So now that our intrepid freshmen have officially cemented their place in history as the worst class ever (apparently it's possible to overlook a massive, belligerent mob screaming at you to "touch the fire already") I think it's time to take them to task for another serious fault: excessive friendliness. I realize they're still desperate to network and meet some people who can get them on table and up their "college friends" count on Facebook, but attempting to make small talk with me in the line of quietly dying people waiting for a new pot of Collis coffee to brew is simply not allowed.
To be fair, while they are the first class in recent memory to fail to send even a SINGLE brave soul to rush the field, they are far from the only class to experience a serious case of the freshman fall awk (my apologies to everyone who met me in September 2006). Throw a group of overachieving, fresh-out-of-high-school kids together and they'll be working overtime to overcome their latent nerd tendencies and find someone, anyone to sit with them in Food Court after 12s.
Combine this with scheming student organizations looking to recruit free labor and, the next thing you know, you have a campus full of freshmen surrounded by their new Best Friends from the Hop grill line who aren't exactly sure how they ended up on the executive board of the Dartmouth Soybean Enthusiasts.
Due to my own quiet fear that I would become the social outcast I wondered if I secretly was my own freshman fall experience was marked by dedicated extracurricular over-involvement (I have never worked up the courage to remove myself from some of these Blitz lists) and some uncomfortable ohmygod-you're-a-freshmen-no-way-I'm-a-freshman-toooo fast friendships.
Stuck in this classic trap, I briefly considered transferring, but shook off the urge, mostly due to my intense hatred of paperwork. This week, however, I set out to discover: Was I the only one who actually considered allowing the Common App to creep back into my life?
Monte Reed '12, who considered transferring during his freshman year, said the logistics of switching schools applicants must apply by early spring to transfer for the next academic year led him to decide to spend at least one whole year at Dartmouth.
"I got all my little recommendations from professors and everything, filled out the applications," Reed said. "But I knew I couldn't start at a new school right away, so I told myself I will wait out the entire year here.'"
Before long, Reed's motivation to transfer dwindled.
Reed, a Philadelphia native, said he was initially uncomfortable at the College due to the shock of adjusting from life in a big city to small-town Hanover. While Reed said he had no trouble meeting people in the smaller environment, he agreed with my assessment of the awk freshman fall acquaintance, explaining that not all of the initial friendships he formed were lasting.
"You can like someone initially and then you get to know them and you're like ... ooooh wait," adding that he "bounced around" between social groups before ultimately finding a core circle of friends his freshman spring.
Rigel Cable '10, who "briefly" thought about transferring during his freshman year, said he discovered it was important to "refine" how he spent his time in order to feel comfortable at Dartmouth.
"I think freshman year, for a lot of people, is figuring out who you want to spend your time with," Cable said. "You learn very quickly that, in college, you have limited time and you don't want to waste it hanging out with whoever."
By cutting down on "way too many" extracurricular activities, Cable said, he was able to prioritize his campus involvement and to genuinely get to know other students.
"Once I had my solid group of friends, I was a lot more comfortable and I was able to use the resources Dartmouth has to offer," he said, adding that he feels Dartmouth has "amazing" opportunities for students.
Maggie Bell '10, who ultimately withdrew the transfer applications she submitted, also cited "connecting" with more people at Dartmouth as a reason she decided to stay.
"The people here are great that's what I wanted in a college, to find amazing people," Bell said, explaining that these friendships overrode her dissatisfaction with "Dartmouth as an institution."
Bell said she was initially put off by the quarter system and classes that were larger than she expected.
"This gives you the opportunity to get an overview of, but not really understand, a subject," Bell said, adding that after freshman fall, she actively sought out smaller classes, which eased her dissatisfaction.
Bell said she would not recommend Dartmouth for everyone, but recommended that unhappy freshmen attempt to make the most of their time at the College.
"You've got nothing to lose, because you're going to be here for the year anyway before [you can transfer]," Bell said, advising potential transferees to take classes that interested them and to explore new social outlets.
"Dartmouth is an amazing place," Reed said. "Make sure you see as much of it as you can before you make a decision."
