The Dartmouth Spring Issue 2022 by The Dartmouth Newspaper

LUCY HANDY/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

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EDITORS’ NOTE

Table of Contents Hanover gears up for first Green Key since 2019

College increases security and restrictions

A look into Programming Board’s planning process

Q&A: Provost David Kotz ’86

The Green Key of yesteryear: Alpha Delta’s lawn party

Q&A: Philosophy professor Esther Rosario

Heavyweight rowing maintains success despite COVID-19

Men’s basketball’s Taurus Samuels ’22 on ‘bleeding Green’

Allen: Hands Off My Handle!

Gart: Wednesday Night Fever

Verbum Ultimum: In Defense of the Liberal Arts

Music through the generations

Green Key performances, from Gold Coast to Webster Ave

The ties that bind us: Dartmouth’s springtime traditions

Can we just take things slow? On work-hard, play-hard

Here’s to Our Freshman Year

CAROLINE KRAMER/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

The warming weather in Hanover has drawn students out of their rooms, flocking to the Green and the river. And even though some classes are still in the midst of midterms, students can’t help but let spring term traditions take over. The return of green grass and sunshine is indicative of the transition in the campus atmosphere; there is an unmatched excitement that accompanies spring term which is possibly best encapsulated in Green Key weekend. As we return to one of the most normal-looking terms since the pandemic first hit, we also see the return of some of Dartmouth’s most long-standing traditions. For three class years –– the ’23s, ’24s and ’25s –– this term is an entirely new experience: it’s their first ‘real’ spring, and notably, their first Green Key. And for the ’22s, they are carrying the torch through vague memories of their freshman year — rapidly approaching graduation. This special issue is dedicated to all the campus communities — from academic group projects to performing arts to Greek spaces and everything in between — who are looking to bring the key parts of spring term back to campus. We chose the theme “Unlocking Green Key” because Green Key, for many, is something of a mystery. Three years of students have heard a great deal about this glorious weekend –– the music, the crowds, the general carefree atmosphere –– but have little concrete understanding of the specifics of what actually goes on. We designed this issue with the goal of uncovering what goes on — both in public and behind the scenes — to make the magic of Green Key happen year after year. Within these pages, we’ve covered fundamental aspects such as procuring funding and choosing artists, looked back at how certain traditions have risen and fallen over the years and explored what Green Key means to students — and why this weekend has stood the test of time. Green Key has certainly evolved since its inception, but some key themes –– live music, warmer weather, good times –– are ever-present. In seeking to unlock Green Key, we hope to discover the Dartmouth of the past as we decide how we’re going to shape the Dartmouth of the future. In the midst of warm weather and festivities, we hope this special issue helps you unlock your Green Key! Thomas de Wolff ’24, Adriana James-Rodil ’25 and Jessica Sun Li ’24

Hanover gears up for first Green Key weekend since 2019 BY Kristin Chapman & Franklin Blackburn The Dartmouth Staff

As the College and the town of Hanover prepare for the annual Green Key music festival for the first time in three years, organizers discussed challenges to planning the festival, as well as their hopes for the weekend. The festival will take place from May 18 to May 22, with the Progamming Board concert on May 20. Director of student involvement David Pack explained that there is not just one “Green Key Planning Committee,” but that Green Key is a “huge collaborative event” made possible by the town of Hanover and multiple organizations at the College –– just one of which is Programming Board. “[Green Key] takes collaboration with [the Office of] Conferences and Events, with the town, with Safety and Security –– Dartmouth EMS will be there, so it’s a big lift,” Pack said. “Other than Commencement, [Green Key] is one of the largest events that we host in Hanover.” Associate dean of student life Eric Ramsey wrote in an email statement that all organizations must register oncampus events over Green Key weekend with the Office of Student Life at the College, which coordinates the Green Key schedule to “minimize overlapping events and locations.” While the Programming Board’s headlining concert on Gold Coast Lawn is a cornerstone of the weekend, there are other groups on campus organizing their own events for Green Key weekend, including Dartmouth Dining, Collis Governing Board and Greek life. Greek Life Many Greek houses will sponsor events throughout the weekend. Andrew Bricklin ’23, chair of the GLC, said that the GLC has provided funding for a large number of the Green Key events hosted by Greek houses, including concerts, barbecues and a crawfish boil hosted by Zeta Psi fraternity and Kappa Delta sorority. “When we talk about Green Key funding, obviously some of the [Greek] houses are spending their own [money],” Pack said. “And then some are also getting funding from the [Greek Leadership Council].” Bricklin said that the amount GLC spends varies year to year, but that they have a larger budget this term because much of the annual funds allocated from the Undergraduate Finance Committee were unspent during the pandemic. Even so, the GLC sets an approximate limit of $3,000 per chapter per event, according

to Bricklin. “Our overall budget this term for open to campus events was roughly $45,000, which again is much larger than we’d usually have for a spring term,” Bricklin said. “Usually we get around $60,000 a year from [UFC].” Green Key events comprise the largest portion of the GLC’s spring budget, totalling “somewhere around $20,000” this year, according to Bricklin. Still, Green Key events hosted by Greek houses do not get all of their funding from the GLC — in reality, they are rarely the primary source of funds. “Usually the GLC budget, depending on the size of the event, can make up anywhere from 50% of the budget to 10 to 20% of the [funds for an event] — it depends on how expensive the event is,” Bricklin said. Where each house gets the remaining money needed varies: some pay out of pocket themselves, while others “have alumni corporations that get involved,” Bricklin said. Dining Collis Governing Board and the Collis Center will also co-host the Green Key @ Collis concert series, which includes live music and a variety of food options, according to an emailed statement from senior assistant dean of student life Anna Hall. This year, the series will begin Thursday night with free barbecue and drinks, according to the Collis website. Pack and Elsbecker said that Collis will sponsor a cookout dinner on Friday evening with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. After the PB concert on Gold Coast Lawn, Collis After Dark will be hosting Late-Night Breakfast in Collis Common Ground, according to the Collis website. Elsbecker noted that there will also be an ice cream truck, pizza and catering from Panera on Saturday. “[There will be] free food being given out all the time, basically, at Collis on Saturday,” Pack said. Director of Dartmouth Dining Services Jon Plodzik wrote in an email statement that Dartmouth Dining will reduce operating hours over Green Key weekend to ensure that students who typically work during those hours can attend the festival. In addition, Safety and Security will observe the Class of 1953 Commons on May 21 and 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to “prevent problems” and “unruly behavior,” he wrote. “Evening operations are curtailed at the Novack Café and the snack bars that Friday and Saturday. [Collis Market] in the Collis building will be closed for those days,” Plodzik wrote. “We will return to normal operations that Sunday of Green Key Weekend.” Plodzik also wrote that Dartmouth

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Dining will feature “popular” menu items from past years over Green Key weekend, including “chicken parmesan, mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, fried chicken and macaroni and cheese.” The Town Hanover town manager Julia Griffin said that in the past, the festival has garnered “regional” attention and drawn concertgoers unaffiliated with the College, putting a strain on the area’s safety resources. She said these safety-related concerns led to a discussion between representatives from the town and the College to only permit current students and alumni from the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 to attend the PB main concert. Pack hopes that this no-guest policy will help alleviate the pressure on town resources. “If a student is injured at the concert or is intoxicated and needs to chill out for a while, they can go to Dick’s House,” Pack said. “If a student’s guest is in the same position, they can’t go to Dick’s House.” Though alumni from the Classes of 2020 and 2021 will not have access to Dick’s house, the town and the College decided it was important for these years to be able to attend due to their having missed the big weekend in the years of the pandemic. Griffin said she also helps advise the planning of the festival with considerations from neighborhoods surrounding campus. She added that she hopes organizations hosting concerts, as well as performers, respect noise complaints when they happen and turn the volume down. “This is an event for the College community to participate in and celebrate,” Griffin said. “I think we try to sort of find a balance that encourages the town to continue to approve these events and also gives people a lot of options for things to do during Green Key weekend.” Elsbecker said that PB wants to balance maintaining a positive relationship with the town and meeting the needs of students and the concert. “We want to protect the ability to hold a Green Key and maintain a good relationship with the town moving forward,” Elsbecker said. Despite the challenges of planning for such a weekend, Pack said one of the highlights of his job is helping students organize Green Key. “I really just enjoy being able to work with students to bring music to Hanover that wouldn’t otherwise be here –– it’s not exactly a major destination for a lot of artists, so to be able to bring genres and music that may not otherwise be seen in the area is really exciting,” he said.

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SUBMISSIONS: We welcome letters and guest columns. All submissions must include the author’s name and affiliation with Dartmouth College, and should not exceed 250 words for letters or 700 words for columns. The Dartmouth reserves the right to edit all material before publication. All material submitted becomes property of The Dartmouth. Please email submissions to editor@thedartmouth.com.

College increases security and restrictions

EMIL LIDEN/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

BY Catherine O’Halloran The Dartmouth

Safety measures and restrictions, such as limiting outside guests, enforcing the use of permits and offering emergency services will be in place for Green Key, as the College and town prepare for the big spring weekend The Programming Board’s Green Key concert will be limited to current Dartmouth students, as well as members of the Classes of 2020 and 2021 — both of whom missed their last Green Key concerts. Director of student involvement David Pack cited other members of the Ivy League as examples of schools who have not allowed guests at their respective spring concerts, such as Brown University’s Spring Weekend and Cornell University’s Slope Day concerts. Recognizing the strain on emergency resources in past years, Hanover Police chief Charlie Dennis made a clear distinction between when students should call 911 versus Safety and Security. For any medical or law enforcement emergency, he emphasized the importance of using 911 as opposed to Safety and Security. “College policy violations, or there’s a problem with your dorm, or someone needs a ride, that would be more of a [Safety and Security] call,” Dennis said.“But if someone’s fallen and hurt themselves, there’s some sort of suspicious activity or you think someone’s in danger, that’s a 911 call.” As part of planning Green Key, associate dean of student life Eric Ramsey wrote in a statement to The Dartmouth that the Office of Student Life manages permit approval and coordinates with town officials and Hanover Police and fire departments “to discuss event logistics and security needs.” In turn, the town also provides first responders as necessary, including the fire department, police and EMS. Permits According to Dennis, some residents are concerned about the levels of noise that occur on Friday due to the block party that occurs in the afternoon as well and the other parties at night, as well as during the other concerts that are held on Saturday. In the past, Dennis said that he has received noise complaints from both Hanover and Norwich residents. “We’re always very careful when we issue our outdoor activity permits to let [residents] know we’re issuing a permit,

and if we get calls from residents of noise disturbances, the music may have to be turned down or shut down,” Dennis said. According to deputy fire chief Michael Gilbert, the fire department is concerned about overcrowding at fraternities and sororities. “We work with them, and they have posted on the wall how many people they can have at their parties,” Hanover fire department chief Martin McMillan said. “We just don’t want them to get too overcrowded because if something happens [attendees] won’t be able to get out.” Ramsey wrote that “any College organization planning an event over Green Key, particularly those hosting events outdoors,” are in direct contact with town officials — including Hanover Police and the Hanover fire department. McMillan also noted if events do get overcrowded, the Hanover fire department will help organizers “thin out the crowd.” Crowd Control In an emailed statement, Hanover Police lieutenant Michael Schibuola wrote that the department has been coordinating with College staff and Safety and Security in advance of the weekend. Safety and Security director Keysi Montás said that his concerns for the weekend include the presence of outside attendees, as well as crowd control, during the Programming Board concert. . “Because it’s a large event, it tends to attract outside people, but particularly underage high schoolers from the surrounding area, so that has always been a concern,” Montás said. In addition to Safety and Security coverage of multiple events throughout the weekend, officers will be present at the PB concert, ensuring that only those with wristbands are in attendance, according to Montás. “[Safety and Security] will cover the block party on Friday, and we will cover the ’53 Commons. We will be supplemented by Green Mountain Security, and they will cover most of the events on Saturday,” Montás said. Hanover Police will also have “extra patrols” throughout the week and will be staffing several events on Friday and Saturday, including assisting with road closures at the PB concert on Friday, according to Schibuola. In addition SEE SECURITY PAGE 3

THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

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New safety measures in A look into Programming Board’s Green Key planning process place for Green Key FROM SECURITY PAGE 2

to calling the emergency and nonemergency lines, attendees will be able to send anonymous tips and receive alerts from Hanover Police on its mobile app, Hanover NH Police. Emergency Services McMillan said that in past years, there has been a strain on ambulances during Green Key weekend. During Green Key, the fire department is “still running the usual gamut of emergency calls” from Upper Valley residents. According to McMillan, if ambulances are tied up responding to students, and another individual is waiting for emergent vehicle care, that response time could be delayed significantly. “If we have a bunch of people [who need emergency response services] at the same time, it just overtaxes our ability to respond. We have to bring in our mutual aid partners, which are typically Hartford and Lebanon, and then we end up with an ambulance shortage for other medical conditions,” McMillan said. “We always want to have the ability to respond to these [calls] in a timely manner.” McMillan noted that this strain is often the result of students consuming too many substances. “Remember, we’re just coming off of COVID,” McMillan said. “Our medical employment situation throughout all ranges of medicine is critical, and the last thing we want to do — especially on a Friday or Saturday night, which is already busy — is inundate the emergency room with people who over-consumed something.” Interim Dean of the College Scott Brown wrote in an email to The Dartmouth that the infirmary at Dick’s House will be open for admissions for much of Green Key weekend, from Friday at 6 p.m. until Sunday at 6 a.m. Ordinarily, Dick’s House is open only

on weekdays from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Alcohol Safety Ramsey wrote that he hopes students will take advantage of the various programming the College has put together and utilize campus resources throughout the weekend if needed. “We know many in our campus community have not experienced Green Key, so we’re hoping we can provide them a fun and safe introduction to a Dartmouth tradition,” Ramsey wrote. “We hope students will become familiar with campus resources like Safety and Security and the ‘Good Sam’ policy and attend the many free food events and hydration stations set up outside of Collis.” Brown also wrote that the College is also making an effort to support students’ health in preparation for Green Key through a Student Wellness Center initiative that “promotes healthy decision-making leading up to Green Key.” According to the Dartmouth IVY Week website, “Intention, Values and You” is a week-long initiative — taking place from May 11-18 — sponsored by the Office of Greek Life, SWC and the Greek Leadership Council to encourage students to think about their alcohol consumption. For Brown, an important part of the Dartmouth community is that students look out for one another. “Be sure to know your limits and assist others in need,” he added. “When in doubt, call for help.” McMillan also commented on alcohol safety for the weekend, advising students avoid pre-opened drinks, to be conscious of what they are drinking and to watch out for their friends. “Hanover [Police’s] primary goal is for everyone to have a safe and enjoyable time during Green Key,” Schibuola wrote.

By Stephanie Sowa & Franklin Blackburn The Dartmouth Staff

Since 2013, Programming Board has organized a large concert for Green Key on Gold Coast Lawn. This Friday evening concert is a staple of the weekend — but not without significant planning: PB works for months to organize the event, beginning the planning process as early as the end of fall term, according to director of student involvement and PB advisor David Pack. Choosing a Headliner Before winter term begins, PB concerts director Emma Elsbecker ’24 said that PB typically sends a genre interest survey to the student body, asking them to indicate what types of music they most want to see at Green Key. “[PB] really look[s] to the results from the community surveys — which hundreds and hundreds of other students filled out — to guide the decision making for final selection,” Pack said. Once a genre has been selected, PB compiles a list of “up-andcoming artists” before consulting with a booking agency, Concert Ideas — which provides the board with information on various artists’ pricing and availability, Elsbecker said. From there, PB sends out a second survey which asks students to vote again — this time for specific artists. When it comes time to select the official Green Key artist, PB executive director Cole Minsky ’22, along with a few other members, work with Pack to make the final call, informed by the student survey feedback. This year, Saint Motel and KYLE are co-headlining the concert, and Doechii will be the

DANIEL BERTHE/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

opening artist. The timing of Green Key can be both a blessing and a curse in relation to securing artists. Many other colleges host spring concert weekends earlier in May, so there is little competition from other schools to book artists. There are, however, other music festivals that can conflict with Green Key — and artists may be more inclined to perform at higher profile events. “Green Key weekend is almost always the exact same weekend as Hangout Fest, which is a large music festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama,” Pack said. “So many artists that we looked at, or who were recommended by folks, were not available because they had already committed to performing at this music festival, where they will perform for a larger audience than [the] 4,000 people here at Dartmouth.” Expenses PB is spending roughly half of its annual budget — which comes from the student activities fee and is allotted by the Undergraduate Finance Committee — on the concert, Pack said. During the 2019-2020 academic year, PB’s annual budget was $341,000. Pack said that the annual budget has not changed since then, though PB received supplementary funding from the UFC for its Green Key budget. “A r t i s t s ’ c o s t s h ave b e e n increasing, [and] security costs have been increasing,” Pack said. “… What we can say is that the cost of the talent is about half of the total cost of [PB’s] Green Key [concert].” Pack said that despite an increased budget, many of the same artists from previous years re-appeared on the list due to inflation of prices to book artists. “This year one of the things we are definitely seeing is inflation in artist prices, even with raising our price range to be able to open up more people, a lot of the same people ended up on the list. People who used to cost, say, $30,000 may now be charging $50,000,” Pack said. PB must consider both student preferences and affordability when choosing the headliner. Nohi Perry ’25 expressed satisfaction with PB’s choice of Green Key artists, given the context of their budget. “Of course, I wish we could have Harry Styles, but the PB did a great job securing artists with the resources they have,” Perry said. “I think KYLE will be so much fun.” Pack added that PB has incurred more expenses related to security for the event this year as well and wristbanding is one contributor. “The concert was sort of open for the first few years,” Pack said. “We had to implement the wristbanding

policy to meet town concerns for controlling access to the concert. Over the years there have been new additional costs.” In addition to wristbanding, additional costs have been incurred because of the addition of water barricades “a few years back,” according to Pack. Student Volunteers Beyond simply selecting the performers, PB must also handle the logistics of organizing a concert for thousands of students. In order to facilitate the concert, Green Key generally relies on recruiting student volunteers to handle tasks such as distributing wristbands or monitoring the concert entrance, according to Pack. Pack also said that before t h e C OV I D - 1 9 p a n d e m i c , Programming Board had around 30 to 40 active members. However, this year, the club only has about 10 to 15 active members –– making the organization of Green Key an even larger commitment for those few students, he said. Sanjana Goli ’22 said she believes that student absence due to COVID-19 may be responsible for these difficulties in recruiting students. “Maybe it’s because the only class that has experienced [Green Key] thus far is seniors, but it is also senior spring,” Goli noted. “I think there is greatest attachment from the seniors, but trying to make the most of senior spring makes it hard to fit [volunteering] in.” Pack similarly said he believes that the decrease in Programming Board membership is due to a lack of student awareness regarding how many student volunteers are needed to plan events such as Green Key. In addition to determining the featured acts, students are responsible for logistics such as reserving Safety and Security and green rooms for the artists. “It’s an enormous amount of work and responsibility to even just coordinate the concert, figure out all the moving pieces of it,” Pack said. “... And obviously, coordinating all of the wrist-banding and ticket process is a big responsibility.” PB will offer various “incentives” to volunteers based on the number of hours of work they can provide, Pack said, including a meet and greet with the artists performing at the concert. After so long without a Green Key concert, many students are excited to experience PB’s concert — most either for the first or last time. “I’m a current junior right now, and I’ve never been to Green Key,” Quinten Arello ’23 said. “This is all new for me, for the sophomores, for the freshmen, which is crazy to think about, but I couldn’t be happier.”

Q&A: Provost David Kotz ’86 on his perspectives of Dartmouth BY Kaia Culotta

The Dartmouth Staff

Provost David Kotz graduated from Dartmouth in 1986, where he studied computer science and physics. As provost, he is the College’s chief academic and fiscal officer. He is also a computer science professor and the director of emerging technologies and data analytics in the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health at the College. The Dartmouth sat down with Provost Kotz to discuss how his background has shaped his connection to the College and his job today, as well as his experiences with Green Key and other Dartmouth traditions. You are one of the few people who has the perspectives of being a student, alumnus, parent and member of the administration. What has that been like for you, and how has it shaped your view of Dartmouth? DK: Wow, that’s a really big question considering I first arrived in Hanover almost 40 years ago as an incoming firstyear student. I’ve clearly been deeply fond of the College for all of that time, and every new phase of that relationship for me has been very special. Now, as a parent in particular, it has been especially exciting to watch my children enjoy their Dartmouth experience. Why did you decide to join the Dartmouth administration? DK: I’d been asked from time to time to play a role in various leadership capacities across the College as an institute director, as an associate dean and as interim provost into provost. To

me, ultimately, it’s about an opportunity to give back to this school that I love so much and to help it thrive in so many ways. I’m really pleased that I have that opportunity.

