Whether the snow sculpture is a massive throne, an intricate pirate ship, a muddy cupcake or just two blocks of ice in the middle of the Green, we can always count on some dedicated students to build the Winter Carnival icon, an unavoidable thread that goes back many dozens of years through Dartmouth’s history.
In 1994, one student jumped into a freezing pond and became a part of that story. The Polar Bear Swim became a tradition that hundreds of us choose to do against all of our common sense each year. Carnival is the time to jump in and become a part of a more than century-long history.
Whether you are graduating this year or graduated 100 years ago, Winter Carnival unites us in our shared Dartmouth experiences. At other schools, winter is simply winter. After the holidays, there is not much celebration. Perhaps therein lies a small, maybe accidental, lesson from our College. When things seem bleak, find something to celebrate. Climb the red carpet onto the snow sculpture throne, decide you want to be a human dogsled or take an icy swim.
During the winter, it is easy for everyone to get caught up in the small things — a midterm scheduled for the Monday after Carnival weekend, the iciness of sidewalks or how much of a hassle it is to dress in 10 layers only to find you are still missing a mitten. This weekend, take time to step back and look at the greater picture: Winter Carnival is Dartmouth. This is our home. The weekend can be just a series of pong games or something more. However you plan on spending the weekend, Carnival is a little piece of history, and we have the chance to celebrate something uniquely our own.
