Class Note 1990
Issue
March-April 2023
This month I asked ’90s: “What is something you didn’t get involved in or do at Dartmouth that, if you had a second chance, you would get involved in or do?” Here is Part I of your responses.
Andra Bowditch writes, “After high school I did a gap year overseas and I literally did not get the memo about freshman trips. I wonder, in a parallel universe where I signed up for a trip, what I would have learned and what friends I would have made and how that would have changed the trajectory of the next four years and perhaps my whole life. (Although maybe I would’ve tripped over a tree root, gotten concussed, and flunked out freshman fall, so perhaps I actually dodged a bullet!)”
William Boulware writes, “Dartmouth track and field was my extended family. I opted to stay on campus and run rather than study Spanish in Spain and marine biology in Costa Rica. I have a great life and have had amazing experiences, but I wonder what other joys or traumas I could have endured had I pursued these two interests while at Dartmouth.”
Lauren (Waller) Smith writes, “I would take a gap year or two and grow up first. I went to college at 16, and I didn’t have the maturity or confidence to take full advantage of the opportunities Dartmouth offered. My 20-year-old daughter went to college at 18 instead of 16 and was one of the oldest kids in her class. Watching how the extra two years of emotional maturity allowed her to develop a firm sense of herself and how that has allowed her to maximize her college experience makes me wish I’d had those two extra years as well.”
Roth Herrlinger writes, “I would get out into nature way, way more than I did the first time around. My inclination was to stick around campus when we were in school. Nowadays, I so appreciate time outdoors, solo or with family and friends.”
Bill Rexford writes, “Do I dare say more pong? We all have good friends who are now gone. If I could I would have lingered longer with them, looked them in the eye a little longer, and stretched those moments out now that I know how precious those moments were. I regret not spending more time with those who have passed and try to do better for those that are still here—so, more pong.”
Kyrie Robinson writes, “Dartmouth Outing Club no doubt. I have no idea why I didn’t get involved with it in the first place. I love to hike and camp.”
Brad Drazen writes, “I took two fantastic art history classes during senior year and realized that I may have missed my calling. If I could do it over I would have majored in art history!”
Kyle Davis writes, “After traveling from L.A. (the ‘Big City’) to Hanover (the backwoods of New England) the thought of traveling abroad terrified me, so I didn’t do a language or foreign study abroad. It is the one regret I can point to in my entire life (not just at Dartmouth). As a consequence, however, both of my kids studied abroad and I got to live vicariously through them!”
—Rob Crawford, 22 Black Oak Road, Weston, MA 02493; crawdaddy37@gmail.com
Andra Bowditch writes, “After high school I did a gap year overseas and I literally did not get the memo about freshman trips. I wonder, in a parallel universe where I signed up for a trip, what I would have learned and what friends I would have made and how that would have changed the trajectory of the next four years and perhaps my whole life. (Although maybe I would’ve tripped over a tree root, gotten concussed, and flunked out freshman fall, so perhaps I actually dodged a bullet!)”
William Boulware writes, “Dartmouth track and field was my extended family. I opted to stay on campus and run rather than study Spanish in Spain and marine biology in Costa Rica. I have a great life and have had amazing experiences, but I wonder what other joys or traumas I could have endured had I pursued these two interests while at Dartmouth.”
Lauren (Waller) Smith writes, “I would take a gap year or two and grow up first. I went to college at 16, and I didn’t have the maturity or confidence to take full advantage of the opportunities Dartmouth offered. My 20-year-old daughter went to college at 18 instead of 16 and was one of the oldest kids in her class. Watching how the extra two years of emotional maturity allowed her to develop a firm sense of herself and how that has allowed her to maximize her college experience makes me wish I’d had those two extra years as well.”
Roth Herrlinger writes, “I would get out into nature way, way more than I did the first time around. My inclination was to stick around campus when we were in school. Nowadays, I so appreciate time outdoors, solo or with family and friends.”
Bill Rexford writes, “Do I dare say more pong? We all have good friends who are now gone. If I could I would have lingered longer with them, looked them in the eye a little longer, and stretched those moments out now that I know how precious those moments were. I regret not spending more time with those who have passed and try to do better for those that are still here—so, more pong.”
Kyrie Robinson writes, “Dartmouth Outing Club no doubt. I have no idea why I didn’t get involved with it in the first place. I love to hike and camp.”
Brad Drazen writes, “I took two fantastic art history classes during senior year and realized that I may have missed my calling. If I could do it over I would have majored in art history!”
Kyle Davis writes, “After traveling from L.A. (the ‘Big City’) to Hanover (the backwoods of New England) the thought of traveling abroad terrified me, so I didn’t do a language or foreign study abroad. It is the one regret I can point to in my entire life (not just at Dartmouth). As a consequence, however, both of my kids studied abroad and I got to live vicariously through them!”
—Rob Crawford, 22 Black Oak Road, Weston, MA 02493; crawdaddy37@gmail.com