Winter’s in the Air

It’s not officially winter yet, but the signs that winter is coming are all over Hanover, even if snow is not. Last night was Dartmouth’s annual Christmas tree lighting on the green. The tree (so Dartmouth’s website tells me) is a 35 foot tall blue spruce, and pretty impressive at that. To add to the merriment, there was hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies (for which my dog would not stop begging), and Christmas carols sung by the Dartmouth Glee Club (I’m a sucker for Christmas music. And Glee). And while I can’t quite decide how happy I am about this, it wasn’t even that cold last night, so hanging around outside was enjoyable. But still, a couple of flurries would certainly have added to the atmosphere.

If that wasn’t enough to get me in the winter mood, tonight I’m going with a bunch of Tuckies to see a screening of Warren Miller’s new film, Wintervention. This will help me get even MORE excited about winter and skiing. (And, by the way, who says there’s not much to do in Hanover? I’d like to dispel that myth, I don’t think I’ve been bored here.) Anyway, ski season is starting to truly get underway, and my classmates have been heading to the mountains in droves. Now all we’re waiting for is a good snow storm to blanket the mountains so we can really get out there.

Other events have helped campus transition from fall to winter. The fall Hockey Tripod Championship games were a great time, even though my team lost a hard-fought match 3-2. It was especially awesome to have spectators at a game. During the regular season, sometime we would have a handful of people stop by to watch, but to have a real crowd, announcers, and friends loudly cheering on my team, was a really cool experience. Even though my team lost, I’m already geared up for the winter season though, which starts back up in January. My family can’t quite believe that I’m playing hockey, and that I’m loving it so much. Before coming to Tuck, I’d never played. I knew how to skate, but that was about it. The reason hockey at Tuck is so great, is that it is an opportunity to take a break from studying, get some exercise, make a bit of a fool of yourself, and have a blast.

Thanksgiving break was a much needed respite, and it has been exciting to be back on campus to finish up Fall B and prepare for the holidays. The tree on the green is lit, and the stores on Main Street are all decked out in red and green. Finals are coming, but that means the Fall B finish line is near, and spirits are high. Winter is coming!