If I could go back in time to the day I received my acceptance to Dartmouth, I would tell myself to appreciate every day here, because we are incredibly lucky. As a senior, nostalgia is beginning to hit, and the thought of leaving Dartmouth in a few months is bittersweet to say the least. Now that my time at Dartmouth is running short, I have started hiking nearby mountains, trying to learn tennis, and spending more time with friends I have lost touch with during hectic academic terms. In the coming weeks I plan to check out the jewelry studio and maybe even the woodshop on campus, I want to visit the Rauner Special Collections Library to see all the cool items they have, and I hope to rent a DOC cabin for the night with a group of friends. There is so much here to take advantage of, and the sooner you start on it the more you can do!
I would emphasize to all underclassmen just how many incredible opportunities and resources are at our disposal as Dartmouth undergrads. From seemingly endless funding available to engage in research with faculty, grants to pursue domestic and international community service projects, to accessible professors, there is so much available for us to take advantage of. Realizing this early, and being proactive to benefit from it as much as possible, is one of the best things you can do here.
I would also tell myself to start planning out my D-Plan early. Although it will inevitably change (it does for nearly everyone, as new opportunites arise and as you change your major) it is a good idea to get a head start. Especially if you want to take advantage of one or more study abroad programs (which you should do!), maybe be pre-med or include a minor, it helps to start figuring things out ahead of time.
Ultimately, as cliche as it may sound, I think it is important to savor every day here, because four years flies by. It is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of classes with ten week terms, but it's also important not to lose sight of how lucky we are to be here, and to take advantage of all the non-academic opportunities Dartmouth has to offer.
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