What do you remember about being a student at the College? What are some of your favorite memories and what do you think has helped you navigate your job today? DK: When I was a student, I was very involved in the Dartmouth Outing Club, particularly in the Cabin and Trail division. I also lived off campus in an off-campus house with a lot of other DOC students. For me, that was a big part of my life at the time and a big part of my Dartmouth experience and still, in many ways, that’s a big part of me. A lot of my friends from that era are still my closest friends today. Many of them actually live in the Upper Valley. Also, in one of my DOC roles, I was the director of Freshman Trips — now First-Year Trips.That gave me an opportunity to really pay it forward and helped me understand the profound importance of that program in helping launch most Dartmouth students’ time at the College and how much of a difference it makes in building the Dartmouth sense of community. I was pleased to be involved in the administration this year as the DOC navigated a particularly challenging year in First-Year Trips. I’m looking forward to hopefully a more normal round of Trips this coming fall. What is something that your many different perspectives and experiences have taught you over the years?

DK: I have many perspectives on the College. Certainly not all perspectives, but one advantage — as a former student, as a professor, as an administrator, as a parent — is that I recognize that there are many different perspectives and that people approach the Dartmouth community and the Dartmouth experience from different angles. That helps me to better understand and better respect the different ways that people experience Dartmouth, and I celebrate that. It’s great that people have different ways of appreciating Dartmouth, and hopefully I’m able now, in my administrative role, to help make that possible. What memories do you have of Green Key as a student? DK: I don’t remember very much about what Green Key was when I was a student compared to how it is today, so I can’t really comment on that. Again, I was very involved in the Outing Club and Cabin and Trail, so most weekends I was out in the woods somewhere on a hike or leading a trip or something like that. That’s what was really important to me, so that’s where my friend group and I spent our time, most likely including Green Key weekend.

What are your thoughts on Green Key now as an alumni and a parent? DK: My impression of Green Key now is that it is an opportunity for students to really celebrate spring, to get outside if we have good weather and to enjoy themselves towards the end of the academic year, and I hope they can do this in a safe way. That’s really my main concern, both as a parent and as

an administrator –– that Green Key is fun and safe.

Why do you think traditions like Green Key are valuable for the College? DK: I think for any long-running institution, traditions are a way of building community across generations. Because some of these traditions date back for decades — and I suppose in some cases even longer — they give us all a sense of this continuity of this much larger community that is Dartmouth over generations. To me, that’s a really valuable part of traditions. On the other hand, I also recognize — and I think it’s very important to recognize — that traditions evolve as an institution evolves. Traditions come and go, traditions change, and that’s fine. Today’s students are defining what Dartmouth is today and tomorrow’s students will redefine that in their own view, and I think that’s wonderful.

What advice would you give current and incoming students based on both your time as a student and the perspective you have now as an alumnus? DK: I always encourage students to take advantage of the incredible resources that Dartmouth has to offer — intellectual resources, physical resources, program resources —the kinds of activities and opportunities there are to learn from each other and from the faculty and staff. There’s so much here that you can draw on to learn and to grow, so I really hope that every student takes advantage of that. The four years go by remarkably fast, and probably never again in your life will you have this incredible variety of opportunity in front of you. So that’s the main thing. Try something new, try a lot new, and learn and grow along the way. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

Courtesy of Daniel Veres

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

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The Green Key of yesteryear: Alpha Delta’s lawn party

BY ARMITA MIRKARIMI The Dartmouth Staff

going out on the front lawn, but we made every effort to limit people’s intake.” In 1989, Pepper said that the AD lawn turned into a mud bowl, with many brothers partying in a pit of mud. He even kept newspaper clippings recapping the event headlined, “Students turn Alpha Delta fraternity’s lawn into a mud bowl at Green Key festivities.” “It was raining so hard beforehand,” Pepper said, “The guy who wrote ‘Animal House’ was there and all I remember is just hundreds of people covered with mud. There were also lines of cars going around the house.” Nirav Kapadia ’03, another former member of AD, said that throughout the party’s history, band selection became more about making the event accessible to everyone on campus than trying to get the most famous act to come to campus. “It was always about the music, though,” Engelman said. “It made me proud to see what AD was doing. Having this event that was essentially open to everyone on campus and townspeople, too, was really remarkable to me.”

CAROLINE KRAMER/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

AD’s lawn party was a Green Key staple for decades, but it has since faded into obscurity.

Not too long ago, students filled the front lawn of Alpha Delta fraternity to celebrate Green Key, the biggest weekend of the spring term. Hundreds of Dartmouth students congregated in front of the house to listen to live music and enjoy the spring weather. The event, called the Alpha Delta lawn Party, quickly became a Green Key tradition after its inception in 1979. However, with the derecognition of the fraternity in 2015, the lawn party faded into folklore in Green Key history. The Origins of the Lawn Party John Engelman ’68, a for mer AD brother turned alumni advisor, experienced Green Key before the AD lawn party had solidified itself as tradition. For him, the typical Green Key weekend was defined by the bands themselves. “There may have been some barbecues and stuff like that going on, but there were no big outdoor parties when I went to Dartmouth,” Engelman said. “Fraternities had a band Friday

night, a band on Saturday night and then some fraternities would also have a band on Sunday afternoon, which was generally the biggest, most popular band.” Nearly 10 years after Engelman graduated, the AD lawn party emerged almost randomly. “One of the brothers decided to do this outdoor lawn party,” Engelman said. “It was as if the party caught on almost immediately. The weather was hot. The party was happening. It was typical.” AD hosted bands from major cities such as Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. on the Saturday of Green Key weekend starting in 1979. The music genres that dominated Green Key in the early days of the lawn party, Engelman said, were “soul, R&B, blues and covers of songs by the Temptations, the Miracles, Otis Redding and the Supremes.” Shaping the Lawn Party Tradition Despite the spontaneity of the lawn

party’s emergence in the late ’70s, the event picked up traction almost immediately. “It wasn’t unusual to have 250, 300, 350 people on the front lawn dancing and drinking and playing pong and so forth,” Engelman said. The AD lawn party also became the venue of the 30th anniversary of the film “Animal House” by Chris Miller ’83, who was a former AD brother. The band in “Animal House,” Otis Day and the Knights, played at the Saturday lawn party. The party had a “Motown feel” — influenced by soul music and black musicians in Detroit — which never really went away, even as time went on, according to Engelman. Former AD Social Chair John Pepper ’91 Tu’97 and recalled looking forward to one band in particular, Downtime, who performed at the lawn Party. “We brought in a local seven-piece and it was just a really authentic and amazing band,” Pepper said. “The place was littered with people for a

bunch of hours.” T hough the after noon band performance was a defining feature of the lawn party, Pepper remembers the festivities starting “early in the morning.” “The party stayed pretty much the same throughout my years. If anything, it got better,” Pepper said. “It was super fun and too much drinking. I was the social chair of the house and I remember ordering 36 kegs for a single weekend. It’s not something I’m proud of.” Engelman remarked on the drinking culture at the lawn party, which he said was one of the consistencies throughout AD’s history. “When AD started having the lawn parties, the drinking age in New Hampshire was 18,” Engelman said, “When they raised the age to 21, it became increasingly risky to be serving alcohol at these lawn parties. For three or four years of the lawn party, AD wouldn’t be serving any beer or alcohol. It didn’t mean there wasn’t drinking or

The Lawn Party’s Demise Green Key’s beloved lawn party ended with the derecognition of the fraternity in 2015. The College had already suspended AD in the past — citing hazing, unregistered parties and underaged drinking for its decision. “As the alumni advisor, it was a blow,” Engelman said. “Quite frankly, it felt like the College overreacted to the seriousness of the situation.” Engelman added that she felt that the derecognition of AD was also a message that the College was sending to the entire Greek system. Although he acknowledged that AD made mistakes, he is also hopeful that the fraternity will be able to be recognized again soon. The AD house is still used today for various alumni events, renting out parking spots and office spaces for different organizations on campus. “We’re constantly upgrading the condition of the house so that hopefully it can become a safe space to live and socialize in,” Engelman said. If AD returns, perhaps the lawn party would return as well. For many alumni, such as Pepper, the lawn party was a unifying and exciting spring event. “The lawn party was really an event that did bring a lot of the Dartmouth community together,” Pepper said. “It definitely wasn’t perfect but it was a time where we all finally embraced spring and listened to some really good music.”

Q&A: Philosophy professor Esther Rosario on reproductive rights and bodily autonomy

BY CATHERINE O’HALLORAN The Dartmouth

News of the Supreme Court’s leaked draft decision to potentially overturn Roe v. Wade has made waves across Dartmouth’s campus, prompting many students to wonder what the future of reproductive rights will look like. The Dartmouth sat down with professor Esther Rosario — a lecturer specializing in feminist philosophy and the philosophy of gender and race — to discuss how questions of abortion access and bodily autonomy affect college students. What was your reaction to the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion indicating the Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade? ER: I was appalled. I’m from Texas, and I believe it was in 2011 that Planned Parenthood was defunded in that state. In the city where I’m from, which is El Paso, when I was growing up there used to be two Planned Parenthoods there, and that was the only space where cis women, transgender and nonbinary individuals could access abortion services — but that has not been the case for some time now. Then there were further restrictions in Texas. It’s appalling but sadly not surprising that this is happening. How do you anticipate the Supreme Court’s draft opinion and Roe v. Wade potentially being overturned will impact college students specifically? ER: Being in college is stressful and expensive at it is. Often you all are away from home, and to have that unbelievable burden on top of that — the risk of pregnancy without having access to needed reproductive services — is really scary. Especially because with respect to pursuing higher education and then pursuing job prospects, it really puts one in a

completely unnecessary and impossible bind when people are not able to access these services. Your research and teaching interests include ethics, the philosophy of gender and race and the philosophy of science. How has researching and teaching these topics affected and informed your reaction to the Supreme Court draft opinion? ER: I think especially my work in feminist philosophy, the philosophy of race and moral philosophy and the philosophy of science has enabled me to see the eugenic nature of this draft opinion. I say eugenic because eugenics, roughly, is about controlling who gets to exist — it’s about controlling populations — and not having access to abortion services in the states in which there are trigger laws, should Roe v. Wade be overturned, really forecloses the futures of people who can become pregnant. Do you have any thoughts on what the future will look like for reproductive rights and the state of women’s bodily autonomy? ER: What’s deeply concerning is that so much is going to depend on what state one lives in. So for university students, even if they don’t encounter a problem in the place that they live — let’s say they are living in a state that doesn’t have a trigger law — should they need to access reproductive services they are able to, but then in thinking about where to take a job next, this issue may foreclose possibilities for them. So, for women and other people who can become pregnant, they may have this additional stressor in terms of feeling as though they can’t take a really awesome opportunity because they’re worried about being able to access reproductive

healthcare. And this is not just for abortion services — there’s a worry that certain forms of contraception, like IUDs, are going to be restricted if Roe v. Wade is overturned because there are some states that want to define life at fertilization, which is deeply alarming. Yo u r c l a s s , WG S S 4 6 . 0 1 , “ P h i l o s o p h y a n d G e n d e r, ” explores questions such as “What is oppression?” and “Is knowledge gendered?” How do you think these ideas are relevant to college student’s lives? ER: Well, bell hooks says that feminism is for everyone. It’s hard to say things like “especially now,” but I think that with the very real threat of Roe v. Wade being overturned in the summer,

it’s important — especially now — for everyone to think more critically about access to healthcare in general, and especially access to reproductive healthcare. That really does limit people’s economic futures. It also limits their personal possibilities, like in terms of whether to move to this state or that state for employment. It limits their social, economic and personal possibilities. This is a society that explicitly claims to be concerned with equality, but there are lots of reasons to question that given what has happened to Indigenous people, Black people, Asian Americans and other people of color. We really need to think about what sorts of pressure we can put in our society to actually live up to the explicit values that we have, equality

being included. So, in an equal society, people who can become pregnant would have access to reproductive services that enable them to ideally have the same sorts of possibilities that cis men have. Do you have any closing or final thoughts on this issue? ER: My main takeaway, if I could put it in a nutshell, is that the overturning of Roe v. Wade is a misogynistic act, and it’s a eugenic one, too. It not only affects cis women, it affects other people who can become pregnant — transgender people, nonbinary people, queer people — and it especially impacts people who are poor and people of color. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

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FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

PAGE 5

THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

SPORTS

Men’s heavyweight rowing maintains success despite COVID-19

Courtesy of Marc Sevastopoulo

The team continued where it left off before the pandemic, winning or placing highly in all of its races this spring.

