Tag Archives: Initiation Ritual

Twilight Ceremony (Other Freshman Fall Traditions)

General Information:
Title: Twilight Ceremony
Form of Folklore: Customary, ceremony
Language: English
Place of Origin: Hanover, NH, United States
Informant: L.A.
Date Collected: October 29th, 2021

Informant Data: 
L.A. is a 21-year-old member of the Dartmouth class of 2022. She is a student-athlete on the rugby team, and is a double-major in geography and anthropology. At Dartmouth she is a tour guide, a snowboard instructor, and works for the Sustainability Office. She is from Colorado Springs, CO and enjoys the outdoors, and is very grateful for Dartmouth’s engagement with the surrounding nature. She does not come from a tradition-heavy background, and has thus really enjoyed partaking in the Dartmouth traditions. The second tradition she experienced at Dartmouth was the Twilight Ceremony, after participating in the DOC Trips.

Contextual Data: 
Social Context: The first thing L.A. did upon arriving at Dartmouth was participating in Dartmouth’s Freshman ‘Orientation-Week’. This program is aimed at introducing the freshman to the various aspects and operations of Dartmouth College. On the Sunday before the first day of fall-term classes, the last day of Orientation-Week, she participated in the ‘Twilight Ceremony’. The ceremony is organized by the Tucker Center in collaboration with the Collis Student Center, and all incoming freshmen participate. This was Lannan’s first experience with an organized Dartmouth tradition, and she really enjoyed participating alongside her whole class. 
Cultural Context: The Dartmouth experience is heavily influenced by many traditions, whereof some are organized and some occur naturally, and some are repeated every year by members of all classes and some are aimed specifically at freshman. Particularly, Dartmouth places heavy emphasis on freshman-only organized traditions as part of an initiation rite to make the freshman feel introduced as part of the collective Dartmouth community. The Twilight Ceremony incorporates the use of candles and two socially-significant locations on campus (the Green and BEMA), making it very Dartmouth specific rather than a general ‘you are now a college student’ initiation rite. 

Item: 
The Twilight Ceremony is organized and hosted by the Tucker Center and the Collis Center, and it marks the end of the ‘Orientation Week’ program the evening before fall term classes begin. All freshmen are gathered on the Dartmouth Green and provided with an unlit candle. A selected member of the recently graduated class will literally pass the flame from their candle to members of the incoming class, from candle to candle. All the freshmen walk in the dark to BEMA, only illuminated by the wave of flickering flames. At BEMA, a senior student offers a personal reflection on their experience transitioning from a freshman to a senior. The ceremony concludes with the singing of the Alma Mater and the extinguishing of the candles, to mark that students have now formally begun their Dartmouth journey. 

Associated File:

Image courtesy of Dartmouth, the William Jewett Tucker Center

Transcript: 
Collector: “Are there any other traditions we haven’t discussed that you think are important to freshman fall at Dartmouth?” 

Informant: “The candlelight ceremony was the first tradition I experienced after Trips, and because it was a one-time event it almost felt as the most ‘proper’ tradition. It felt very culty seeing all the freshmen walk into the woods with candles and singing the Alma Matter made me feel initiated into a Dartmouth cult. But it was also very fun, as it kind of cemented our class together and gave me the feeling of ‘whatever happens, we are all in this together’. Because none of my friends at other schools did anything like this with their whole class, it made me feel part of a very tight-knit and special community regardless of who there I would end up being friends with or not.” 

Collector Comment:
I had a very similar experience when I participated in the Twilight Ceremony. Although I did not know any of the students around me, I felt as part of a collective group that was embarking on a college journey together in the woods. The Twilight Ceremony is a very formal execution of an initiation rite, including all the stages in a rite of passage. 

