<p>I just asked my daughter (a '14) about move-in essentials. The first thing she said was “he really doesn’t need that much”! She is still shlepping around a bunch of stuff that she’s never used and which is now stuck with her in Hanover until we drive her back home again after graduation! Including a printer which she has never used. </p>
<p>She used a lot of different command hooks: for back of door to hang coats, to hang a bulletin board, to hang odds and ends, and to hang white lights (a girl thing!). She also had plastic drawers that fit under her bed, and a trunk to store blankets, sheets, towels, extra shoes, junk. She recommended a boot tray to put yucky, wet winter boots on so you don’t track salt/dirt into the room. She also purchased a small refrigerator from the sustainable move-in sale for really cheap and it’s still working fine, even after being dragged from room to room and storage to storage over the past 3 years!</p>
<p>She also suggested that he not buy his books ahead of time until he goes to the first class. She took a lot of science classes and found that she didn’t always have to buy the book.</p>
<p>Little late writing this post but graduation was amazing. Had a beautiful brunch after at the Hanover Inn- large table for our family was waiting for us which was nice because rest of the gang was starving by then. I recommend- well worth it! Spent a few beautiful days on Cape Cod. DS managed to ship the majority of his stuff back home through Hanover True Value which definitely made the car ride more comfortable. Miss Dartmouth quite a bit- good luck to all those starting this Fall. It goes by soooo fast- enjoy!</p>
<p>We had been told it would be over by 1 (based on prior years), but coureur’s memory matches mine. Five valedictorians and seven honorary degrees added just a bit of time (understatement), but I was impressed at how fast they handed out the degrees once they got down to business.</p>
<p>We had 2:00 PM brunch reservations at a very nice restaurant in Norwich, but thanks to the overlong ceremonies and a lot of post-commencement picture taking, we were late for our meal.</p>
<p>Commencement did last till probably around 1:30- definitely past 1pm as we had a relative who had to catch the 1pm Dartmouth Coach and nearly missed it waiting for all the graduates to be called. I’d recommend making all the meal reservations ASAP anywhere in town - Canoe Club, Murphy’s, Hanover Inn not to mention hotel reservations. Lots of picture taking after the ceremonies(fortunately the nonstop rainy weather had stopped just for Commencement) so sat down for lunch probably around 2pm. Hanover True Value as I mentioned was great for shipping- if your student has a lot of heavy things, they will come to their dorm room to pick up for $5 per box.</p>
<p>DMC017, First Year’s Parents weekend in May was my very favorite parents weekend. It’s so fun to meet your kid’s friends, and they do a wonderful job planning activities. My D was on the planning committee, so we attended almost all of the sessions, and many were really fun. It’s fun to talk with other parents, and we had our first CC parents meet up (hello, Magnum, LonghornMom, etc). The schedule does not seem to change very much from year to year, so look at last year’s schedule for a guide. I know when we picked up our name tags (in Collis), we hung around there for quite a while just meeting her friend’s parents. I would make your hotel reservations asap if you know the dates. </p>
<p>On another note, thanks to DMBH for the suggestion to make meal reservations now for graduation. When I called Murphy’s, they told me I got one of the last tables. A couple of the places we want to go won’t take reservations yet, but I have the dates in my calendar as a reminder to call when they start booking.</p>
<p>First year family weekend was a load of fun. It was nice to meet all of his friends. And yes, even other parents! Too bad he still had a lot of studying to do. It was our first real opportunity to see the area from a student’s perspective.</p>
<p>Just had to share some good news. D has a job offer for when she graduates next June! That will make senior year a lot more enjoyable. Her summer internship was lots of hard work but it sure paid off. Makes all those tuition payments well worth it!</p>
<p>I can’t believe it is their senior year. These years flew by so quickly. I don’t believe there is a parents weekend this year, so we will have to meet up at graduation.</p>
<p>Thanks Sybbie. She can’t wait to get back to Hanover. Dartmouth has been the absolute perfect fit for her. Personally, I can’t say enough about their corporate recruiting opportunities. They made it so easy to get solid internships, and now she has a great job waiting for her. I am really impressed with how the whole thing works.</p>
<p>Could someone please explain the dining plans (SmartChoice20 vs. BlockChoice180) for freshmen and share your opinions on the best plan for hungry (female) athletes? Also, is there a Dartmouth card that kids can use in town as well, or do they just use their debit/credit cards or cash in town? Thank you!</p>
<p>We started with the large plan, but then went to a lower plan when we found that S did not always get to a dining place for breakfast. If your D is a hungry athlete it would seem logical to get the big plan, but with 1 or 2 a day practices or games, she may not be close to a dining place to use her meal swipes. I would recommend she talk to a Soph or upperclass teammate to see if the practice and competition demands would permit her to use the largest plan. They use cash/debit cards for dining off campus, which includes all the local restaurants in Hanover.</p>
<p>Thank you, Magnum PI! I’m not sure which is the larger plan, but one mom said we should buy the least expensive plan for fall because they play nearly every weekend and the coach buys many of their meals. Do you know if one can change plans each term?</p>