BY CAROLINE YORK The Dartmouth Staff

The men’s heavyweight rowing team has unlocked the key to success in recent years. Since head coach Wyatt Allen joined the program eight years ago, the team has continued to rise in national rankings. After missing two seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team has had a dominant season this year, winning three out of its four spring regattas. The team won the Alumni Cup against Holy Cross College, Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on April 2. After losing to No. 1 Yale University at the Olympic Axe Regatta, the team bested Brown

University at the Atalanta Cup. Most recently, at a home meet the Big Green beat No. 6 Syracuse University and Boston University at Lake Morey. The team has come a long way over the past eight seasons under Allen’s leadership. When Allen joined the program during the 2014-15 academic year, the team had a losing record and did not have much history of success. They were ranked at the bottom of the Ivy League and never came close to winning the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships. However, that all changed when Allen decided to come to Dartmouth. Allen knows how to generate success because of his own accomplishments. He graduated from the University of

Virginia in 2001 as captain of the men’s rowing team. In 2004, he represented the United States at the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, where he won gold. Four years later, he returned to the Olympics in Beijing, taking home bronze. He was also U.S. Rowing’s 2004 and 2007 Male Athlete of the Year. In 2009, Allen accepted his first coaching position at the University of Washington, where he helped the rowing team win a national championship. The next year, he moved to the University of California, Berkeley as a freshman coach for three seasons. He said that he decided to move to Dartmouth from these historically powerful programs because of the team’s potential.

“I was drawn to Dartmouth because it had all the pieces to build a nationally competitive program,” Allen said. “[We have a] great body of water on the Connecticut River, a supportive alumni base fired up about the program and an athletic department that is supportive of the rowing programs.” According to Allen, the rowers from his first season coaching at Dartmouth were willing to put in the work to raise up the team. Their heavy lifting allowed the program to recruit strong talent for future teams, and this progress has compounded, with current rowers continuing the process by working to bring in talented recruits. The rowers also credit the team’s success to its inclusive culture. Even on such a large team, the rowers consider themselves friends both in and out of the boathouse. Coxswain Sammy Houdaigui ’25, who also coxes for the 2021 U.S. Rowing Junior National team, said that he came to Dartmouth because of the strength of the team’s culture. “The team does everything together, including meals, studying, hanging out and living together,” Houdaigui said. “We are stronger for it.” And although the team is competitive, they all recognize that they are working towards the same goal. “The boathouse is a competitive environment, but we are all oriented around a common goal which makes practice easy to come to every day,” Jacob Hudgins ’23 said. “After racing each other in the water, we are all close when we’re done.” The varsity boat is led by the duo of Hudgins and his brother, Miles Hudgins ’25. “It’s hard to put into words but when you sit at the start line and you see your blood brother next to you — you get a trust you don’t get anywhere else,” Miles Hudgins said. “Because Jacob

missed his first two seasons, it is both our inaugural spring season, which is awesome.” After two missed seasons, the team hasn’t lost any of its motivation. Miles Hudgins explained that team members are excited to be at practice at 6:30 a.m. and to race after working two years for this season. Du rin g th e p an demic, team members had to train on their own during lockdown. Even when team members were not on campus, they kept training with the team’s goals in mind. According to Houdaigui, with COVID-19 restrictions, the team started training more in single boats, which the rowers realized they could use as a new additional training tool. In terms of success, Jacob Hudgins pointed to the team’s depth. He says there has been significant progress in the lower boats that has pushed the program forward. He added that the team is mentally strong and all the boats are really committed to making the team better. “Our coaches always emphasize that the team motto is ‘hungry and humble,’” Houdaigui said. “Although we were successful in the fall, we focused on the future because we were not yet satisfied with what we’ve done.” Houdaigui acknowledges that while the team’s boathouse is separated from the physical center of campus, the team does appreciate the large campus support they receive. The team doesn’t have large home meets, but the support from campus is not overlooked. This support spurs them in turn to make their alma mater proud as they build on the success enjoyed in recent years. “Dartmouth guys train and compete with a chip on their shoulder,” Allen said, “[because Dartmouth] doesn’t have the track record of success that the historically top programs have.”

Q&A: Basketball’s Taurus Samuels ’22 on ‘bleeding Green’ BY Stephanie Sowa The Dartmouth Staff

Taurus Samuels ’22 has been a standout member of Big Green basketball since he arrived at Dartmouth, playing in every game of his freshman season and 23 out of 25 games this season. Samuels recently committed to the University of Minnesota, where he will be continuing his academic and athletic career as a graduate student. Samuels sat down with The Dartmouth to discuss his next career move, as well as some of his favorite experiences on and off the court at Dartmouth. What have been some of the highlights of your playing career at Dartmouth? TS: Some of the highlights of my playing career at Dartmouth were when we got to play some of the major schools in the non-conference part of our season. In the first game of my sophomore year, we played Buffalo. It was a good game just because the year before, my freshman year, we had played Buffalo and we got beaten by a ton of points. So that next year, we had a rematch, we went on the road, and we ended up beating them. And then obviously this past year, going to Georgetown and beating them by nine in front of their home crowd was such a fun experience. Another fun game within Ivy League play is when we play against Harvard. In my freshman year, we were picked to finish eighth in the league. Harvard was picked to finish first in the league. We opened up Ivy play at home against Harvard, and I remember our three captains having such a great game. They led us the whole way and everybody else rallied behind them. We ended up beating them by 20 on our home court. What have been some challenges during your time at Dartmouth? TS: Trying to navigate how to be a really high-level basketball player while also being a high-level student here at Dartmouth — it’s challenging to make sure you stay on top of your work as well on top of your skills on the court. There are a lot of sacrifices that you have to make as a student-athlete. The season is so long and it’s a winter season sport. We’re here, it’s freezing cold and there aren’t always a lot of people on campus, so that grind of the season has been a challenge. But it’s not the

worst if you truly love the game and what you’re doing. I think some other challenges have just been really trying to carve out and find my role within every single team I’ve been a part of — and that looks different from freshman to senior year, just because the team is different. My role, my responsibility, is different. You have to be a leader as a senior, so dealing with many different people on my team and different personalities is another big challenge. How do I get through to everybody to try to push them to be their best while also trying to push myself to be my best?

How has basketball shaped your college experience? TS: As any freshman, you’re nervous about meeting new people and making friends and whatnot. But when I came here I had such great upperclassmen who welcomed my whole class with open arms, and I got a bunch of built-in best friends. So many of my teammates are my best friends, whether they’ve graduated or they’re still here, and through them, I was able to meet so many new people as well and interact with so many different parts of campus. Basketball has given me the ability to be a part of our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and our Dartmouth Black Student-Athlete Association, allowing me to thrive in other roles as well. I’ve been able to use my role as a basketball student-athlete to try to better campus life in any way that I can. It’s taught me a lot of valuable lessons, and I’ve loved every bit of my experience. How has your time as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and your other involvements influenced your Dartmouth experience? TS: Coming to Dartmouth, I really wanted to dive into what the school has to offer. I wanted to be more than just a basketball player or student-athlete. That’s why I was excited to join SAAC after my coach came to me and asked if I would be interested. That impacted my Dartmouth experience, as well as being on the Dartmouth Black StudentAthlete Alliance — I serve as a search committee member and get to speak to alums about the student-athlete experience. I’ve been able to meet so many new people at this school and tap into different social groups on campus. My other teammates and I, we say this all

the time now, but it always comes back to the people. In my opinion, people can make or break any situation and any experience. I’ve been fortunate enough to be around a lot of great people and I think that’s why I’ve had such a positive experience at Dartmouth.

W hat are some Dartmouth traditions you’re excited to see return this spring? TS: It’s funny because I’m pretty sure we’re the only class right now on campus that has ever experienced Green Key. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes this year. I’m sure there are lots of rumors and expectations of Green Key — people hyped up Green Key so much to me during my freshman year, and it lived up to and exceeded all those expectations. It was one of the most fun weeks of my Dartmouth career, and I was so bummed that we couldn’t have it the last two years. I also know some alums are coming up, and it’ll be fun to see their faces again — it’s one of the few times all of Dartmouth is going to be together in one space. Another event that I’m excited for is the athletic department’s annual Celebration of Excellence. We did it virtually the last two years, and that’s a cool event because it’s exactly like the name. You celebrate all the studentathletes and their accomplishments

and what we’ve gone through during our individual seasons. It’s nice to see all the student-athletes get together and get dressed up to celebrate our hard work. We also have a Dartmouth Black Student-Athlete Alliance gala this spring — it’s the first time we’re doing it, but I’m excited for that, and I think that event will keep going on after I graduate.

What was important for you to factor in when looking at graduate schools? Why did you decide on Minnesota? TS: I was talking to my high school coach and he joked, “I think you found the one place colder than Hanover to go to school.” It’s exciting when a school in a Power Five conference reaches out and wants to recruit you. Going on the visit, looking at the facilities, talking to their coaches and seeing the opportunity to play there — and what kind of role I could possibly have — was really fun and appealing. Also, the Big 10 plays on a national stage, so being able to play against the non-conference teams that they’re facing and being able to utilize the resources that they have, that was a huge factor for me. Minneapolis also has a lot of Fortune 500 companies with their headquarters there. When I get there, I’m going to check to see

if there are any Dartmouth grads out there and try to network. I’ll also have the Minnesota network that I can try to tap into as well.