Collected By:
Una Westvold
Oslo, Norway
Hanover, NH
Dartmouth College
RUSS 013
Fall 2021

Lobster and Steak Dinner

General Information:
Informant: Sophie Pinnie
Place: Hanover, NH
Date: November 4, 2021
Genre/Form of folklore: Customary/Ritual
Title: “Lobster and Steak Dinner”

Informant Data: Sophie is a 21-year-old Dartmouth student who is a part of the class of 2023. She is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but she lives on campus at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire. She is a student-athlete participating on the soccer team and is majoring in government.

Contextual Data: At the end of orientation week, the Dartmouth Dining Services provides a dinner for the students consisting of steak and lobster. The freshmen come to the ’53 Commons dining hall together to eat the meal. This meal is the nicest meal that they offer during the whole year since it is meant to celebrate the freshmen’s incorporation into Dartmouth College.

Social Data: The lobster and steak dinner is an exciting end to orientation week since it provides an expensive meal to the freshmen class. This dinner allows the freshmen to continue to meet and become acquainted with each other over a nice dinner.

Item: The lobster and steak dinner provided to freshmen at ’53 Commons.  

Transcript
Collector: “Are there any other traditions we haven’t discussed that you think are important to freshman fall at Dartmouth?”

Informant: “The steak and lobster dinner was something that was memorable to me during my freshman fall since it felt like a celebration for me entering the Dartmouth community. It also set my expectations really high for the dining hall, which didn’t end up being as true as I’d hoped.”

Collector Comment: I recall the lobster and steak dinner as being a surprise my freshman fall since I did not expect the dining hall to provide such an expensive meal. I still look forward to the meal since all individuals on campus are able to join in the celebration of welcoming the freshmen class.

Collected by:

Carson Reich 21

Houston, TX

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

Bonfire

General Information:
Informant: Braden Mullen
Place: Hanover, NH
Date: November 2, 2021
Genre/Form of folklore: Customary/Ritual
Title: “Bonfire”

Informant Data: Braden Mullen is a 19-year-old Dartmouth student who is part of the class of 2025. He is from Glenview, Illinois, but he lives on campus at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire since the beginning of the fall term. He is a student-athlete participating on the football team and has an interest in studying economics.  

Contextual Data: Every fall term at Dartmouth there is a Homecoming celebration, which consists of parades, speeches, a bonfire, and homecoming football game. The bonfire is built on the center of the green with the freshman’s class number displayed largely at the top of the fire. The freshmen are supposed to run/walk around the fire.

Social Data: Homecoming weekend and the bonfire are intended to welcome the freshmen class to the Dartmouth community, while also providing a time for alumni to visit. When the freshmen run around the fire, the upperclassmen shout for them to “touch the fire.”

Item: The homecoming bonfire built on Dartmouth’s green with the freshmen’s class number at the top. 

Transcript
Collector: “What is your attitude towards Homecoming Weekend and the Bonfire tradition?”

Informant: “The bonfire was a really cool experience since it showed me how important traditions are at Dartmouth, especially since I saw so many alumni enjoying the event. It was a little weird to have both the 24 and 25 on top of the bonfire since COVID prevented the sophomores from having their chance to run around the fire.”

Collector Comment: As an older student, I really enjoy homecoming weekend since many of the recent graduates come back for the event. Although I have never seen someone attempt to touch the fire, the stories of individuals making the attempt are often reiterated during homecoming weekend. It is also interesting to hear how the tradition has evolved from alumni.

Collected by:

Carson Reich 21

Houston, TX

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

First-Year Trips

General Information:
Informant: Evan Fu
Place: Hanover, NH
Date: October 22, 2021
Genre/Form of folklore: Customary/Ritual
Title: “First-Year Trips”

Informant Data: Evan Fu is a 21-year-old Dartmouth student who is part of the class of 2022. He is from Palo Alto, California, and he lives on campus at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire for most of the year. He is a computer science major and an active member in Dartmouth’s investing program.

