<p>Thank you Dumbo11. Excellent information.</p>
<p>Judging by what D buys/wears/brings home ā I would go for LL Bean/J Crew rather than Brooks Brothers (and even the former may be a bit much).</p>
<p>Magnum, thanks for the post with the āWelcome Home 16āsā pix. And yes, I saw my son in one of the photos. Good stuff!</p>
<p>Hard_Knocks, good luck to your D. College is the place to try things new.</p>
<p>I still check the Dartmouth Flickr site because we sometimes see random pics of S or his friends. Itās a nice touch that makes it easy for us to enjoy their college years without calling them or checking on them. The helicopter part of me has been grounded for years.</p>
<p>Wow! What a week! We just got back to CA and I have to say Iām flattened! Dartmouth was overwhelmingly impressive. My son has so much going on Iām afraid to even try to text him. Heās running from event to event to sporting practices, etc. The changes of clothes alone must feel like backstage at a repertory theater! I just hope heās getting some laundry doneā¦sometime! I donāt think he even had a chance to finish his room before he was swept into this wave of excitement. His DOC trip was amazing. The pictures just came today from one of his fellow Tripees. What an adventure! A few highlights for parents: Woodstock Inn in Woodstock VT (beautiful and a nice break from the Hanover excitment) but will stay in Hanover next time. Simon Pearce with our son for a ālast dinnerāā¦well just TEARS! So good! Louās alone the next day with my husband as we cried in our hash and tried to pretend we were āchillināā¦code for cracking up. Morano Gelato is a religious experience. I had two religious experiences! Walking through Hanover at night with my husband and watching the kids go to their meetings in the Clusters. So well organized and honestly I canāt imagine feeling more safe on a college campus. The Tower Room and a lovely conversation with one of the English profs who stopped to talk.
To future parents, there is one thing we didnāt really āgetā before this. Starting on official Move-In Day they are BUSY. So if there is any chance of being there the day before that, itās much easier to do shopping with your child. After that they really have to miss something to go shopping with you. This year orientation was shorted by something like two days, so it was even more intense.
And YES athletes can āwalk-onā to Crewā¦at least they can give it a shot. Our son has his first practice today and is hoping that his past athletics and summer of cross country running will serve him well in this new sport. </p>
<p>One interesting note: even in the midst of this he did have one ālonelyā day when he felt that everyone else had āmet someone they really likeā and he was āsort of alone.ā But the next day was better and today sounds really good from the 4 word text I got. So even when things go well, it can feel lonely at first. </p>
<p>Dartmouth was the best choice ever!</p>
<p>We loved meeting so many friendly people on campus, from other students to the person in charge of maintenance for Dās dorm. We loved hearing D chatter incessantly about her Trip. We loved returning home to mail from Dartmouth gifting us with parent pins.</p>
<p>D does seem to have bouts of loneliness amid the crowd, but Iām trying not to worry. Having my pilotās license for Helicopter Parenting, Iām struggling!</p>
<p>Iāll be up there in 3 weeks for Dās white coat ceremony. If any of your kiddos need anything, ride to Walmart etc, please feel free to ask. I remember when D started UG despite my intensive planning, she still needed a few things after I had left.</p>
<p>My mother who has exquisite taste will be there as well, and per the dorm decorating thread, she will be available for $150 per hour as well! LOL</p>
<p>It is exciting that your children have had good early experiences in Hanover. The more that they embrace clubs/groups/teams, the less the likelihood that they will lose their place. It is easier to drop out of an activity because you are overcommitted than to join it later mid term. But having said that it is not that difficult to join something at Dartmouth midterm. If your kids make a small effort to join clubs/groups/teams, the rest will take care of itself. Your child likely was admitted to Dartmouth because of their participation and excellence in activities outside the classroom. If they continue that path in college, they will be fine.</p>
<p>As an aside, encourage your children to get to know their professors. Though this seems nerdy coming from high school, it is imperative for moving beyond college to have some recommendations from professors that know you. The profās at Dartmouth love this interaction with students, but it needs to be driven by the student ā you cannot wait for the prof to engage you.</p>
