Freak of the Week: Not That Complicated
Dear Freak of the Week,
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Dear Freak of the Week,
In case you haven’t heard, it’s that point in winter term where everyone is sick, unhappy and wants to go home, but we still have a month left before spring break. Not a great picture.
This past weekend, one of my friends celebrated her 22nd birthday. She planned a dinner with her parents, followed by a Valentine’s Day-themed celebration in our off-campus apartment before going out for the night. Around 10:45 p.m., we were all still happily chatting and eating chocolate-covered strawberries in our living room. We were tempted to call it a night, but given the birthday occasion, we decided we must venture out into the cold and head to the frats.
In many ways, Hanover is a quintessential New England town. It has an ivy-covered town hall, a white-steeple church and bells that ring at six o’clock. However, if you take a tour around the Upper Valley, you may notice one recurring New England staple that Hanover lacks: the general store.
When I saw a fellow ’29 dump spices from the spice rack into a plastic Green-2-Go container, I asked why she was pillaging the spice rack. She explained that she was foraging ingredients from the dining hall to make an apple crisp. Inspired by her, and craving something that was neither cafeteria nor take-out, I ventured out into the melting February snow with a Green-2-Go container to see if I too could make my own delicious homemade — dorm-made? — food.
As someone who is in need of relationship advice, I sat down with sociology professor Kathryn Lively, who teaches a course designed for would-be romantics: WGSS 33.07: “Love, Romance, Intimacy and Dating.” Lively taught the course last fall and will teach it again this coming fall. It is a discussion-based class where the final project involves interviewing a peer about their experiences with love, dating and intimacy. Whether you’re single and desperate or blissfully coupled, Lively has advice on how to keep romance from flatlining.
A previous Freak of the Week column put forward the knight-or-gnome dichotomy, in which everyone falls into one of the two camps as a person. There is no concrete definition for either category — and it’s apparently purely intuitive.
Hi Mirror, it’s Noelle.
Dear FOTW,
A day at Dartmouth is like a never ending to-do list. Students rush between classes, meetings and meals, sometimes already late for wherever they’re headed next. But between all the hustle and bustle, the smaller moments are what stand out. A door held open. A wave and a smile to someone passing on the green. Someone slowing their pace to walk alongside a friend.
This article is featured in the 2026 Winter Carnival Issue.
This article is featured in the 2026 Winter Carnival Issue.
This article is featured in the 2026 Winter Carnival Issue.
This article is featured in the 2026 Winter Carnival Issue.
Dearest fine readers of Mirror,
Every day, hundreds of students pass through Baker Berry Library to get a moment of warmth from the below freezing temperatures of Hanover, N.H. At its grand entrance, Reiss Hall — otherwise known as Blobby — the many couches and group tables rest atop a checkered floor, bustling with students. Welcome mats become covered in snow, couches get moved, tables shift — chip bags and muddied footprints from the snow are left behind in the continuous flow of students.
Every first-year Dartmouth student inevitably runs late to a Molly’s dinner by discovering the records store on Main Street. Time easily flies by as they get lost in the various pop artist prints, Dr. Seuss stickers and old 90s records. The rpmNH Records and Posters store’s owner is a man who wears many hats: storyteller, geologist, artist and longtime resident of Hanover, Brian Smith.
Anna Leversee is program manager for social sector leadership at the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact. With more than 10 years of experience in social impact programming, mental health and education, she has worked in numerous local, national and international contexts, including teaching in Medellín, Colombia, and leading educational nonprofit programs in Massachusetts. The Dartmouth sat down with Leversee to discuss her experiences with and approach to social impact, as well as her advice for students interested in pursuing careers in public service.
Recently, I’ve spent a lot of time driving through local one-lane highways to find stories for my podcast class. The car I take doesn’t have an aux cord, so as I weave through snow-capped trees, I do a lot of thinking. This week my mind has been wandering to my first-year self: Young, bright-eyed, one foot in front of the other into Mid Fayerweather room 109. During Orientation Week, I sat on my twin XL knowing four things: I wanted to join a comedy group, play club field hockey, go on the London abroad for the English major and, of course, write for Mirror. In amazing news that would shock and delight this version of me, all of these things came true!
Dear Freak of the Week,