Contextual Data: In the weeks prior to freshmen orientation, the Dartmouth Outing Club organizes the first-year trips, which take incoming freshmen on a wide range of outings such as mountain biking, fishing, hiking, etc. The groups consist of six to eight freshman and two upperclassmen. During the trips, the freshmen do not have access to their phones or showers and are expected to have all their belongings in one portable bag.

Social Data: The first-year trips can be an intimidating experience for freshmen since it requires them to spend a few days in the outdoors with people they didn’t know before. This experience allows for freshmen to create relationships prior to orientation week and learn about the outdoor activities available to them around campus.

Item: Every fall, freshmen go on a trip led by the Dartmouth Outing Club to experience the outdoors around Dartmouth’s campus.

Transcript
Collector: “How did DOC trips make you feel as a freshman coming into a new environment?”

Informant: “The first-year trips were definitely an interesting experience that made me feel like everything about Dartmouth revolved around the outdoors, and it felt like the Dartmouth Outing Club was attempting to force this focus on outdoors. As someone who isn’t very interested in the outdoors, I felt disillusioned which quickly changed when I came back to campus. Although I did meet a lot of people, the trip really felt like a summer camp and shouldn’t be a deciding factor for coming to Dartmouth”

Collector Comment: I was never able to go on my trip since they are held during fall camp for football, but I have heard a wide range of reviews and experiences.  

Collected by:

Carson Reich 21

Houston, TX

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

Snowball Fight

General Information:
Informant: Patrick Wright
Place: Hanover, NH
Date: October 27, 2021
Genre/Form of folklore: Customary/Ritual
Title: “Snowball Fight”

Informant Data: Patrick is a 20-year-old Dartmouth student who is a part of the class of 2023. He was born and raised in Georgia, but he lives on campus at Dartmouth in Hanover, NH for most of the year. He is a student-athlete participating on the football team and has an interest in studying economics. His grandfather, James Wright, was the President of Dartmouth College from 1998 to 2009.

Contextual Data: On the first snow fall of the year, Dartmouth undergraduates receive an email from Dr. Seuss to Robert Frost and the undergraduate community. The email entails a poem, which invites the students to partake in a snowball fight on the green at midnight.

Social Data: The first snowfall of the year can be a sign of a long winter coming for Dartmouth freshman coming from areas with a more moderate climate, but the snowball fight provides an opportunity for freshman students to see the positive aspects of Hanover, New Hampshire’s snowy weather. The involvement of the whole undergraduate community in a playful snowball fight introduces the freshman into a campus that celebrates the location of the college.  

Item: Snowball fight conducted at midnight on the first snowfall of the year, which is initiated by an email from Dr. Seuss.

Transcript
Collector: “Are there any other traditions we haven’t discussed that you think are important to freshman year at Dartmouth College?”

Informant: “The snowball fight was a pretty cool experience since I’m originally from an area that rarely ever sees snow. I prefer the warmer weather so the first time it really snowed; I knew that it was going to be a big adjustment for me. I was pretty confused when I randomly received the email about the snowball fight, but I ended up going and having a really good time. I think it definitely helped me adjust to the weather.”

Collector Comment: As someone from a warmer area, I understand how difficult it can be to adjust to the winter weather in Hanover, New Hampshire. The snowball fight allows students to see that they are not alone in cold, but they can actually turn the weather into something fun and constructive.

Collected by:

Carson Reich 21

Houston, TX

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

Fall Camp

General Information:
Informant: AG
Place: Hanover, NH
Date: November 5, 2021
Genre/Form of folklore: Ritual/Customary
Title: “Fall Camp”

Informant Data: AG is a 19-year-old member of the class of 2025 at Dartmouth College. He is from New Jersey but spends most of the year on the college’s campus in Hanover, NH. He is a student-athlete, a part of the college’s football team as a tight end, and he is interested in studying economics.

Contextual Data: Football teams across the country, whether it is high school, college, or professional teams, spend at least a few weeks before the first game to get prepared with a series of intense practicing. This is referred to as “camp” by almost everyone involved in the sport. At Dartmouth, it is a time when the team is on before most of the campus has arrived and they are all housed in the same building as a group and forced to do everything together.

