Informant Information: Anonymous female member of the Class of 2017 from Houston, Texas.  She is also a member of Alpha Phi sorority. She is currently single.

Type of Folklore: Customary Folklore (Customs)

Language: English

Country of Origin: United States of America

Social / Cultural Context: Dartmouth’s proud and dedicated alumni base is evident when you see hundreds of graduated students flock to campus for reunions or party weekends. These alumni often continue to interact with current students, especially the first few years following their graduation. This interaction makes it possible to have a romantic encounter with an entire decade of Dartmouth students. The Dartmouth Decade has become one of the most well-known challenges on campus. Although this challenge is very difficult to complete, each informant seemed to have a friend or know somebody who is either very close to completing this challenge or who have successfully done it.

Associated File:

Transcript: “Another one is the Dartmouth Decade. Which is to hook up with someone from each year within a decade. It doesn’t have to be five years ahead of you and five years behind you, it just has to be the whole decade. I have a couple of friends who are ending with ‘19s but started with 09’s.”

“Really?”

“Yeah it just has to be ten years. I know a couple people who have one or two gaps left in their decade, and it’s usually achieved via reunions or when people come back to visit during big weekends.”

Collector’s Comments: This challenge includes a very wide age range, so it seems that the only people with a chance to complete the Dartmouth Decade are alumni who are still extremely connected to Dartmouth immediately following graduation. This ritual is well rooted in Dartmouth culture and continues to illustrate the hookup culture generated by this campus.