What excites you, or is perhaps stressful, about playing in a new environment and relocating after four years? TS: When I get there, I’m going to be new again, but there’s another layer on top of that — I’m the new guy who already went to college for four years. I think there are advantages there and also some obstacles that I’ll have to figure my way through, but it’s exciting and it’s going to be a challenge. When I was deciding on where to go to school, I wanted to get away from home and experience something different. And now I get the opportunity to go and experience a different part of the country again, which is very exciting. I’ve grown to love Dartmouth and I bleed Green. It’s going to be challenging to be open to going and experiencing Minnesota for everything it has to offer. I think I will be, but I’m going to miss Dartmouth. I don’t think that’s the challenge of going anywhere new but just the challenge of graduating and being done with undergrad. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

CAROLINE KRAMER/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

PAGE 6

THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

STAFF COLUMNIST SPENCER ALLEN ’23

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST JEREMY GART ’25

Hands Off My Handle!

Wednesday Night Fever

The hard alcohol ban is useless; Dartmouth must replace it with a more meaningful regulation. Earlier this month, a friend of mine invited me to Molly’s Restaurant and Bar to celebrate her 21st birthday. My friend enjoyed her first “Molly’s marg,” and others at the table who were also of legal drinking age joined along, ordering various mixed drinks. In various levels of sobriety, we separated at the end of the night and made our way back to campus. Were we to have consumed those margaritas on campus — less than half a mile from Molly’s, where the metaphorical tap flows freely to students of legal drinking age — we would have faced the wrath of Dartmouth’s hard alcohol ban. Established in 2015 as part of College President Phil Hanlon’s sweeping Moving Dartmouth Forward campaign, the hard alcohol ban prohibits the possession or consumption of alcohol with a proof of 30 or higher — which is equivalent to 15% alcohol by volume — anywhere on Dartmouth’s campus or in connection with any Dartmouth functions. The penalties for violating the hard alcohol policy are harsh: Individuals caught possessing or consuming hard alcohol will face a “hard alcohol warning” for their first offense and suspensions for subsequent offenses — and organizations like Greek houses can face multi-term suspensions and future limits to alcohol consumption on their grounds. In theory, this policy was brought about with the goal of protecting the health of the student body. In practice, however, the hard alcohol “ban” is ridiculed and ignored by the student body, forcing hard alcohol consumption underground where dangerous use may occur. Truth be told, I do not drink, so I have little firsthand experience with the culture surrounding hard alcohol. However, stories from friends have taught me that hard alcohol is far more prevalent at Dartmouth than its “ban” would suggest — especially in Greek spaces and in other on-campus housing. It sounds difficult to find hard alcohol in Greek basements, since houses would prefer not to face the wrath of the College. Upstairs, however, is a different ballgame. In private rooms — both in Greek houses and in dorms — students are less likely to interact with the Department of Safety and Security and other agents of the College, so hard alcohol goes almost unregulated. Relegating hard alcohol into strictly private spaces generates many new risks. For one, forcing hard alcohol consumption into private spaces decreases its visibility within the house. This prevents sober monitors and risk managers — individuals who are responsible for ensuring that high-risk situations are prevented at Greek events — as well as Safety and Security officers from intervening if necessary. In this way, high-risk alcohol consumption — be it shots or drinking straight from the bottle — happens in private and without scrutiny, heightening the risk of sexual

assault or alcohol poisoning within these spaces. Outside of student health, the hard alcohol ban is simply hypocritical. Any student aged 21 years or older — who can otherwise purchase and possess hard alcohol legally — can still face harsh penalties despite not breaking the law in New Hampshire. If neighborhood liquor stores, supermarkets and restaurants can sell alcohol with a higher than 15% alcohol concentration, the hard alcohol ban is doing little more than restricting legal adults from consuming alcohol as they please. Now, it is true that a number of students under 21 years old would likely consume hard alcohol after this ban is lifted. But this is college, after all, and age alone has prevented few students from consuming alcohol themselves. If, as I argue, the College gets rid of the hard alcohol ban, what comes next? Regulation. The College should require individuals and organizations seeking to allow liquor consumption to meet strict training and storage requirements. Hard alcohol should be registered with Safety and Security so they know how much is around campus, and organizations — especially Greek houses — should be expected to follow limits on the quantity of hard alcohol they can allow in their physical plants. What’s more, Dartmouth should restrict the use or possession of hard alcohol in public spaces during registered campus events to prevent shots from going haywire. In other words, the College should remove the veil of secrecy currently surrounding hard alcohol and allow students to act in the ways they currently do without fear of harsh repercussions. I do recognize that the hard alcohol ban was created out of legitimate concern for the safety and well-being of students. Playing pong with hard alcohol is a disaster waiting to happen. But, is the hard alcohol ban really the best way to improve student safety on campus? The regulation itself cannot independently make Dartmouth safer. To be sure, the ban was part of larger efforts to reduce high-risk drinking and sexual violence. In a world without the hard alcohol ban, those efforts should still continue in earnest. However, the hard alcohol ban itself is nothing more than a worthless vestige of the high hopes of Dartmouth’s administration. We can still make a concerted effort to improve the safety of campus for all without unnecessarily encroaching on the personal lives of students. Despite the College’s best efforts, the hard alcohol ban ought to go. An outright ban has not successfully eliminated hard alcohol consumption but rather relegated it into hiding. With the discrepancies in regulation of hard alcohol between the Town and the College, banning hard alcohol has always been — and will continue to be — an impossible battle to fight.

GABRIEL MODISETT ’25: UNLOCKING GREEN KEY

Thanks to Dartmouth’s peculiar nightlife schedule, Wednesday nights have become a unique learning opportunity for students. Green Key weekend is a mythological occurrence at Dartmouth. For a short window of time, people from all backgrounds set aside their differences and unite in a common goal: partying their hearts out. Big-name artists bump their music across the campus, academic pursuits grind to a screeching halt and students are able to bask luxuriously in the glory of Green Key before the impending doom of finals sets in. Yet there’s one aspect of the weekend that’s unavoidable in its double-edged nature: the drinking. Fridays and Saturdays are cause for celebration around the world. With the triumphant end to the work week, exhausted citizens from Stockholm to Singapore raise their beverages of choice towards the sky and begin drinking. While college students usually push the gas pedal a little harder than the average person, Friday and Saturday nights are still universally known as the nights to celebrate. And while some hangovers may be fierce, the openness of the weekend allows ample time for recuperation. But with Dartmouth’s nightlife schedule, Wednesday nights present a valuable learning opportunity for us to learn our limits before we graduate. Once we graduate from the idyllic Hanover bubble, there will no longer be “on nights.” There will be no tails, and the only Masters we’ll watch will be golf — not pong. When it comes to drinking, we’ll have the free time and financial means to go out as much as we want. If we don’t learn how to regulate ourselves responsibly before entering adult life, there could be serious consequences for our future careers, relationships and lives. Of course, students regularly push the limits of their alcohol tolerance. The concept of college is deeply tied to drinking. At Dartmouth, drinking games are the bread and butter of the Dartmouth social scene. Although there are certainly exceptions, there are generally three nights a week that drinking is concentrated around: Fridays, Saturdays and the anomaly — Wednesdays. Push yourself too hard on a Wednesday, and you could sleep through your morning midterm, drill session or club meeting. Wednesday nights aren’t universally recognized as party time, and as a result, we are forced to reckon with the consequences of our actions the morning after. This is the importance of Wednesday nights: It’s up to us. Unlike in high school, we’re no longer told what to do at every hour of the day. If we feel like hitting Happy Hour hard and not stopping until the sun rises, that’s our prerogative. If we feel like staying in and grinding out an inhuman load of homework, well, we can do that too. Just like every night of adulthood, we’re the only people who can control our Wednesday night

shenanigans in a manner that’s best for us. And if we mess up (as we often do), then we see firsthand the consequences of our actions. Of course, it’s important to acknowledge that Wednesday nights are far from perfect. Dartmouth’s drinking culture already has a plethora of problems, and what might start as a once-a-week cycle of drinking could easily spiral into seriously unhealthy habits if left unchecked. At this school, it’s dangerously easy to find people having boozy fun on just about every night of the week — and Wednesday nights can be a gateway into irresponsible drinking behavior. However, this problem lies within a greater culture of alcoholism in college — a subject for another article (or book!) entirely. Even with this deeply imperfect culture, Wednesdays still provide one night during the week in which students are welcome to have a few drinks, rather than go too hard during the weekend due to pent-up desire. Wednesdays can be risky, but they serve as an important opportunity where students can learn their limits. Growing up, I remember having two friends whose parents raised them with entirely opposite philosophies regarding something extremely important to our elementary school selves: candy. While one kid was entirely banned from eating any processed sugar whatsoever, the other had an entire drawer chock-full of Skittles, Snickers, Starbursts and more. Predictably, when the sugardeprived kid got access to candy, he went crazy. By being forced to regulate his own candy intake, my sugar-comfortable friend quickly figured out that eating twelve Milky Way bars isn’t exactly a recipe for success — and as a result, he began to learn how to eat candy responsibly. Sure, Dartmouth might not be filled with third graders (even if our eating habits might offer evidence to the contrary). But Wednesday night gives us all the chance to try out the concept of unlimited “candy” for ourselves. We’ve all had nights where we’ve indulged a little too heavily, and had a nasty stomach ache as a result. But after a few quarters, students begin to learn their own limits, and imbibe in a safe and responsible manner. Without Wednesdays to teach us these valuable lessons, we could end up just like our prepubescent counterparts: buzzed, annoying and with the education of a third grader. College is a place of learning, both intellectually and socially. Yes, we’ll likely make a laundry list of mistakes by the time we (hopefully) graduate. But by being conscious of the lessons we learn along the way, even something as trivial as a Wednesday night can make us into better post-grad people.

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

PAGE 7

THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

THE DARTMOUTH EDITORIAL BOARD

Verbum Ultimum: In Defense of the Liberal Arts Now more than ever, the liberal arts are critical in setting students up for success.