Social Data: Football players across the country show up to campuses early to prepare for their upcoming season with a few weeks of intense practicing referred to as “camp”.

Item: Each fall, the football team at Dartmouth spends about 25 days before the rest of the student body arrives on campus doing a fall camp. During this camp, players spend roughly 14 hours per day in meetings, lifts, practices, and team meals. It is a major bonding opportunity for the team, as well as a chance to get prepared for a competitive football season.

Transcript:

Collector: “Why did you (or didn’t) participate in the DOC Freshman year trips?”

Informant: “I play on the football team and we had to be at camp, so we missed out on the DOC freshman trips that the rest of our class participated in. We were slightly bummed, but we came here for football and it was important for us to be here and bond with the team, as well as learn our plays and practice to get us ready for the upcoming season. Every player misses the trips, and at the end of the day, we prefer it that way because football is the reason we are here. Camp gives us the chance to meet our teammates and get used to campus before everyone else arrives.”

Collector Comment:
As a member of the football team, our class also experienced its first camp this fall. It was a good preparation period and I enjoyed the bond the team built from being on campus early.



Collected by:

Ross Parrish 20

Cincinnati, OH

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

Class Picture

General Information:
Informant: DL
Place: Front of Baker-Berry Library
Date: October 15th, 2021
Genre/Form of folklore: Customary/Ritual
Title: “Class Picture”

Informant Data: DL is a 20-year-old Dartmouth college student graduating in 2024. He is from Charleston, SC, and grew up with a twin brother, a mom, and a dad. He plans to study economics and has an interest in improv comedy. He is involved in DIPP and the Greek-Life system. Currently, he lives primarily in Hanover, NH as he attends school, but his home is still Charleston when he is not at school.

Contextual Data: Every class at Dartmouth has a class picture taken of them to capture their first moments on campus as a collective group. It is meant to give them a reference point of the beginning of their Dartmouth journey, as there will be many terms when the class is not all on-campus together in the future.

Social Data: At the time the folklore was occurring, students in Dartmouth’s class of 2024 were gathered in front of Baker-Berry library in front of a large ladder with a photographer on top. I collected this folklore in person in a dorm room in Lord Hall, as DL is my roommate.

Item: Every class at Dartmouth takes a picture in front of Baker-Berry during their freshman fall term to show unity and encourage students to meet each other.

Transcript:

Collector: “What does the tradition of the class picture symbolize to you?”

Informant: “The tradition of the Dartmouth class photo is a traditional, unifying experience in which the entire class comes together under one symbolic grouping in front of a camera. It captures the moment for generations of Dartmouth students and provides everyone a chance to be a part of their class history. This one event was vital to my connection with my class and the Dartmouth community. As I stood there amongst my peers, I could feel the camaraderie and, to be frank, the love within the group.”


Collector Comments:
The one-year late class picture (posted above) felt a bit weird this year. Many students arrived at the last second, but it turned out great and it was nice to replace the virtual “picture” they had done.


Collected by:

Ross Parrish 20

Cincinnati, OH

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

DOC Trip

General Information:
Informant: MA
Place: Hanover, NH
Date: August 2019
Genre/Form of folklore: Customary/Ritual
Title: “DOC Trips”

Informant Data: MA is a 20-year-old Dartmouth student from the class of 2023. She is from Florida and wants to study geography. She is a student-athlete on the softball team, which meant she already knew some people on campus.

