Submission by Victoria Quint ’22
I walked out of the Hop this afternoon and into the most beautiful winter twilight I had seen in ages. Or at least since my last Dartmouth winter. I’m a Vermonter, so I know my share of winter scenes, but there’s something particularly magical about snow at Dartmouth. I love the view from the Hop, with Baker Tower glowing in the background, partially obscured by purplish snow-covered trees, fat flakes gently covering everything. As I sloshed my way back to my dorm, feet in the slush, face up to the snowflakes, I felt so happy. In that moment, there was peace in my world. It was quiet and soft, yet I was still part of the campus I have come to love.
I remember a snowy afternoon last year, during my freshman fall, when I was walking from drill with some upperclassmen. They were complaining about how quickly every term was going, each one seeming to fly by faster than the last. I couldn’t wrap my mind around that, not then. All I wanted was to be back in my cozy living room, with my cats on my lap, and not wandering the still-unfamiliar streets. I begged the term to hurry up and end so I could be home and prayed that the ones to come really would fly by. But now, I know they were right, both about the impossible speed of Dartmouth terms and that that speed was something to regret.
I’ve decided that it’s true – each term is definitely shorter than the last. And yet, every term I’m here, I feel a little more at home. It’s strange, really, having two such different homes now, but it’s my reality. It allowed me to savor my walk through the snow tonight and to be grateful for my sense of belonging. I know people love to take winter off to escape the Hanover weather, but I hope all of us who are here can enjoy it. The fresh snow, and the whole term, will be gone before we know it. But for now, snowy Dartmouth is the best Dartmouth. Good luck changing my mind.