<p>Enjoy your 4 years. Your kids will enjoy Dartmouth for the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>Well said parents. Sad that we only get four years. I told S to just sit down with new groups and meet new people at meals. You never know who will be your best friends. One of my best friends today was a random meet and greet at the dining hall. Have your kids meet both of my kids at the first football game of the season next weekend. They will be passing out the ti leaves. </p>
<p>Sent from my DROID BIONIC using CC</p>
<p>GA2012MOM what a nice offer. And Magnum I will be sure to remind him to look for your kids at the game. He went to a soccer game yesterday and is at a sex talk comedy thing tonight which is supposed to be really well done. We are still recovering here. Thank goodness for two other kids to keep us busy! Iām starting to realize how much of a change is ahead of us in six years when the last one goesā¦</p>
<p>Is there some way to watch the football games? Online or something?</p>
<p>[Live</a> Events - DartmouthSports.comāOfficial Web Site of Dartmouth Varsity Athletics](<a href=āhttp://www.dartmouthsports.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11600]Liveā>http://www.dartmouthsports.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11600)</p>
<p>Warning: The feed can be sporadic at times, but itās better than nothing.</p>
<p>Convocation is underway now. Noticing the tweets from #Dartmouth16ās. Hope they post the video soon because I really want to hear the choir and the speaker this year.</p>
<p>We went to Convocation last year because we happened to be there for the Sophomore drop off. Too bad they tell the parents to leave before the convocation, because it is really a nice program. Helicopter Parents of 16s, please start your āWhereās Waldoā email to all your relatives by sending them the flickr link to the original size of the class photo here: [All</a> sizes | The Dartmouth Class of 2016 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!](<a href=āhttp://www.ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā /photos/dartmouthflickr/7946946058/sizes/o/in/photostream/]Allā>All sizes | The Dartmouth Class of 2016 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!)</p>
<p>Hi Magnum, Thanks for linking to the class photo! Funny, D couldnāt find herself, but Helicopter Parent to the rescue as I found her. ;-)</p>
<p>Aloha parents! Be sure to tune into MSNBC sports this Saturday noon EDT for the U Penn v Dartmouth football game. See if you can pick out your kids in the crowd. Sorry, no ti leaves this game. Go Big Green.</p>
<p>Seasoned parents, alumniā¦question about away gamesā¦if students want to attend the Yale game next week, does Dartmouth have some form of transportation they can secure to get there, or do they need to go through Dart Coach and then Amtrak from NYC? I feel sure there must be some well-worn tradition for this, as there seems to be for all things GREEN.</p>
<p>I think they can check at the athletic department to see if there is a charter bus.</p>
<p>Sunnyday, my daughter is a Dartmouth graduate currently at Yale (and other D lives in NYC). Hopefully Dartmouth has chartered a bus for the game, because a combination of bus and rail is costly and inconvenient. But you have three options that Iām aware of:</p>
<ol>
<li>Take the Dartmouth Coach to Boston South Station and then take Amtrak to New Haven.</li>
<li>Take the coach to South Station and then the Megabus to New Haven.</li>
<li>Take the coach to NY and then the Metro North commuter rail out of Grand Central Station to New Haven. (I believe the Dartmouth Coach drops off by Grand Central; technically you could take Amtrak up to New Haven but it runs out of Penn Station.)</li>
</ol>
<p>Assuming your son is leaving Dartmouth on Saturday morning, I believe option one is the only one that will get him there in time for the game. (If it was me and schedule wasnāt an issue Iād normally opt for option two.)</p>
<p>Hope your son already has arranged alternate transportation, but if not perhaps this helps.</p>
<p>We will be in Hanover this weekend to take in a DSO concert. My daughter ('13) is a four year member of DSO, but weāve never heard them play. But the stars miraculously aligned such that I had a business trip to Boston come up at the same time that the orchestra is performing. Staying at the Norwich Inn and hoping for good weather. Too bad the Yale game is in New Haven.</p>