Contextual Data: In the week prior to Freshman Orientation week, the Dartmouth Outing Club organizes and oversees “Freshman Year Trips”, where students go on a 3 day trip with six to eight other freshman and two upperclassmen trip leaders. There is a wide range of activities- from hiking to canoeing, to arts and crafts. Upon arrival, the freshmen go to Robinson Hall (Robo) where they are greeted by upperclassmen dressed in random, flamboyant outfits (flair) to check in. They spend the first night preparing for the trip and they are sent into the wilderness of New Hampshire. Throughout this whole period, the freshmen do not have access to their phones and have all their belongings in one bag. This is often an intimidating experience for freshmen entering a totally new environment but is intended to make them feel welcomed and comfortable. 

Social Data: Freshmen are arriving on campus from different corners of the country, and many of them are arriving without any friends. The trips force them into groups where they can meet new people and also learn something about the area surrounding their campus.

Item: Every fall, freshmen go on trips that are led by upperclassmen and get to see the area surrounding their new college campus.

Transcript:

Collector: “What do you remember most about DOC trips?”

Informant: “I remember it being super awkward at first, but then when people started talking we got to know each other very well. It opened my eyes to how different people here are, but expanding my friend group was a good thing. I appreciated the opportunity to observe and enjoy the diversity of everyone on campus. Being from different parts of the country and sometimes the world, it was nice to see we have Dartmouth in common.”

Collector Comment:
I was never able to go on the DOC trips, so it is always kind of bitter-sweet to hear how great of an experience it is for many of the freshmen as they arrive on a new campus. It is a great tradition that Dartmouth does a great job employing.

Collected by:

Ross Parrish 20

Cincinnati, OH

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

Homecoming Bonfire

General Information:
Informant: SH
Place: Hanover, NH
Date: October 9, 2021
Genre/Form of folklore: Customary/Ritual
Title: “Bonfire”

Informant Data: SH is an 18-year-old Dartmouth student who is a part of the class of 2025. He is from Washington State, but he lives on campus at Dartmouth in Hanover, NH for most of the year. He is a student-athlete participating on the football team and has an interest in studying economics.

Contextual Data: Every term at Dartmouth has one big weekend of celebration, and in the fall this is “Homecoming” weekend for the incoming freshman and alumni. There are parades, speeches, and a large bonfire that the freshman class walks around. While the freshmen walk around the fire, the upperclassmen yell at them and tell them to “touch the fire”. This is one of the most well-known traditions at Dartmouth that all students and alumni look forward to.

Social Data: The bonfire is a massive fire set on the green and designed to be run (or walked) around by the freshman class. Since it is during homecoming weekend, most of the campus plus many alumni surround the fire while the freshmen go around. The fire has the numbers of the graduating year of the freshmen class (24 and 25 this year because of COVID).

Item: The massive fire annually set on Dartmouth’s campus on The Green. 

Transcript
Collector: “What is your attitude towards Homecoming Weekend and the Bonfire tradition?”

Informant: “Homecoming was pretty cool. The fire was massive and I enjoyed feeling the heat from across the green. I did not expect it to be as large as it was. I appreciated that our class was able to make a lot of fun memories together.”

Collector Comment:
Homecoming weekend in general is a great tradition at Dartmouth. It is super cool to see all of the alumni come back and celebrate at the football game, bonfire, around campus, in their former frats/sororities, etc. Dartmouth alumni seem especially drawn to the campus after they graduate, and it is clear that homecoming weekend is a wonderful example of this.


Collected by:

Ross Parrish 20

Cincinnati, OH

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Fall 2021

Initiation into Dartmouth Social Spaces – Dartmouth Housing System Initiation

Title: Dartmouth Housing System Initiation

General Information about Item:

  • Initiation Ritual
  • Dartmouth College
  • Informant: Trevor Ballantyne
  • Date Collected: November 1, 2018

 

Informant Data

  • Trevor Ballantyne is a close friend of mine who was born on March 31st, 1999. Trevor attended elementary school in Hopkinton, Massachusetts where he grew up and he then attended Rivers Academy for high school. After graduation, Trevor matriculated to Dartmouth College where he is currently a sophomore. Trevor is involved in a fraternity on campus, and he is on the Dartmouth Varsity Lacrosse team.

