This article is featured in the 2024 Freshman special issue.
As the Class of 2028 arrives on campus, many new students will be teeming with questions. “Should I take that class that seems a little difficult?” “Is it weird to ask that floormate for a meal?” Luckily, older students are here to help. The Dartmouth spoke with 10 current students to learn what they wished they knew their freshman fall. Their best advice for the Class of 2028 is summarized below — take it or leave it!
1. Explore, explore, explore
For Alden Wilcox ’26, a studio art major with a minor in human-centered design from Moultonborough, N.H., exploration is critical. Wilcox explained that freshman year is “your time to explore” — whether that means taking a professor to Pine, traversing the area or joining campus organizations.
“I wish I had joined more clubs,” he said. “I thought that later into fall term and into freshman year I couldn’t start showing up, which is not the case. It is nice to get an early start and see what’s going on, see what you like and what you don’t like.”
In terms of venturing off campus, Wilcox said he enjoys nearby trails, including Mink Brook, Oak Hill — “good for” mountain biking, Nordic skiing and walking — and Pine Park.
2. Be yourself
Arriving at Dartmouth — or any college, for that matter — can be daunting, and some students may feel pressure to conform. But Stella Johansson ’27, an undeclared major from Aspen, Colo., encourages incoming freshmen to embrace their individuality.
“It’s no longer high school — it’s cool to be YOU,” she wrote in an email statement to The Dartmouth. “For the most part, people are much more mature and empathetic. Instead of trying to conform to a norm or ‘reinventing yourself,’ try to be less intentional with your presentation.”
In expressing your authentic self, you might just find your closest friends, Johansson pointed out.
“I promise people will be more drawn to honesty [and] being genuine and you’ll end up surrounded by people who care about and appreciate you for who you really are,” she wrote.
At the same time, Johansson urges new freshmen to take risks and remember that every freshman is going through the same experience of trying to meet new people.
“Take advantage of the rush of energy in the beginning of the term,” she wrote. “Everyone is in the same boat only once. The entire freshman class is trying to make friends and find their space on campus all at once. While it may seem exhausting, I would recommend casting a wide net by jumping on opportunities as they come about. You’ll always be able to focus on the ones that you care more about later.”
3. Talk to people
Rohan Ramesh ’26, a computer science and economics double major from Islamabad, Pakistan, offered some straightforward advice: make conversation. While talking to people can lead to new friendships, Ramesh pointed out that it can also offer fresh opportunities.
“The more people you talk to, the more opportunities you get, and the more successful you become,” he said. “Get involved — there’s the Dartmouth Outing Club. Search Dartmouth websites [and] find what you like.”
4. Get involved
Mikhaila Hurley ’26 — an environmental studies major with a minor in government from Norwood, Mass. — said incoming freshmen should not be afraid of going to meetings for organizations with which they have no prior experience. She explained that some of her “favorite things at Dartmouth” — club water polo and the Ledyard Canoe Club — were “entirely new” to her when she arrived on campus. In fact, Hurley said she “wasn’t super outdoorsy” before she came to Dartmouth but now considers Ledyard one of her “favorite communities” on campus.
On a related note, Hurley advised the Class of 2028 to not “be afraid to reach out first.” While she said she was nervous her freshman fall to reconnect with people she had just met, she emphasized that “everyone is in the same boat.”
“Send that text and grab a meal together,” she said. “…We are all so excited to welcome you to Dartmouth.”
5. Put yourself out there
Similar to Hurley, Annabelle Niblett ’26, a physics and astronomy double major from Minneapolis, advised freshmen to “put yourself out there.” Everyone comes to college “excited to make friends,” she said.
“You can meet so many interesting people by just talking to other students at orientation events,” Niblett said.
6. Branch out academically
Ashley Goh ’26, a computer science and mathematics double major from Nashua, N.H., has ventured far beyond her STEM departments. Her freshman year, she took a class in the women’s, gender and sexuality department, and as a sophomore, she tried out a class in the art history department. Although the courses diverged from her core academic interests, she “loved both.”
“I’d suggest really taking advantage of the liberal arts education by signing up for classes outside your usual interests,” she said. “[Exploring different departments] was a great way to balance my coursework and dive into subjects I wouldn’t have explored otherwise.”
7. Be patient
Some students will love Dartmouth immediately. That’s great! But others may take a little longer to find their footing.
Ben Goltz ’27, an environmental studies and economics double major from Anchorage, Alaska, encourages freshmen to give themselves “time to settle in.” He said he began “having way more fun” and enjoying his classes “much more by spring term.”
“Your first term at Dartmouth does not define your entire experience,” he said. “My freshman fall was decidedly okay. I didn’t hate it, but I definitely did not find my people until much later in the year.”
Goltz also emphasized that college life, while outwardly and importantly academic, is multi-faceted. He urged the Class of 2028 to “create commitments” — such as clubs or athletics — that provide a “break from anything school-related.”
“Take classes seriously, but don’t forget that there’s more to college life than the school part of it,” he said. “I think it’s easy to lose some of the boundaries we had in high school between time for work and time for friends, sports, recreation and relaxation.”
8. Withhold judgments
Like Goltz, Timothy Bonis ’26, a chemistry and history double major from Wellesley, Mass., believes freshman year may not capture the full Dartmouth experience. In fact, Bonis believes “freshman fall doesn’t feel like any other term.” In turn, he said students’ first term on campus should not be used to “judge” the College.
“You will try things you will not repeat, you will try new things with a regularity that you haven’t before, and you never will again,” he explained. “It’s an amazing time, but it’s not an accurate representation, so if it’s difficult, don’t judge your entire Dartmouth experience based on those 10 weeks.”
As new students navigate the irregularities and culture shocks of freshman fall, Bonis reminded them that undergraduate advisors — who are assigned to floors in freshman residence halls — are there to help.
“Especially during ‘O-Week’ [orientation week], your UGA is happy to help you,” he said. “They have nothing else to do. Literally nothing. There’s no one around. Well not nobody, but nobody in their year.”
9. Don’t spread yourself too thin
Dhanush Balaji ’26 — a computer science major from Bangalore, India — wants incoming freshmen to know they should “resist the urge to overextend yourself.” Bajali found that when he arrived at Dartmouth, it was “tempting” to join all the clubs that he had “at least some interest in,” from photography to soccer to music.
He recommended choosing a few organizations “that resonate strongly with you” and “hon[ing] in [on] those particular skills and passions.” At the same time, Bajali said it is “okay to change your involvement” as you progress throughout Dartmouth while taking time to “explore and find yourself."
10. Take time for yourself
Even as you heed the advice of older Dartmouth students — exploring new activities, classes and friendships — remember to carve out time for yourself. Ryan Glenn ’26, an Earth sciences major from Long Island, N.Y., recommended setting aside “designated hours of the week just for you."
“Freshman fall is a time where you may feel obligated to spend every waking hour befriending people, but it’s extremely important to take time for yourself and continue doing hobbies that make you happy so that you are in the right headspace to make connections,” he said.
