truth be told, disciples of every class yearn to be back in your shoes because the next four years hold tremendous transformative experiences for you. Dartmouth has much to offer. Of course, many of Dartmouth's benefits are obvious: a world-class liberal arts curriculum, the beautiful wilderness of New Hampshire and an amazing variety of extracurricular opportunities. Still, some of the most valuable things one can learn at Dartmouth cannot be found on the admissions website or in the college guide. I think you will find the Dartmouth community to be unlike any other you have ever experienced because of how it fosters meaningful, lifelong relationships and connections.
While you anticipate what Dartmouth has in store for you, Dartmouth cannot wait for your arrival to our community. We look forward to meeting you and seeing what you have to offer. We expect you to push those above you and question their actions. We implore you to stay true to yourselves in the face of the inevitable social pressures that pull impressionable freshmen every which way.
We also expect you to make mistakes and ask you not to fear them. You arrive on campus with clean slates, as anonymous individuals with the opportunity to mold yourselves into whoever you want to be at Dartmouth. Sooner or later, your social life, academic record, moral compass or other attributes may be dealt a blow, and you will question yourself. Do not hide from it own it. Dartmouth students learn what they learn and get where they get largely due to their mistakes. Mistakes aren't always fun (multivariable calc: 1, me: 0) or pretty (touch the fire? But seriously, do it), but they do allow you to form a complex identity through introspection and experiential learning. With that, I invite you to enjoy the rest of The D's Freshman Issue. It is always interesting, even if quite a tease. Don't worry, '15s, Orientation will come soon enough. The Dartmouth experience is unlike any other, and our College has incredible opportunities, friendships and memories in store for you. Enjoy your last weeks of 11X, and I'll see you at Convocation.