 

Contextual Data

  • Cultural Context: I personally interviewed Trevor in the Collis Café at Dartmouth College. Trevor was first introduced to the housing community when he arrived on campus for freshman orientation. Trevor was surrounded by all incoming freshman who were all going to their specific housing communities at the time. After that, Trevor was first introduced into South House when he attended a South House dinner at a professor’s house who was affiliated with South House. During this, Trevor was surrounded by all of the other members in South House, including me. The process of being initiated into a housing community always occurs during freshman orientation
  • Social Context: Trevor is a first-generation Dartmouth student who planned on being affiliated with a fraternity from freshman year. Before Dartmouth, Trevor was unaware of the housing system and did not expect the housing system to have an effect on his time at Dartmouth. This initiation occurs during freshman orientation which involves a countless number of activities and traditions that allow students to bond with other members of their class

 

Item

  • As Trevor arrived on campus during freshman orientation, he was first initiated and welcomed onto campus by fellow South House members excitedly cheering for their house. Trevor went to the South House desk and was given a black South House shirt and water bottle. Trevor felt this initiation ritual to be welcoming due to the hectic nature of the day as all freshman arrived on campus. Days later, Trevor was further initiated into the South House community when he attended a South House dinner at a professor’s house. Trevor ate food, met fellow South House members, and signed a book that all South House members signed. Trevor was especially grateful for this initiation ritual because he was able to meet other freshman in South House and start relationships with kids that he would one day possibly live with.

 

Analysis

  • Initiation rituals consist of three stages: separation, transition, and incorporation. For the South House dinner initiation, the separation stage occurs when South House members leave campus and the rest of the student population and go to a house with only South House members. The transition stage occurs when students enjoy food and meet their fellow South House members. Finally, the incorporation stage occurs when students sign the South House book and officially join South House.

 

Meaning and Interpretation

  • Every Dartmouth student is a member of a specific housing community. Many students feel a strong sense of pride regarding their house, and the initiation ritual into South House acts as the first way for students to officially join South House.

 

Comparison

  • Comparison within the subgroup: In this sub-group, we focused on Dartmouth College social initiation rituals. One similarity between most of these rituals is that they are experienced by freshmen. A student’s freshman year is a time to learn about his or her new community and the traditions that form its unique culture. Freshman year is also the time that most students join the clubs or sports teams that they will be most involved in throughout their Dartmouth careers. Therefore, it makes sense that so many of the Dartmouth social initiation rituals take place during the freshman year, such as the homecoming bonfire ritual. One difference within our subgroup is who initiates and runs each initiation ritual. Sometimes these rituals are set up and funded by the Dartmouth administration, and sometimes they are student-run. Another difference is the duration of each ritual. Some social spaces take a while to initiate into or involve a few different rituals that initiate new members, whereas others only require one short ritual.
  • Comparison with the rest of the subgroups: The subgroups differ dramatically across the board. Some of the subgroups focus on various ethnic groups while others focus on groups within Dartmouth. The initiation rituals of the groups within Dartmouth usually have the purpose of welcoming new members into their community and are symbolic. Ethnic-based group rituals have the purpose of testing the new members. Additionally, ethnic groups’ initiation rituals tend to be related to religious practices. Initiation rituals of Dartmouth groups are not religious in character. What all groups have in common though is the fact that the process of initiation creates closeness with the rest of the group and makes one feel completely immersed into the group.

Transcript

  • Trevor Ballantyne on the South House initiation dinner, “It was a good way to meet everyone and there is a huge book that you sign your name, say you were there, everyone from the house does it and you can tell it’s the foundation of a tradition that’s going to go on for a long time.”

 

Collector: Reg Anderson, Dartmouth College, Russian 13, Professor Valentina Apresyan, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Fall 2018

 

Tags/Keywords

  • Dartmouth
  • Housing System
  • Freshman
  • Orientation
  • South House
  • Initiation Ritual