This Friday, hundreds of students in bathing suits will stand shivering in the winter air waiting for their turn to jump into the bone-chilling waters of Occom Pond. While some say it is foolish, it is also a cherished Winter Carnival tradition.
The annual Polar Bear Swim, one of Winter Carnival's younger rituals, is scheduled to begin at noon this Friday. The Swim has recently become one of the most popular Winter Carnival events, now attracting more than 300 students each year.
Many unofficial dives into the pond have been reported through the years, but the tradition in its current incarnation saw its start in 1994, when Rachel Gilliar '98 jumped into Occom Pond, unbeknownst to College administrators at the time.
Since then, the Polar Bear Swim has become considerably more regulated, with special attention paid to ensuring the safety of participants. Students are required to sign waivers prior to jumping, and ropes tied around swimmers' waists can be used to pull them out if swimmers react poorly to the water, Winter Carnival chair Sophie Novack '11 said.
Novack is a member of The Dartmouth Staff.
Although the Swim is usually held without incident, thin ice has been an occasional hazard for both participants and spectators in the past. Two parent spectators fell through the ice at the 1997 Swim, which led to increased safety precautions in subsequent years. Thin ice also prompted the Swim's outright cancellation in 2005.
Safety and Security and Dartmouth Emergency Medical Services will be present at the Swim should any safety issues arise, Novack said.
Despite the hazards, student participation and spectator turnout has steadily grown since the Swim's inception. Novack estimated that between 300 and 500 students have participated in recent years.
Home-and-garden guru Martha Stewart famously attended the event as a spectator in 1998, a testament to how rapidly the Swim's popularity had grown. Stewart donated polar bear buttons and Dartmouth-green towels to participants to commemorate the event.s
Though some might question the appeal of immersion in near-freezing water, Novack, who took the plunge her freshman year, encouraged all of her peers to participate.
"It's the most rejuvenated you've ever felt in your entire life," she said. "My body went into immediate shock, but it was all great."
Rob Mercurio '12 said he had a somewhat less pleasant experience.
"I was hoping for a refreshing feeling, but it was mostly just really, really cold," he said.
Mercurio said he is glad to have taken the plunge at least once, however, and he recommends everyone to do the same, "mostly so you can say you've done it."
James Quadrino '13 said he would definitely line up for Friday's Swim.
"It sounds like a good time to me," he said. "Adventure and tradition you can't beat that."
The Winter Carnival committee will rely more on student volunteers to staff the event this year, but the Swim will remain otherwise unchanged, Novack said. As per tradition, the members of the Winter Carnival Council will dive into the pond after all other participants have taken the plunge, she said.
Dartmouth Hillel will provide hot cocoa and cookies at the Roth Center for Jewish Life for swimmers leaving Occom Pond, according to Novack.
At College President Jim Yong Kim's inauguration in September, Gov. John Lynch, D-N.H., jokingly remarked that Kim would be expected to lead this year's Polar Bear. Novack said she did not know if Kim would do so.
"Of course, it would be strongly encouraged," Novack said with a smile.