What are the liberal arts? Possibly more importantly, why should it matter if we are a liberal arts college these days? These questions strike at the heart of Dartmouth’s identity, but the answers will not be found in the long-winded platitudes on department websites or in any admissions brochure. In its most common understanding, a liberal arts education means students are given the freedom to explore academically. Unlike at a normal research university, you don’t have to commit right away to specializing in one particular topic or field. Not only does learning about a variety of subjects make you more interesting to sit next to at dinner parties, but also, in theory, you will feel more confident in your choice of study once you have explored all possible options. But surely there are more benefits to a Dartmouth education than acquiring small talk skills and selecting from a wide range of course offerings. For students to pay tens of thousands of dollars in tuition each year, there must be more to the liberal arts. So much ink has been spilled — attacking and defending the merits of a liberal arts education in national publications — dedicated to this exact idea. In fact, a liberal arts education, such as that found at Dartmouth, has a uniquely formative role in the lives of its graduates; its duty is to grow and cultivate a conscience in its alumni through a thought-provoking, balanced curriculum. The challenge Dartmouth faces now is to perform this role continuously throughout the decades, despite the shifting inclinations of its students to specialize in one field or another. Dartmouth is no stranger to the evolution of a much-valued tradition. As other pieces in this issue will attest, the spirit of Green Key has changed significantly over the years. A similar shift in the spirit of the College is underway now — as oftentimes, students gear their academic pursuits towards fields that they expect will return the most on their investment. Students frequently hear that if they pick an “employable” major, they will be able to pay off any debt they accrue in the process. This mindset is nothing new. In 1980, with debts rising in response to increasingly common student loans, business became the most popular college major in America. As total tuition costs approach nearly one hundred thousand dollars per year, calls for students to

pursue employability and specialization will only grow louder. This evolution in student preferences is hardly a painless one. As Dartmouth moves to embrace some technical sciences, other fields have been left behind. In 2021, The College disbanded the education department and closed both the Kresge Physical Sciences Library and the Paddock Music Library without consulting a single science or music professor. Different programs move in and out of the limelight, and this is not always a peaceful transition of power. But our increasing collective fondness for the “employable” majors need not shut down the capacity for insight that ought to be the hallmark of a Dartmouth graduate. The humanities, with their penchant for pondering difficult questions, have long appeared to be the natural ally of the liberal arts. But as any sleep-deprived engineering major will tell you, the sciences are full of questions that are difficult in their own right. However, any debate over the suitability of a particular field for granting a liberal arts education is simply splitting hairs. In an April 1955 article in The Atlantic, Dartmouth President John Sloan Dickey wrote that “the cause of liberal education will not be overrun by vocationalism if the College holds to its birthright and remains committed as a matter of purpose to serious concern with the issues of conscience.” Maintaining a commitment to this birthright lies at the heart of the liberal arts — and we are facing a critical moment in our history. These days, interest in computer science is ballooning, with demand more than doubling nationwide in the last decade. Look to the end of Tuck Drive, where the gleaming new Irving Institute reigns alongside the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center. Dartmouth’s challenge, then, is to ensure its students can think for themselves when they enter the world. First implemented in 1994, our distributive requirements are the latest permutation in a long line of ways the College encourages Dartmouth students to engage with a varied host of topics and questions. Dickey introduced the “Great Issues” courses for seniors, in which they grappled with the issues facing their country and the world. Today, the Dickey Center for International Understanding continues Dickey’s mission by instilling in Dartmouth

NINA SLOAN ’24: THE KEY TO THE WEEKEND

SOPHIE BAILEY/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

students an understanding of the world’s troubles and a commitment to do something about them. Our lives do not take place in a vacuum — they have rippling impacts on the world, and all graduates should understand the role they will play in it. Engineering majors may gripe about the philosophy class they have to take in order to graduate — or vice versa — but this exposure is doing them a valuable service. Learning from peers and professors with different values and backgrounds expands your intellectual horizons and forces you to consider other perspectives. A software engineer who has debated in class the meaning of “good” according to Aristotle’s dialogues is probably less likely to code the Terminator than one who has not. Dartmouth’s Call to Lead campaign professes that “today, more than ever, the world needs energetic, broadly educated leaders who can identify and analyze problems, develop solutions, and act,” with emphasis placed on “broadly educated leaders.” Success does not come from being an Excel whiz or Powerpoint prodigy. It is far more likely to come from learning to think critically and to explore beyond the limits of established knowledge. Dartmouth’s liberal arts

education must plant the seeds for a student to become a lifelong learner, one that is comfortable with ambiguity and able to reach conclusions after thoroughly interrogating the information before them. Only then will students have the breadth and depth of perspective that it takes to prosper and to do good. It’s not only Dartmouth’s presidents who have much to say about the development of well-rounded human beings. In his 2014 book “Beyond the University,” Wesleyan University President Michael Roth wrote that “education is for human development, human freedom, not the molding of an individual into a being who can perform a particular task. That would be slavery.” As Dartmouth invests in the technical sciences, it must take care that its engineers and computer scientists — as well as the rest of its students — graduate not only technically competent, but morally and intellectually curious, too. Disciples of the sciences can and should receive just as rigorous a liberal arts education as their compatriots in the humanities. But it is only possible if Dartmouth reaffirms its responsibility to ensure its graduates leave with the seeds of a well-formed conscience sprouting in their minds.

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FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

’23.

Green Key performances, from Gold Coast to Webster Avenue BY Veronica winham The Dartmouth Staff

Over Green Key weekend, students will have the opportunity to attend live concerts together all over campus, from the Collis Center to various fraternities and sororities. As this will be the first “big weekend” since the lifting of all campus COVID restrictions, many students are looking forward to celebrating as a community. “This is one of the main times when the entire campus comes together. We see that at Homecoming, we see that at Winter Carnival and then for spring term we see it at Green Key,” Elise Avila ’22 said. “It’s important to show solidarity and connectedness that we’ve all been missing.” As the first Green Key since 2019, this weekend will have a large emphasis on the return to tradition — and of course, being able to enjoy live music with friends and the Class of 2022 before graduation. “With not having Green Key since 2019, I do hope that the suspense and anticipation has been building and everyone can just really buy in and put work aside for this one weekend that we really have before the ’22s graduate to just hang out,” Adelia Rattray ’23 said. Thursday and Friday Kicking off Green Key, the Collis Center for Student Involvement and the Collis Governing Board are hosting up-and-coming artists and student bands on Collis Patio. Every concert is free to students. “The Collis porch concerts are a chill event that you can walk by and there’s always food,” Cole Minsky ’22, the executive director of Programming Board, said. “Those are really great too for music over the weekend that’s not EDM, rap or pop. It’s usually more indie music or indie pop.”

This year, the Green Key @ Collis concert series began on Thursday night with What the Folk?! — featuring live music from Darlingside and Chance Emerson, as well as free barbecue and drinks. Friday afternoon is Phi Delta Alpha fraternity’s annual block party, which sees students fill frat row to dance and enjoy live music. This year, the band Parrotfish will be performing. Phi Delt president Tanner Randall ’23 said that it has been difficult planning an event that the Class of 2023 has never attended. Despite those challenges, he said he is also excited, as the block party is integral to Green Key. “Hosting the first event of Green Key and kicking off the weekend is really important to us,” Randall said. According to Randall, Webster Avenue will be closed to traffic, and there will be private security, Hanover police and Safety and Security officers present. “I know that there are going to be a lot of people coming back to campus specifically for Green Key, and this is one of the events that I have heard people are excited to attend,” Randall said. “We’re excited to be able to facilitate a Dartmouth tradition when a lot of the traditions haven’t been held in the past two years.” On Friday evening, Collis will sponsor a cookout dinner with student bands The Dandelions and Frank — who placed second and third in the Battle of the Bands competition — performing before the Programming Board concert begins, according to director of student involvement David Pack. The mainstage PB concert will be held on Gold Coast Lawn at 6:30 p.m. Recent Battle of the Bands winner Moon Unit will be the first act of the concert, which will feature opener Doechii — who Minsky expressed

personal excitement for — and coheadliners Saint Motel and KYLE. “I’m looking forward to the concert in general because [Saint Motel and KYLE] were the highest ranked on our survey,” Minsky said. “Putting them together, 80% of students said they would be interested in either or both of those artists.” Doechii, best known for “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake,” will be followed by indie pop band Saint Motel, best known for “My Type,” and rapper KYLE, whose most popular songs are “iSpy” and “Playinwitme.” “I’m really looking forward to Saint Motel. I was very excited to hear that they were on the lineup,” Avila said. “Listening to their music now, getting ready for the concert, has only made me more excited.” Following the PB concert, Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity will host DJ duo MC4D at 11 p.m., according to member Dylan Bienstock ’23. Saturday T h e G r e e n Ke y @ C o l l i s prog ramming will continue on Saturday, with even more music and activities. Concerts will showcase artists including HUNNY, Charlie Burg, Cassidy King, sundial, Seeing Double, MyKey and Porchlight, along with performances from student bands Ramones Rehashed and The Stripers. P B c o n c e r t s d i re c t o r E m m a Elsbecker ’24 noted that there will also be lawn games, a photo booth, face painting, water activities and fanny pack decorating. The Dartmouth Organic Farm will hold its annual Brewhaha event from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Bluegrass band The Rowdy Hours will perform, and there will be beer, kombucha, food and activities. Shuttles to the event will run continuously from the front of the Hopkins Center for the Arts. On Saturday afternoon from 4

MAJA TELLANDER/THE DARTMOUTH

p.m. to 7 p.m., Psi Upsilon fraternity and Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority are continuing their tradition of hosting a concert together. They are hosting NOTD, a Swedish musical group best known for songs “I Wanna Know” and “So Close.” “KDE by ourselves would definitely not be able to afford a concert of this size and Psi U just doesn’t have the space,” Rattray, a KDE social chair, said. “So, the solution is KDE hosts and Psi U helps us plan and finance it. It’s been a long standing tradition.” R at t r ay e ch o e d R a n d a l l ’s sentiments that it was challenging to plan for Green Key while never having experienced the weekend. Though she said there has been a “learning curve,” Rattray noted that she has been in contact with the KDE ’20s for assistance, and she is excited to offer this experience to campus. “I think NOTD is just good vibe music. You don’t need to know every word of the song to have a good time dancing,” Rattray said. “That was one of our primary goals.” Saturday evening will include Ghost

Funk Orchestra, hosted by Friday Night Rock, and Vladimir Caamano, who will perform a stand up show at Collis After Dark to wrap up the weekend. During her freshman year, Avila said her favorite part of Green Key was getting ready for the concert with friends beforehand and enjoying the nice weather. This year, Avila is looking forward to spending the whole weekend making memories with her friends. “I want to take advantage of more of the events because I didn’t really do that freshman year,” Avila said. “This senior year, I want to do everything possible.” Minsky said he is also excited to relax once the PB concert is over and enjoy all that the weekend has to offer after months of planning. “I’m really excited for our first Green Key since freshman year,” Minsky said. “We’ve missed a lot of Dartmouth experiences these last four years, so I’m hoping people come together to celebrate this weekend and College tradition.”

