As I sat in my home in New Zealand last fall, staring at the blank exchange application in front of me, I wondered what attending an American college would be like. Is it really how the movies make it out to be? Would there be Greek life and football games with roaring crowds? Scandalous Halloween costumes and beer pong? Out of the 120 different universities that my school, the University of Auckland, partners with for exchange terms, Dartmouth undeniably stood out to me. The allure of an isolated New England town, combined with the College’s liberal arts focus and traditional architecture, drew me to its campus. I believed these elements would lead to an immersive college experience, rich with community, history and tradition.
When I found out I had been accepted to Dartmouth for the exchange program, I was elated to say the least. As the days until my exchange term dwindled, I began to wonder if my time in Hanover would live up to the stereotypes of a classic American college experience.
When I first stepped onto campus, those clichés were validated — it felt like I had stepped inside an aesthetically curated autumn Pinterest board. Everything was warm, golden and glowing in the September sun: beautiful historic buildings, leafy forests laced with hidden pathways, a winding road leading to the Connecticut River and the Green at the center of it all, filled with students chatting and reading. During a bus ride through Hanover with another exchange student, I turned to her and said how much the town felt like a movie set. We both giggled, knowing that we were thinking the same thing.
Underlying this awe was a profound sense of surrealness. Knowing that I would only be here for 10 weeks created a certain sense of detachment — that I’m observing the Dartmouth experience rather than fully part of it.
Despite these feelings, I was determined to make the most of the term. Throughout the fall, I joined all sorts of activities and took part in as many events as possible. During a weekend trip to the Second College Grant with the Dartmouth Outing Club, I encountered “peak foliage” for the first time. Intense hues of yellow, red and orange coated the trees. Watching the foliage rain down gave me butterflies, and kicking piles of fallen leaves reminded me of playing in puddles as a kid. Yet, behind my excitement at the fall was a tinge of melancholy — would I ever experience autumn like this again? It’s been incredible having such easy access to nature, whether it be visiting the river to kayak, spotting deers in Pine Park or stargazing at the golf course. It astounds me that you can go from waking up in the middle of the woods after an overnight cabin trip to being back in class by 10 a.m., resuming life as usual.
And, of course, my American college experience wouldn’t have been complete without a little partying. During the second week of the term, I went to my first ever fraternity party at Phi Delta Alpha, which was exactly as chaotic as I had imagined. Trashy pop music blared from speakers. My shoes clung to a floor coated with sticky beer while everything seemed to exist in a blur of noise and motion. As I wandered into Phi Delt’s lounge, I discovered class portraits containing composite photographs of young men and, weirdly enough, a dog. Another surprise: apparently, the frats here have dogs?
While my college does not have Greek life, the experience reminded me of ski club parties at the lodge at Mt. Ruapehu, an active stratovolcano in New Zealand’s North Island known for its ski fields and stunning alpine landscapes. Although it is more common back home to go clubbing or attend house parties, I revel in those ski parties for many of the same reasons that I enjoy Dartmouth: they bring together a community with a collective past. The walls of the lodge are decorated with years of cherished history, including last year’s ski club president’s Adidas Stan Smiths, vintage New Zealand signs, ski trophies and a chalkboard stating special beer pong rules. Next year, I plan to introduce Dartmouth-style pong as well.
Other events and activities have shown me the multifaceted nature of the Dartmouth student experience, too. Last week, I checked another item off my Dartmouth bucket list when I sent my first “flitz” — a playful, flirty email filled with GIFs and crazy, colorful fonts — which felt like something out of a silly romantic comedy. I also attended the Homecoming football match between the Big Green and Harvard University — the most anticipated face-off of the term — which was my first-ever American football game. There, I was entertained by the group of buff men that stood next to my friends and me in the stands, screaming playfully at each other, clinking flasks and yelling at the referees about bad calls. Football players on the field bumped chests as the crowd went wild with every home team touchdown scored.
After partaking in Dartmouth traditions throughout my exchange term, I’ve realized it’s not about the activities themselves, but the sentiments behind them. It’s not about the football game but rather the school pride that winning provides. The fraternity party itself is unimportant; what matters is the community that Greek life creates. An overnight cabin trip pales in comparison to the friendships formed through the experience of spending a night together without running water, heat or electricity. I’ve realized that the people here and their passions — whether that is performing with a comedy troupe, playing in the campus jazz band or training for a varsity sport — are a part of a community that is more than the sum of its parts. This contrasts starkly with the version of American college portrayed in popular culture, one that has shaped my views of college in the United States. That version is often reduced to clichés of jocks, party animals and rebels. Dartmouth, in my experience, transcends.
As my time in Hanover comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on how these moments — chaotic frat parties, outdoor trips and traditions like Homecoming — reveal the layers that make up an American college experience. Based on my time in the States, the fictional portrayals get it right, but only at a surface level. For me, it has been much more nuanced: Dartmouth has provided an environment to go beyond my comfort zone, engage in rigorous academics and feel part of a community greater than myself.
The fleeting nature of my exchange program drove me to experience as much as possible in 10 short weeks, and I hope to carry this same sense of adventure and curiosity back to New Zealand. Although I am preparing to leave Hanover, I am also looking forward to the winter and spring, when I will be able to see Dartmouth students studying abroad at University of Auckland. I’m sure that they too will gain new knowledge and insights and form a fresh perspective — just like I have at Dartmouth.
