The question on the minds of many freshmen as they arrive on campus in September will probably be "Now that I'm here, what do I do?"
While Dartmouth may be remotely located in rural New Hampshire, the College offers a multitude of activities for all students to participate in.
According to Director of Student Activities Tim Moore, there are more than 270 campus organizations and that number is always growing.
With the re-opening of the Collis Center last winter, students have a place to congregate and work on organizational projects.
Many freshmen choose to become involved with Freshman Council in the fall. Class councils are the Dartmouth equivalent of student government in high school -- they try to plan events to bring the class together.
Meeting are held weekly and the time commitment is not very large unless you are an officer. It is a great way to meet people in the class and plan fun activities for the year including the Homecoming Bonfire and the"freshman sweep."
"I decided to get involved with Freshman Council because of all the amazing things it had to offer," said Pamela Saunders, president of the Class of 1997. "I have enjoyed the council because of the dedicated and committed members who have put a lot of time and fun into our activities."
Another popular student activity for students interested in politics is Student Assembly, commonly referred to as "SA" or "the Assembly."
Freshman can run for at-large positions through freshman council. If students do not want to run for an elected position, they may still become members by attending three consecutive weekly meetings and applying for membership.
The Assembly is more involved with campus-wide politics. The administration sees it as the voice of the students. The Assembly also tries to provide student services for the entire campus.
There are other organizations for students not interested in student government but still fascinated by politics. Young Democrats, Republicans at Dartmouth (RAD) and the Conservative Union at Dartmouth (CUaD) all welcome freshman involvement and sponsor lectures and panel discussions for students.
For people who eschew politics but still want to plan social events for the campus, there is the Programming Board.
Made up of more than 50 students, the Programming Board is responsible for Friday night activities at Collis, Eleazar's Dungeon comedy shows and entertainment in the Lone Pine Tavern.
The Programming Board also funds other organizations that want to sponsor social events on campus.
"Becoming involved with the Programming Board is easy," former Programming Board Chair Bob Bordone '94 said. "All you have to do is to come to our weekly meetings -- they are open to everyone."
For those athletically-inclined or those who just like the outdoors there is the Dartmouth Outing Club.
The oldest college outing club in the country, the DOC is responsible for the DOC Trips Program as well as other year-round outdoor activities.
The DOC coordinates hiking, mountain climbing and bicycling trips all year.
Students can rent cabins through the DOC and even go on overnight trips to Moosilauke Lodge, the College's private moutain lodge about a mile from campus.
Freshmen may choose to take a journalistic approach to extracurricular activities and join the staff of The Dartmouth, the only daily news publication at the College, published five days a week.
The Dartmouth, or "The D" as it is called by most people on campus, is the oldest college newspaper in America, founded in 1799.
No high school writing experience is necessary to become part of The Dartmouth's staff.
Despite Dartmouth's small size and remote location, the College has a large amount of news occurring daily.
With New Hampshire being the first primary state during presidential elections, all the presidential candidates visit Dartmotuth.
Famous political figures like Hillary Rodham Clinton and Arlen Specter frequently come to the College and reporters from the Dartmouth are always there to cover the story.
The Dartmouth is the only college organization still running at 2 a.m., five days a week. Sometimes it can wreak havoc on your sleeping schedule, but The Dartmouth is a great way to learn about journalism.
For freshmen not interested in writing, there are two student-run radio stations on campus, one FM and one AM.
Students serve as DJs, newscasters and station managers. The FM station 99 Rock broadcasts classic and modern rock music and was recently named the most popular radio station in the Upper Valley.
The AM station WDCR airs a wide variety of music as well as student-hosted programs. It is easy to become involved with the radio stations.
There will be informational meetings during Freshman Orientation and in no time freshmen can become part of one of the only fully student-run campus radio stations in the country.
Another big organization is Dartmouth Gay, Lesbian and Bi-sexual Organization.
DaGLO members are always at the forefront of campus politics.
Most Dartmouth students are involved in at least one extracurricular activity. There is literally something here for everyone.
So get out there during freshman orientation and find something that suits your interests. Being involved makes the incredible Dartmouth experience that much better.
