But actually who are you? And who are all the other unfamiliar faces who you swear you've never seen before, but who have apparently been part of your class for a year or two?
The number of people we don't recognize around campus might be surprising because by this point in our Dartmouth careers, we've all developed routines that tend to surround us with similar social groups day in and day out. But by cutting the student body to a fourth of its size, sophomore summer inherently shakes up the status quo, making it the perfect time to meet those hidden gems whose paths you've yet to cross with. If you're willing to put yourself out there, student organizations, Greek houses, and performance groups provide the perfect forums for meeting new people.
"Part of our goal is definitely to facilitate '15 interactions," said Chase Mertz '15, 2015 Class Council vice president. "We're just trying to have a bunch of events for people to come, hang out and meet each other."
If you haven't been checking blitz frequently enough, you may have missed out on opportunities like Glow Stick tag, hosted by the council during the weekend of Sophomore Trips. Mertz said that the council spends more money during sophomore summer than other terms.
"In the spring, we weren't too successful," Merz said. "The summer ones have been very successful. It's only '15s, so whatever we do is just for our class, compared to something another term, when anyone can freeload."
On July 5, the council gave away over 150 Otter Pops on Collis porch.
Greek organizations also hosts many events during sophomore summer, especially since the Greek Leadership Council provides funding for events that include different sub-councils under the umbrella organization.
The Interfraternity Council offers funding to its 15 fraternities for social and philanthropic events.
"One of the requirements is that the event be open to all of campus," summer president Chase Schoelkopf '15 said. "So hopefully that will bring a larger portion of campus together, including the non-Greek scene."
Schoelkopf said the summer offers plenty of opportunities to meet people who are not affiliated.
"There are so many people living in their houses," Schoelkopf said. "At the same time, it's the summer, everyone is outside, down at the river there are affiliated and non-affiliated people across campus."
Mertz, who is unaffiliated, said that living in off campus housing also fosters new relationships.
"Living with people is cool," he said. "You don't really know your floor after freshman year, which is weird, but in the summer you're in a house and definitely get to know them better."
Summer performance groups also give students the opportunity to meet new people. Carly Christian '15, a member of Summerphonics, said that the group has introduced her to many fresh faces.
"I was really just auditioning because I love to sing, but now I'm saying hi to people that I've never really met before," Christian said.
Christian said the achapella group has given her an alternative to her regular social circle, which is refreshing since it can be challenging to branch out halfway through college.
"We already know a lot of people, so it's nice to find a new thing where I can branch out a little," Christian said. "I feel like I spend a lot of time with girls, so it's nice to have a co-ed group that isn't in a frat basement."
Many sophomore summer events are designed around food, something that Mertz said brings people together, "like breaking bread."
"When people are reaching for food they are hopefully exchanging words or pleasantries," Mertz said.
Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority has hosted an ice cream social and a mocktails event, targeted toward unaffiliated women but designed to create an open space for all women on campus.
"I think that being affiliated over sophomore summer can give you a lot more opportunities to hang out with people in organized ways," president Emily Reeves '15 said.
Fieldstock, sophomore summer's big weekend, also brings together people from across campus. The event, organized by the class council, will be held from Aug. 8 to 10.
"There are little competitions throughout the weekend and the culminating event is a chariot race," Mertz said.
A number of Greek houses already have chariots from years past, which automatically creates a strong presence of affiliated students at the chariot races. Mertz plans on forming a team with his housemates, and hopes that unaffiliated parties will participate as well.
"People always say that its weird that there are '15s that you've never seen before, and it makes sense when it's 4,000 people on campus versus 1,000 people," Mertz said. "It's nice to have an opportunity to at least see who they all are and to interact with each other more."
Some people might argue that simple proximity cannot create meaningful relationships, but think back to how you met your current best friends at Dartmouth. Many of them were probably based on proximity, and think how close you've become to those people in the past two years. And you have just as much time, between now and graduation, to do that again.
