A Freshman Without a Car?

As an incoming freshman, I often wondered about transportation. Since I was not bringing a vehicle on campus, I thought about how I would make store runs or simply explore the city. If you have had similar concerns, you have come to the right place. Today I’m going to share with you how I managed to explore the Northfield city without a vehicle.

What is in Walking Distance?

Something that is convenient about Carleton College is that there are several small and franchise businesses within walking distance of the campus. The local business consists of cafes, clothing stores, food markets, salons, thrift stores, or even yoga studios. The franchise business mostly consists of fast food joints like Subway, McDonalds and Dominos. During the fall term of college, I had many opportunities to stroll through the town, however I am still far from seeing everything the town has to offer. 

The Northfield Shuttle

Although walking is an option when it comes to exploring Northfield, it is not always possible. In cases where a distance is too far to walk, shuttles are readily available. This is made possible through a Northfield service called Dial-a-Ride. When ever you find yourself in a need of a ride, you would call the service and schedule a ride. This is a cheap and reliable alternative because as a college student you are given unlimited free rides.

As of this week, Carleton students have to say on campus, except for essential reasons, due to the high level of COVID cases in the Northfield community.

But until then, I was able to explore town safely and cautiously. I hope that in the future, Carleton freshmen will be able to get the true Northfield experience, with or without a car!

This is Lettu Konshie and she is an incoming freshman at Carleton College. Lettu hopes to spend her freshman year getting to know her peers and exploring the town of Northfield! During her free time, she loves to read and watch movies that explore new ideas, concepts, or lifestyles. Meet the other bloggers!