This week, The Dartmouth caught up with Patrick Caldwell ’17, a member of the men’s cross-country ski team who is taking classes this summer and training for the upcoming season. Skiers often have strange D-Plans, often completing “the 12-year plan,” Caldwell said, during which skiers register for classes every spring quarter (the time of the year closest to an off season) for 12 years. Other skiers take classes every spring and summer quarter. Caldwell’s academic schedule, however, has its own quirks. Caldwell sat down with The Dartmouth to discuss his unusual arrival to Dartmouth, his plan for the next few terms, and what he has been up to since winning The D Sports Awards’ Best Freshman Athlete designation this past spring.
What exactly have you decided to do with your D-Plan?
PC: I was actually supposed to be a ’16 but I deferred. I graduated from Stratton High School, a ski school, in 2012. In the [following] fall and winter I trained and competed in cross-country skiing, went to Europe and raced there, raced in the U.S. Then I got back in March and started taking classes. 13S was my first term. I came back for 13F, started as a ’17 and went on trips. Trips was awesome, a really great experience. It was funny having already taken classes going into trips, as you can imagine, but it was super fun. And then I did winter, spring, and summer, so this is my fifth term.
What does the rest of your D-Plan look like?
PC: I’ll be off in the fall, undecided about the winter, and on in the spring. The spring is our off-season, if we were to have an off-season. That’s a really good time to take classes. It’s our one time to really focus on academics.
Beyond that I don’t really know, it all depends on how skiing is going. My plan right now is to take the fall off and most likely be on in the winter so I can ski for Dartmouth. But down the line it’s hard to tell.
What was it like to start classes in the spring?
PC: It was crazy. I did my last race of the season and moved into my dorm that night, I remember. I lived in French on the fourth floor. The funniest thing was moving into the freshmen floor. This group that’s been so close for the whole year, it was pretty hilarious, them looking at me wondering, “Who is that kid living in the corner room?” I really enjoyed getting to know the people on my floor.
Was it weird getting to know your teammates after the conclusion of the college ski season?
PC: I have two cousins that were on the team at the time. I felt I knew a lot of guys and girls on the team. I don’t think I could have done it without those connections going into it. They basically facilitated my meeting most of my friends and new people. So that was really incredible. It wouldn’t have worked out had they not been so welcoming. I showed up. It worked. It went really well.
Do you think it’s hard to get to know people outside of your sports team?
PC: It’s definitely easy to only hang out with your respective sports team, but I think that there are so many diverse groups at Dartmouth. It’s always good to branch out of your groups. Our sport takes a lot of time, so I think inherently we’re spending a lot of time together.
How have you liked being on campus this summer as a ’17?
PC: It hasn’t felt weird being a ’17, I guess. Because I started in the spring with the ’16s, I feel like in some ways that’s the class I’m closest to — some of my closest friends are ’16s. It’s also been fun reconnecting with some people this summer.
What has training looked like for you this summer?
PC: Training over the summer is mostly dry-land, a lot of volume, a lot of hours. A lot of roller skiing, running, biking. It’s a lot of time — we love it — but it’s just a big time commitment. Skiing is a year-round sport.
What are you looking forward to next season?
PC: The ski team goes to western Canada for two weeks. It’s an amazing trip with lots of races. Next season, I’m looking forward to going back. Everyone sort of does their own thing in the spring, and most people aren’t here over the summer. It’ll be fun to have everyone back together training soon.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
