A College Dance

Back in the College Panic era, I remember coming across some information about the Midwinter Ball while researching Carleton. At this point, Carleton was one of four colleges I could see myself applying Early Decision to (along with Reed College, Pomona College, and the University of Chicago — if anyone reading is looking at any combination of these or similar schools and could use some perspective from the other side of the application process, please please email me!), so I was pretty invested in the mental picture I was painting of the school.

This particular bit of traditional information both charmed and concerned me. On the one hand, an all-school midwinter ball is adorable, and totally fit in with the sweet, wholesome, community-oriented personality profile I’d built of the College in my head. On the other, more all-school dances might end up being a headache. What if such events just made me feel like I was still in high school, but bigger?

This sent me down a rabbit hole about liberal arts college sizes in general (my high school was pretty tiny, I think — around 90 kids in my grade), and whether a student body of around 2,000 would be “enough” for me (spoiler: it definitely seems to be, and I’ll maybe get to the matter of enrollment size and college fit in a future post). Fast-forward to my arrival at Carleton, and I felt a little better about the whole thing. Primarily, I just loved the place, but I’d also heard a few things about the Midwinter Ball specifically from a couple different people, and the overall impression I got was a good one. I figured it was probably a nice community event, and if it wasn’t for me, I could just not go.

But eventually I realized people seemed really into it. Fast-forward again to this term, and I was getting questioned by multiple upperclassmen about whether I would be going, and how excited I was. I still had my backup plan (hiding in my dorm with friends) in mind, but my curiosity was building. When it became clear most of my friends were going, the decision was all but made for me. Discovering that Carleton offered literal dancing lessons in preparation for the event just sweetened the deal. It’s cute little things like that that just make Carleton so lovable and loving.

So it’s the night of the event, and before we head over, we take pictures. I feel obligated to share.

Put simply, the night was a blast. There were elements that reminded me of high school, but they were positive ones — spending way too much time dressing up, fun(ny) playlists (and “dance moves”), jumping up and down in a clump, as one entity of Friend Group. The negatives that were absent made Midwinter Ball better, and feel overall pretty different. The venue was big enough that there was actual room to breathe, talk, and the like. There were three separate main areas, all with their own genres of music — some of them performed live! There was also, I daresay, less…drama?

So ultimately, I’m glad I went (I probably say that a lot, don’t I?). Yet another lesson that I should take “risks” more often, try new things. Next, I guess we’ll have to see what Sproncert‘s really like. I’ll report then!

Lucas is in his freshman year at Carleton, bringing with him a passion for all things nerdy and a talent for overthinking and awkwardness (and self-deprecation). He hails from Pasadena, California, and yes, he realizes it gets cold out here. Currently wildly undecided, he can see himself attempting a Physics and Cinema and Media Studies double major, although Chemistry, Economics, and Computer Science (among many other subjects) have been tempting him as well. He misses his bearded dragon.

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