<p>Welcome to the Dartmouth family. We also live far away and learned a lot from the parents thread and the various suggestions posted there. The recycle sale starts after the last trips and before classes start. Please note, get there early for the best selections of lamps, refrigerators, and other dorm amenities. Make as many friends as you can your first year because from sophomore year on, everyone gets really busy and with the D plan, many will be off campus at different times. 4 years goes by quickly so enjoy every day. </p>