From Campus Quartet to Saint Motel: Music through generations BY allison Burg

The Dartmouth Staff

LILA HOVEY/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Until a few weeks ago, students’ conversations seemed to continuously float back to one timeworn question: Who will perform at Green Key? Since the onset of the Green Key Society in 1921, the festival weekend has attracted sunshine, kegs and notable performers, according to a 1993 article from The Dartmouth. The Green Key Society was a junior society that began with the purpose of entertaining visiting guests and sports teams, soon expanding to a more service-oriented committee that helped the college during freshman orientation, Commencement and Green Key. Though most well known for the hired artists who venture up to campus to perform, Green Key weekend has many traditions centered around song and student-created performing arts — reflecting the importance of music in the lives of many students. From orchestras to popstars to student theatrical productions, tracing the performance history of Green Key shows how music truly is a sign of the times. The year was 1922 — an era of jazz, blues and swing — and the men of Dartmouth had decided the spring needed a weekend full of girls, excessive drinking and, of course, music. A program from the original December 1922 Green Key show displays individual student performances, plays and campus singalongs from groups like “The Campus Quartet” and “Intoxicating Melodies.” In 1929, as the Green Key Society — which organized the weekend — grew more established, Earl Fuller’s Famous Jazz Band made its way to Hanover for the

first Green Key Spring Prom, according to “The Story of Green Key,” a short book published by the Green Key Society in 1951. Even with the addition of professional artists, students continued to perform at Green Key. The Dartmouth Players theater group held an annual show, and the Glee Club sang every year on the steps of Dartmouth Hall. In 1937, a new take on a classic singing competition began, called the interfraternity Hums, in which each fraternity’s pledge class would write and perform an original song. This competition was prefaced each year by an event called Spring Hum, during which each class year would sing a song together. The Green Key weekends of the 30s and 40s had much of the same jazz, blues and swing music, but were marked by increasingly famous musicians and heightened student involvement. According to a 1939 guide, the Key’s band committee talked to two of the country’s “most outstanding” bands each year and then polled the preferences of the student body. Swing legends Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw performed at Green Key in 1938, trumpeter Larry Clinton came to campus in 1939 and Bob Chester and Louis Armstrong performed in 1941. Even with the greats coming to campus, Green Key did not lose sight of students: The Barbary Coast orchestra — a Dartmouth student-led and yearround ensemble, performed at the 1941 freshman non-fraternity dance. The 50s introduced a new era to Green Key, dominated by social change, which would last almost 30 years. This began

with students embracing a change in the musical genres which they invited to campus: In 1954, pop singers Vaughn Monroe and Cindy Lord headed “the list of stars that perform[ed] at the massive ‘Spring Fantasy,’” as reported by The Dartmouth. Rock and roll made its first appearance in 1963, with four professional bands – The Coasters, The Shirelles, King Curtis and The Commanders – playing on the Green. The 70s added disco and soul to these new genres. Perhaps the most notable performance of Green Key took place in 1978, when the Grateful Dead was the featured band for the weekend. With these shifts in music came larger social changes. In 1967, Green Key was canceled as students rioted after a speech by then-former Alabama Governor George Wallace. Since its establishment, the concert weekend had only been canceled twice before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — both during World War II. In the 70s, the interfraternity Hum was suspended, and then banned, as the pledge-created songs became increasingly offensive — especially when women began to be admitted to Dartmouth. The 80s and 90s saw another critical shift in campus music culture as students took the reign of the campus’ music scene. Student rock bands saw such rapidly increasing popularity that Dartmouth held its first Spring Rock and Roll festival in May, 1981, featuring 12 hours of 12 student bands. Beginning in 1982, this phenomenon could be seen at Green Key — with Alpha Delta fraternity hosting the band Anthrax, becoming one of the first fraternities to bring in a well-known band. The AD lawn concert became a tradition that continued until the fraternity’s disbandment in 2015. By 1989, almost all the other fraternities followed suit, hosting their own professional or student bands during Green Key weekend — in addition to the programming provided by Green Key Society. These practices were expanded in the 90s with the increasing popularity of hip-hop, rap and pop. For Green Key in 1993, the College hired funk band, The Meters, and Alpha Delta brought Boston band Downtime to their lawn. A freshman at the time, Robin Allen ’92, remembers the anticipatory excitement surrounding the big weekend. “Music, in terms of live music and

bands and so forth, was really a big part of Green Key weekend — and freshman bands, student bands,” Allen said. “I didn’t feel like we had many other music performances like that, in terms of live music.” This sentiment is still felt today, as the College’s remote location and cold weather limits the amount of big name artists which students have access to. Nonetheless, Allen recalled having “never heard” of most of the Green Key musicians during her four years — the weekend was instead special because students were celebrating being with their friends, the spring weather, and the live music. “There is something irreplaceable to a live performance — [it’s] a lot more emotional,” said Avery Fogg ’24, a member of the Glee Club and the Decibelles a capella group. “It gets people more excited, and you can kind of appreciate music a lot more in person… It’s a lot more real. Student performances took Green Key by storm in 1999 with the first step show — in which fraternity and sorority members would perform special vocal and dance performances. The dance show set

a precedent which expanded the weekend from just live music to including other forms of performing art as well. This development formed the basis for an involved, student-dominated and studentrun culture of campus performances. Even as the records and mixtapes of the 90s have transformed into Spotify playlists, there is no replacement for live music — and that’s what makes Green Key so special. “I think there is an energy that comes with live performance and music that is kind of unmatched,” said Grant Foley ’25, a drummer in two campus student bands. “I love seeing the energy of performers because it makes me more excited – and being up there is, of course, way more fun.” So, as students belt the lyrics to “My Type” by Saint Motel this weekend, they also connect with the students before them — who once experienced the same beating sun, rowdy festivities and joyous live tunes. Even as the melodies of the music throughout the generations have changed, the celebration of friends and spring — and critically, the unique significance of live music — remain for Green Key 2022.

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

MIRROR THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

PAGE 9

The Ties That Bind Us: Dartmouth’s Springtime Traditions STORY

By Hannah Shariff

Like many students here, one of the main reasons I chose Dartmouth was its traditions. Cherished activities spanning from pong (the Dartmouth version, obviously) to the Homecoming bonfire connected me to the College and the greater Dartmouth community. It is these traditions that alumni and upperclassmen excitedly discuss with nostalgia as they pass them along to current students. As seniors prepare to graduate and freshmen prepare to close out their first year, traditions continue to remain an integral part of the College experience throughout spring term. While many people think of Green Key and other booze-adjacent activities as the events that will shape the spring, a wide variety of club and student traditions have also become an essential part of the season. Some of the most well-known activities take place within the different subclubs of the Dartmouth Outing Club. The vice president of the Ledyard Canoe Club, Jordan Paff ’23, has experienced a variety of traditions throughout her time in the club, with one of the most important being the whitewater kayaking trip to North Carolina that Ledyard offers every spring break. “It was spectacular to be able to go [on the trip] this year,” said Paff. “It was a huge bonding moment for people in Ledyard — it’s a time when people from all different classes [including alumni] come together and really spend some quality time as a group.” This unique bonding experience is aided by the fact that during the trip, the group spends an extensive amount of time together, according to Paff. Other than kayaking together, they also live at a cabin together for around two weeks, cooking meals in the morning and hanging out around a campfire at night. She’s developed inside jokes and friendships that carried on beyond the trip. Additionally, Ledyard conducts a jacketing ceremony, where especially dedicated club members get special recognition and receive Ledyard jackets. Paff describes the process as a careful selection, but also a tradition that is cherished by Ledyard members. “We have a voting process where people that are jacketed can vote for new people, and if they get a certain amount of votes, they are able to be jacketed,” Paff said. “All the upperclassmen get on the roof of the clubhouse down by the river, and we say something nice about the new jacketed member and then throw their jacket down to them. They can then join us on the roof.” While Paff believes that traditions offered by the DOC can be an alternative

to Greek spaces, she also acknowledges that they can be exclusive. “While I do believe that the traditions that Ledyard has are more inclusive … they definitely have their own forms of exclusivity,” she said. “I do believe in being a close community and part of that comes from spending time together — but it also makes me sad because creating these inside traditions means that there will be an outgroup. I think that’s something that [we’re] trying to figure out how to best handle.” Creating inclusive traditions outside of Greek spaces is on the minds of many club leaders, including dancer Roman Olavarria ’23. As the creative director of both Street Soul and Sheba — and a leader in many other dance-related organizations on campus — Olavarria kept inclusivity in mind when organizing Saussy, an annual dance showcase for Dartmouth’s student dance groups. “The show was called Saussy because it used to be an acronym for Street Soul, Ujima, Sheba and Soyeya. Those used to be the four main dance groups for Saussy, and they wouldn’t usually invite any other dance groups to join,” he said. “I decided to break the tradition of only having those four dance groups before because I wanted to help build a community of dance here at Dartmouth in a stronger way.” In the past, the showcase took place in Moore Theater in the Hopkins Center for the Arts or in Collis Common Ground. However, during the pandemic, the show was moved outside to the courtyard behind Kemeny Hall in order to comply with safety regulations. This year, Olavarria decided to keep the showcase outdoors. “As the director of Saussy, I really liked doing it outside because it’s a really nice environment and is also COVID safe,” he said. “It also gives people a chance to comfortably join a performative space. I know it can sometimes be very threatening to go onto a theater stage and perform — and as an audience member, it can also be strange to walk into a place you’ve never been to before. But everyone always walks past [Kemeny], and the space is really open.” Olavarria believes that the spring showcase tradition provides an outlet for both dancers and non-performers to appreciate dance — and it importantly offers a more inviting performance space outside of typical Greek houses. “I think it gives people an opportunity to not be in a Greek space and still have the chance to perform, because a lot of dance groups do perform in Greek spaces,” he said. Other than club traditions, students

also participate in campus-wide challenges. Some of the most dedicated attempt the “Daily Dip,” a challenge in which students attempt to jump into the Connecticut River every day for the entire spring term. June Dong ’22, a current participant in the challenge, has found the activity to be a way to connect with the campus community. “I’ve definitely made a few acquaintances or friends through the dip,” Dong said. “People are so friendly when they’re down by the river, you’ll be there and people will walk down and ask, ‘Oh, are you dipping?’

And then we’ll dip together or talk about dipping. People will even offer me rides back. It’s a good community bonding activity.” Despite the weather growing warmer, river temperatures can still be much colder than expected. However, that hasn’t stopped students like Dong from continuing to dip. “I feel like Dartmouth students love a challenge,” Dong noted. “It’s cold, it’s tough and can be miserable. But I think there is something so satisfying about being able to

say I did this all term. It’s a point of pride for a lot of people.” Ultimately, participating in the tradition has helped link Dong to Dartmouth after a long period of being off campus due to COVID-19. “It has definitely made me feel more connected to campus. And that has been really important, especially as a ’22, having missed sophomore summer and so many other traditions,” Dong said. “Personally, I really want to participate in as many traditions as I can before I leave here.”

