This sophomore summer’s course registration period started out exactly like every other term’s —at the last minute I frantically searched for an adequate third class to replace one with too much reading. In a frenzy, I came across a course on friendships and relationships. I was initially hesitant to sign up for this course —would it be worth my time to learn about how to make friends, compared to a class about something more serious or academic? The answer wasn’t as simple as I had thought. Although, in the end, it turned out to be very simple because I realized I couldn’t take this course due to a scheduling conflict. Thank you Registrar! Although we pride ourselves on being the most social Ivy, I feel as though Dartmouth students often take it for granted how hard it is to make friends and how important it is to keep them. If you don’t make a conscious effort to prioritize friends, you run the risk of losing them.
It’s no secret that the people at Dartmouth can make or break your college experience. Your best or worst days are often defined by the connections you make – whether it’s the stranger who tells you that your backpack is open, the girl who sat down next to you on the first class and became one of your best friends, or your unicorn who you somehow see every day at FoCo for lunch. That’s why this issue is all about friendships at Dartmouth. This sophomore summer, as we reach our Dartmouth mid-life crisis and start to think about the legacies that we’re going to leave behind, I hope that we all resolve to be better friends and members of the Dartmouth community.
Sincerely,
Hayley
