Dartmouth is certainly no stranger to traditions. In its over 250 years, Dartmouth has accumulated dozens of quirky idiosyncrasies that its students have come to cherish. From the flair-adorned upperclassmen that greet freshmen on Trips to Senior Week festivities, one’s Dartmouth career is anchored by an assortment of traditions. As we approach the end to the (hopefully) last academic year of primarily remote courses, we can look forward to a return to these beloved traditions that have been disrupted by the pandemic.
This week at Mirror, we investigate how students have kept the tradition of bequests alive and discover which well-adored pieces of flair will be changing hands this year. We also look into academic traditions, such as drill — the backbone of Dartmouth’s language program — and how it has evolved during the pandemic. We explore the College’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard and the hope it brings for a return to normalcy. Lastly, we ask Mirror writers about their favorite spring term traditions and their hopes for the upcoming academic year.
A lot has changed this past year, but Dartmouth students can find solace in the fact that our favorite traditions don’t seem to be going anywhere; the stories, history and eccentric pastimes that make Dartmouth “Dartmouth” will persevere. And with the increase in vaccination rates, we just might never have to read the words “new normal” or “unprecedented” ever again.
