Fall 2020

Brothers,

As autumn turns to snow in Hanover, a new dawn has risen on Tri-Kap. For the first time in over six months, the house was able to open its doors to sixteen brothers returning for Dartmouth’s on-campus residence this fall. Per Dartmouth Coronavirus guidelines, the brothers settled in at the house within the week before classes. Upon arrival, each brother underwent a battery of tests, along with a mandatory two-week quarantine. Though these precautions proved crucial for protecting campus from a potential outbreak, brothers were able to return without a single positive test. 

The Kappa Lodge awaits the brotherhood’s return

Once released from the initial quarantine, brothers in the house adapted to “the new normal” in the Upper Valley, spending large amounts of recreation time outdoors. Daily activities have varied, though there never seems to be a moment without some sort of outdoor activity going on. Several brothers have ventured to the fire tower of nearby Gile Mountain, taking advantage of the sunrises and peak fall foliage. 

President Colin Shaughnessy ‘21 at Gile Mountain

House Manager David Yin ‘22, Risk Manager Dan DiPietro ‘22, and House Manager Max Charmichael ‘22 enjoy Gile’s morning view.

Brother and Captain of Dartmouth Club Golf Zach Gottesman ‘22, was quite excited to see a resurgence in house Golf outings this fall. Despite the unfortunate closure of Hanover Country Club, the Donald Ross-designed Carter Country Club in West Lebanon was still within the travel restrictions established in Dartmouth’s Community Guidelines. Though there was a fair share of shanks, hooks, and slices, we’re all relieved to report no windows were broken in the process. 

Zach Bilcheck ‘21, Jacob Philhower ‘21, and Alex ‘21 tee up on a sunny afternoon.

Though a concerted effort has been made to maximize our time exploring the outdoors in the Upper Valley, rainy days and frigid October afternoons have forced the brotherhood to consider ways to use our lovely home creatively. Given the Great Hall’s open-aired nature, the brotherhood has further furnished the area with socially distant activities such as ping-pong and air hockey courtesy of Brian Drisdelle ‘21. Additionally, with limited seating available in on-campus dining hall venues, house meals with campus takeout have become increasingly popular ways for brothers to catch up. Often half of the on-campus brotherhood may be found around the projector watching television and holding a lively conversation in the dinner hours. 

Dinner and a Movie: A Staple of 20F

Brothers Studying on the Beach

A resourceful addition was most recently made to the house’s largest approved social room when Suraj Srivats ‘22 was able to secure the donation of a free upright piano from the Dean of Thayer. While some brothers admittedly have more talent than others, one can almost always expect to be greeted with a cheery tune flowing out of the Great Hall. 

Aditya Choudhari ‘22 working on his improvisation between classes

Though there were only 16 brothers approved for on-campus residence in the house, several members looked to fill in the gaps of their college experience by coming back to live in the Upper Valley Area. Because housing was incredibly tough to find, many brothers settled into local neighborhoods, caring for homes and becoming members of local communities throughout the greater Hanover area. 

Chris Kartsonis '21 cooks a meal in his Norwich home

As we transition to the close of the fall, the house is gearing up for a new virtual recruitment season this winter while also focusing on the facilitation of meaningful house-wide bonding. Even though the pandemic’s circumstances have challenged brothers to find creative ways to achieve these goals, I am confident the spirit and love for Tri-Kap shown by this resilient bunch will continue to live on. 

Yours in Kappa,

Jake Philhower ‘21