Armita Mirkarimi ’25 and Class of ’28 Photo Grid

Dear Class of 2028, 

Happy fall term! By now, you might’ve gone on your First-Year Trip, waited in line for stir-fry at Collis, or figured out your favorite place to study on campus. 

Your first couple of weeks at school can be a whirlwind. There’s so much pressure to figure it all out: What you want to study, who your friends are, what you like and don’t like. It can seem so daunting. 

During my first few weeks in Hanover, I felt like everyone else knew what they were doing and I didn’t. I kept asking myself: What if they all know I don’t deserve to be here? What if no one wants to be friends with me? My homesickness was not helping. I wanted to be both in Hanover and back home in Southern California. 

One fall morning, I found the Student Wellness Center (SWC), a small haven amidst the rush between class periods. It was a place I could go to when I was feeling stressed and wanted a cup of tea. I found a group of people invested in giving students the tools they need to cope with the stressors of life. Since then, it’s become one of the most consistent places on campus for me. If I’m having a good or bad day, I know I can go into the SWC suite and take some time for myself. 

As you’re embarking on your college experience, I hope you think about what well-being looks like in your life. What are some ways you can relax every week? Where can you build pockets of peace amidst your hectic schedule? This is going to look different for every single one of us. You might be into yoga or opt for scheduling time in your calendar to simply do nothing. 

You deserve to feel good. You deserve to take care of yourself. The Student Wellness Center is here for you throughout this journey. Whether you need a place in the library to unplug, sit in the massage chairs for 15 minutes, or do a wellness check-in with one of the amazing staff, the SWC is committed to your well-being. For a full list of Student Wellness Center resources, check out the website here: https://students.dartmouth.edu/wellness-center/ 

More importantly, you belong at Dartmouth. You’re not going to figure it all out in the first week, month, term, or maybe even a year. No one ever really does. But, the cool thing is that we get to make Dartmouth a home together. 

Stop by and say hi 🙂 The SWC is located on first floor of Berry Library, Suite 178-179. 

Sending you ease, 

Armita