Eli Diament '02, who was elected president of The Dartmouth Outing Club Tuesday, admitted something most people would probably never expect -- he was terrified when he went on his first wilderness expedition at age 14.
"It was my first really outdoor experience away from home," the New Jersey native explained.
Despite this self-professed fear, outdoor activities have been a major part of Diament's life since he was very young.
He recalled that he used to do work out by a stream near his house with his parents when he was little, saying that was his "beginning of loving to play outside."
He also worked for the Environmental Commission -- an organization in charge of community-wide environmental development and protection -- from 1990 to 1998.
Diament plans to double major in earth sciences and engineering. However, he acknowledged that he did not put in much study time for his Earth Science exam yesterday morning because he was too excited about his new office.
When asked what his favorite food was, Diament quickly said, "red peppers." When asked to clarify, he explained that bell peppers -- not the hot kind -- are his passion.
"I love fruits and vegetables," Diament reported. But he emphasized that he is not a vegetarian, explaining that some people make this mistake.
Diament is far too busy to just think about red bell peppers, however. He is an accomplished figure skater, a snowboarder and a cat owner (he named Whiskers himself when he was three years-old).
He started figure skating when he was only two and a half years old. He said there weren't many boys in his area who skated, but that he used to see them at competitions.
On campus, Diament is involved in Hillel, and he said he spends a lot of time at the Native American house. He said after college, he wants to go into business doing something that will engineer products that will better the environment.
In high school, Diament was president of the environmental club, and he said since he arrived at Dartmouth, he has been interested in the DOC.
Diament has been a member of Dartmouth's ski patrol since his freshman fall, and he has been a leader at the DOC since last winter.
"I think there's changes that could be made within the DOC," he said.
He explained that currently, the club -- which is the largest campus organization -- is rigidly divided into different subgroups such as Cabin and Trail, Ski Patrol and the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club.
He said although people sometimes participate in more than one of the individual clubs' activities, the clubs do not, for the most part, work together.
He wants to initiate more programming that will help the different clubs within the DOC collaborate.
One new program that Diament has in mind is a weekend similar to Winter term's "Winter Weekend Fun" program.
In addition, there will be an "All DOC day," as there was last year, and programming for perspective students to let them know about the options the DOC would give them if they decided to matriculate at the College.
Diament also said he would like the DOC to "become more welcoming" so there would be less fear among students to get involved in activities.
He said programs like "Winter Weekend Fun" on this term helped to attract students who do not usually participate in DOC activities to go outside.