BEAM LERTBUNNAPHONGS/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Photo Essay: Live Music Rewind ESSAY

By Angelina Scarlotta

NAINA BHALLA/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

ANGELINA SCARLOTTA/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

KATELYN HADLEY/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

BEAM LERTBUNNAPHONGS/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

KATELYN HADLEY/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

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MIRROR THE DARTMOUTH GREEN KEY ISSUE

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022

Can we just take things slow? On work-hard, play-hard STORY

By Novi Zhukovsky

Work hard, play hard: The cliche that many Dartmouth students enthusiastically use to characterize the College’s social and academic culture. Yesterday you stayed in the library from 1 p.m. until 1 a.m., left the Stacks to attend your sorority meetings only to come back and finish your essay slightly buzzed? Light work. Took an all-nighter to finish up a CS problem set and then crushed half a dozen keystones at a darty? Your dark circles are a badge of honor. Sometimes it seems like we romanticize the cycle of working ourselves to near exhaustion, drinking and repeating. It is common knowledge that our fast-paced 10-week terms affect academic timelines. But also, maybe less obviously, the D-Plan impacts how we design our social lives on campus. Ten weeks doesn’t give us much time to progress burgeoning relationships before we are interrupted by a break and then return to campus with a shifted schedule and new commitments. The quick turnaround can make it feel like we have to be constantly working to develop friendships or romantic pursuits before they fizzle out. Our productivity-oriented mindsets induced by the fast-paced term make every moment of free time seem like an event we have to maximize; if we aren’t going hard –– either drinking, dancing or pursuing a hookup –– the opportunity cost of being away from our work may not be worth it. And with such intense academic pressure, many feel the need to –– bringing up another cliche –– “blow off steam.” With over 60% of the student body involved in Greek life, much of this activity happens within Greek spaces. This usually entails drinking to excess, forgetting academic or social woes, being reckless both physically and emotionally. And yet, with music so loud you can barely hear yourself think, it’s also the least conducive environment for fostering real friendships. Ok, I know you decided that you are best friends with those two girls who held the bathroom stall door for you in Beta, but will you actually recognize them

when you see them walking across the Green? And that cute boy you made out with at Psi U — did you manage to squeeze out any meaningful words in between breaths? I know the answer to those questions, because I have done these things. And the answer is no. Although drinking is not a requirement of spending time in a Greek space, being sober sure does affect the experience. After dabbling in sobriety for a few weeks this past winter term, I came to the conclusion that a frat basement is simply a sober nightmare. When you’re fully aware of the guy who just burped up a White Claw in your face, the many instances of being stepped on by large men and your sweaty friends giving you bear hugs, a few stiff drinks can seem more delectable than a gooey Foco cookie. And the drinking-Greek space cycle feeds into itself; you drink because you’re in a Greek house, and you’re in a Greek house because you want a place to drink. Truthfully, Dartmouth’s “Animal House” reputation initially deterred me from applying. I am not a fast and furious person. I enjoy leisurely mornings, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper; my usual bedtime is a ripe 11 p.m.; I am generally averse to any kind of cramming, rushing or stressing. While I do like to “go out,” I also enjoy lazy evenings with friends — perhaps even more. But I had decided that the other parts of Dartmouth that I fell in love with during my campus tour made it worth the risk that the reputation rang true. Despite my original apprehension, I quickly became swept up in the excitement of going out. I drank a lot my freshman year. My fresh and energetic body luckily never left me too hungover to function, but the cycle of work to hard-core play took an emotional toll. The exhausting process of heavy drinking and constantly chasing a “scene” left me feeling unfulfilled and somewhat disillusioned by my friendships. I got the impression that my friends only wanted to hang out in a place where we could be seen

and were never willing to spend time together, just us. Obviously, not all friend groups at Dartmouth are like this. However, many Dartmouth students I know have shared similar experiences and feelings of dissatisfaction with their friendships due to going-out culture. Maybe those former friends actually can “blow off steam” in a frat basement. But from my experience, going out and drinking does little to actually relieve any of the social and academic pressure –– it just makes us forget it exists for a little bit. And even so, the anxiety still festers in our subconscious and with an alcohol-induced lack of inhibition, can drive us to act out. I also found toxicity within the “work hard” aspect of Dartmouth. As an overachieving high schooler who was constantly anxious about work, I knew I wanted to reduce the pressure I placed on myself when I entered college, focusing less on grades and more on studying for the sake of learning. I assumed that others

would be doing the same. Instead, I found myself surrounded by students who were constantly feeding off of each other’s academic anxiety and practically competing for who could grind the hardest or stay in the library the latest. That’s not to say that Dartmouth isn’t an academically challenging school, because it is. But I think that Dartmouth students love to egg each other on to create stress, rather than diffuse it. While our tendency to toss around “I’m fine” isn’t the most constructive, I don’t think that it should be mindlessly replaced with “I’m stressed,” either. Because in such a high-achieving environment, stress is contagious, and not being stressed can induce a fear of not working hard enough. I also suspect that the “work hard” culture feeds into our “play hard” culture, as the academic pressure creates an even greater need for finding some kind of social release. And since being drunk works as both a

distraction to the stress and an excuse to give yourself a break (assuming most people can’t study for an exam while sloshed), it makes excessive alcohol consumption a favored pastime. I don’t really have a solution to offer, aside from maybe suggesting that we could all do well to work and play a little less hard. Not everything we do needs to fulfill some kind of goal or tangible objective, whether it be academic achievement or social clout. Spend some time alone. Go on a long walk along the river, or maybe wander around the Hood Museum for a bit. You can also choose to do nothing at all; that’s good, too. Let utility maximization stay in the economics textbook you use to prop up your head while lying on the Green and soaking up the glorious sunshine. Your to-do lists and social calendars will still be there when you get up, but no need to let them plague you all the time — and especially not right now. I’ll come join you in a minute.

GABE QUEALY/THE DARTMOUTH

Here’s to Our Freshman Year: Growth, Joy and Turmoil STORY

By Selin Hos

It’s funny, isn’t it — how the moments that you once thought you’d never forget slowly begin to fade from memory. Left behind are shadows of the real thing, blurred at the edges and filtered through the warm, yellow nostalgia that seems to accompany all past memories. Suddenly you can’t seem to remember that night in October when you heard the sharp crackle of a stray flame fleeing from the bonfire, landing a tad too close to your face. Perhaps the warmth of these past days have masked the memories of the once-bitter numbness felt during nights of subzero temperatures spent dashing across the snow banks of frat row. Certainly the sizzle and sting of your near-frozen fingers as you run them under hot water would be memorable, wouldn’t they? But just as you’ve forgotten the rest, you will soon too forget the current feeling of being drenched from the rain of an

April shower. It seems these things just fade, passing us by, mere whispers of all the things once shouted. Occasionally, though, they’ll return in all of their glory, such as on the first day of true spring sunshine, which I spent sprawled on the Green with my friends. We had just grabbed lunch and taken it to eat picnic-style under the sun. As I looked around, I came to the conclusion that seemingly the entire student body had done the same. It was beautiful, and as I sat listening to the nearby music, I felt nothing but a sense of lazy contentment. There was something — whether it was the sight of the students scattered across the Green or the warmth felt deep in my bones of sunlight long forgotten — that reminded me of a similar scene back in September. Once again I’m back on the Green — and while the grass is as green as ever, the circumstances are completely

different. It was the evening of our move-in day, and the Class of 2025 had spent the morning standing under the sun and waiting — waiting for our initial COVID test, or for our room key, or for directions or simply for our parents to stop making mortifying small talk with the parents of our future classmates. Above all, though, we seemed to be waiting for what would only gradually find us — the realization that what we had left behind, our former ways of life and the “knowledge” that we had used to guide them, was about to be upended. Perhaps in an effort to resist the cacophony of emotions, we spent the rest of the day allowing ourselves to be swept away in the hustle of exploring Hanover — the unfamiliar place that we had found ourselves in — with the hope of understanding our new home just a little bit better. And so our day progressed, with the

ZOORIEL TAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

noise of thousands of people paying homage to the end of one era and the beginning of another. The air was filled with the chatter of families, and similarly with the wails of hopelessly-bored younger siblings and overly-emotional parents on their fifth round of goodbyes. From there we were shuttled from floor meetings to crowded auditoriums and, finally, to the Green, where we were met with loud music and hundreds of upperclassmen dressed in maximum flair. They were screaming in our faces and waving around hastily drawn posters in an effort to greet (but realistically to intimidate) the incoming freshman class with the kind of welcome that only Dartmouth can give. We were then sorted into our First-Year Trip groups and first laid eyes on our fellow trippees — the other ’25s that we would spend the what-seemed-like foreseeable future with. What ensued were the tentative beginnings of many friendships as we spent the rest of Orientation getting to know one another and the College and town. With time, this way of life became our new normal, and as these strangers turned into friends, we began to associate these spaces with memories of the best and worst of times. It is important to recognize that the Class of 2025 was given a gift that previous classes were robbed of. This gift was that of enjoying Dartmouth in all of its glory — the one that so many have known and loved — for a full year. With the lifting of many of the COVID restrictions that plagued prior years, the ’25s were given the opportunity to freely socialize, explore and immerse themselves in the magic of Dartmouth. As a class, we spent the rest of the fall, and all of the winter, up until now, imbuing our time here with meaning. We started building new lives for ourselves, and day by day grew accustomed to what it means to be a Dartmouth student. We learned quickly that it was demanding, and that often time seems to elude you. We learned that — if you

let it happen — the very seconds of your life may no longer be yours, but instead become subject to the myriad of responsibilities that we face everyday. As the year progressed, we continued to grow, learning notions of high political and economic theory, the complexities of English literature, the inner workings of molecular structures or perhaps even the quirks of the Russian language. But ultimately, we learned how to understand the little things that make those closest to us special, and better yet, how best to celebrate them — which I would argue is the most important thing. We learned that love lies in the smallest actions, such as when you pick up an extra seltzer from the Hop for a friend who really loves them, or when you tiptoe in the dark of your room to not wake up your napping roommate. And it continues in moments where you teach your friend a couple words in a language that they really want to learn, or in the hours spent devoted to crafting the perfect birthday itinerary for a friend, or when you stay up longer than you should, gorging on pizza and laughing, for hours on end, with friends on the ancient couches of your dorm’s common room. I’ve found that the key to falling in love with Dartmouth lies in these moments — of sunshine and snowball fights, of anticipation for the weekend plans ahead. And despite the days of malady, of heartbreak and frustration and the looming certainty that everything I’ve grown used to will soon change, I can’t help but be grateful for the past year that I’ve spent nestled away in the woods. As for the moments I’ve forgotten, I’m grateful to them as well, for I know that in another moment of time they, too, held a certain significance. Nonetheless, I hope with all of my heart that this year — for whatever it was and whatever it will be — left you with the same sense of peace it did me. Perhaps it even left you with a better understanding of who you are — and more importantly, who you have the potential to be.