Mirror Asks: Reflections on Winter Term

This winter, Mirror staff enjoyed ice skating on the Green, spending time with family and getting plenty of sleep.

Editors' Note

Winter term is ending on a bittersweet note, but we can find joy in little things — like the surplus of snacks at Collis.

A Hidden Pandemic: Preventing Sexual Assault During COVID-19

Sexual misconduct didn't stop when fraternities closed their basements. Since the pandemic's onset, the Sexual Violence Prevention Project has worked to provide resources and adapt its programming to the virtual world.

Q&A: Environmental studies professor Elizabeth Wilson on climate change and Texas’s historic winter storm

The Irving Institute director discusses the role of energy systems in a world grappling with a climate crisis. 

An Ode to the Awkward

When I imagined winter term on campus, I didn't picture myself yelling through plexiglass to order food at Foco.

Five Nights at Foco Late Night

Though Collis late night might be closed, its Foco iteration retains some of its old charms — like the mac and cheese bites.

Editors' Note

Skating into week eight, we reflect on the term and look forward to our last few weeks of 21W.

Finding Your Mother: A New Perspective on Black History Month

What is the symbolic meaning of Black History Month?

Leaning Away From Language: Students and Professors React to Guarini Budget Cuts

Whether you love or hate the D-Plan, Dartmouth’s academic calendar makes it possible for students to travel widely throughout their time in college. Many students cite their study abroad program as the highlight of their Dartmouth experience, and some spend entire years traveling to different countries. Dennis Washburn, associate dean for international studies and interdisciplinary programs, previously called study abroad programs “the jewel in the crown of Dartmouth’s undergraduate education.” These popular programs are a key advantage of the College’s liberal arts curriculum and flexible academic schedule.

Friends From Afar: ’24s Navigate a (Mostly) Remote Second Term

The Class of 2024 was given priority to live on campus during the fall and spring of this academic year, which means that many freshmen are spending their first Dartmouth winter scattered around the world. Whether arriving on campus for the first time or taking Zoom classes in a busy house, ’24s are facing a strange second term at the College.

Breaking ‘Zoom Fatigue’: Cognitive Neuroscience Students Experiment with VR

We’ve all experienced Zoom fatigue, and many of us are fed up with the limitations of the virtual classroom. But not every class at Dartmouth is sticking to the confines of Zoom. Students in PSYC 38, “Cognitive Neuroscience,” have used virtual reality headsets to experience psychological phenomena firsthand.

Editors' Note

Almost a year has passed since the pandemic began and campus shut down. By now, we have largely adjusted to the strange, timeless haze of remote learning. Or maybe time is racing by because we are just as busy as usual, jumping from Zoom class to club meeting and back again.

Rush Reflections and the ‘Sophomore Slump’

Every year, hundreds of Dartmouth students rush Greek houses. A lot of us end up affiliated, and many of us do not. The process is hectic, inconsistent, fun and frequently disappointing. Even in normal times, it adds a complicated, sometimes contentious, layer to the social networks that we occupy. This year, that extra layer has felt especially weird. 

Going Green: Dartmouth’s Sustainability Initiatives in the COVID-19 Era

From the College’s yearslong quest to replace its central heating system to the adoption of the Green2Go program at the Class of 1953 Commons, green initiatives have, in recent years, taken on greater importance in Dartmouth’s institutional agenda. 

Did Marriage Pact Work? A Look at the ‘Best Match’ on Campus

From Last Chances to Datamatch, it seems that many Dartmouth students are eager to find “the one.” But where did Marriage Pact — the latest in a string of matchmaking algorithms on campus — come from, and why is the idea so enticing to Dartmouth students? 

Q&A: Italian Professor Damiano Benvegnù on Dartmouth’s Environmental Humanities Initiative

When Italian professor Damiano Benvegnù came to Dartmouth, he saw a divide between the sciences and humanities where there should have been a bridge. Particularly in response to the climate crisis, he noted that the cry for change is interdisciplinary — incorporating a diverse dialogue of voices from policy to poetry to art to science.

Editors' Note

Does anyone else feel like we’re living inside a snow globe? Inches of powder cover campus, and practically every day more flakes fall from the sky. Ice sculptures line the walk to Collis, marking the start of Winter Carnival. Walking across the Green means creating fresh tracks, passing ice skaters twirling in circles — and of course, everyone’s favorite: donning a frosty mascara from the condensation in your mask.

Home Again: A Reflection on Being Back

“Aren’t you so happy to be back?” my mom asked as we drove across the bridge to New Hampshire for the first time in nine months. It was dark, so she couldn’t see the tears I blinked away. They weren’t tears of joy. I was anything but happy to be back.

Mirror Asks: Winter Edition

Editors' Note

Big things are happening — we’re in week five after all. We’re also in the midst of a nor’easter, and for those of us in Hanover, we’ve found ourselves surrounded by a stunning winter landscape. Black History Month begins this week, and the College is celebrating the achievements of Black women through a series of events.