“Freshman View”: Dartmouth ’27s Reflect on Their First Weeks

Editor’s note: In this first installment of The Dartmouth Review’s yearly “Freshman View” series, the Editorial Board asks members of the Class of 2027 to reflect on their first few weeks at the College and to comment on the traditions which they have experienced thus far.

Alexander Barrow:

From the moment that we, the Class of 2027, set foot on campus, our initiation into the traditions that define this institution began. First-Year Trips, the Twilight ceremony, and the Matriculation ceremony will serve as the bedrock of our Dartmouth Experience—the scaffolding for our identity as Dartmouth students—even as our Class has had mixed sentiments about these traditions.

Beyond the official, administration-sponsored customs, we have begun to inherit practices and perspectives passed down from upperclassmen, instilling within us an unwavering loyalty to both our College and its traditions. In just a few weeks, we have witnessed why Dartmouth’s traditions are so deeply rooted. Nestled in the wilderness, our secluded campus provides the perfect environment in which they may be maintained and even flourish.

No ranking or testimonial can truly capture the taste of late-night Foco chicken tenders or the profound camaraderie experienced in the notorious Fayesment. Likewise, the bonds forged from a late-night adventure and an early morning at Lou’s are irreplaceable.

The words of Daniel Webster echo loudly: “It is a small college, and yet there are those who love it.” Already, ’27s are among those who hold Dartmouth close to their hearts, united by tradition.

David Kim:

Why is orientation so darn long? The powers that be could shorten the whole thing by a week, and students would be just as oriented. My advice is that Dartmouth hold First-Year Trips, then just three days of orientation. Half of the ’27s didn’t even go to the orientation events that were offered this year.

In one week, rather than nearly two, students could still experience the rite of passage that is escaping SNS at the river or at the Fayesment. Apart from a brief (and admittedly important) period of stressing about course election, what did I really learn about Dartmouth from orientation? 

Now that the term is progressing, things are getting better, but the painful vicariousness that emerges for freshmen every on-night is starting to eat away at my Class’s sanity. If we’re grinding away, getting our work done during the week, then the weekends had better be a ball. I thought Dartmouth was where the party was at?

Hailey King:

For those who attend a storied institution such as Dartmouth, traditions are a package deal. Many in our Class were gifted the opportunity, outside of a jammed orientation schedule, to get to know one another on a deeper level by participating in First-Year Trips. 

The other orientation traditions, official and unofficial, marked a fuller beginning for our Class. From attending the first Class meeting to partying together in the Fayesment, traditions seem to be ingrained at the College.

Regarding our participation in one tradition, the Twilight ceremony, my Class seems to have reached a consensus. Namely, the photos make the experience look less stressful than it really was—it took a lot of effort to keep those candles lit! Whether the draw of this tradition was its backstory or simply the thrill of collective action is unclear to this ’27. 

This year, the College also added a new “tradition” (is that the right word?): Freshmen and their parents attended a ceremony—together but separated from one another—at which President Beilock delivered a welcome address. While this ceremony was a thoughtful effort, it missed the mark in engaging anyone other than parents, most of whom seemed simultaneously excited and tearful. 

I cannot guess what the next eight weeks of the term, let alone the next four years, have in store. However, I will suggest that, especially at a school with so many traditions, there will be both good and bad. Ultimately, traditions are bigger than the experience of one freshman or even that of one Class, and being a part of them is special.