A Review of my Favorite Carleton Acronyms (Part I)

Carleton is known for having countless acronyms that everyone uses on a daily basis. As a new student, this can be overwhelming and a bit confusing. What do you mean I should visit “oil”? How do you “scrunch” something? Well, fear not, for I am here to introduce you to (some of) my favorite Carleton acronyms.

ACE (Academic Civic Engagement)

ACE courses are those that focus on community-based learning. They usually include a community involvement component, such as volunteering at a local nursery and doing research at an elementary school. Although I haven’t taken an ACE course yet, I am looking forward to taking two of them next term! (If I can get in, that is.)

A&I (Argument and Inquiry)

The A&I first-year seminar is a required course for every Carleton student. The seminar is meant to introduce us to the meaning of a liberal arts education and teach us how to think, write, and analyze critically. I was very lucky to be placed in Drama, Film, and Society for my A&I course. Although the level of academic writing is very challenging, I find it incredibly interesting and rewarding. Besides, we get to go to the theater and watch movies as part of the class!

CCCE (Center for Community and Civic Engagement)

The CCCE, pronounced trip-C-E, is the office that oversees every activity (including the ACE courses) that involves a civic or community engagement component. As someone deeply interested in social justice, the programs they work with are some of my favorites on campus! I have recently completed training to become a mentor with Project Friendship, and I am hoping to be involved in more of their Health and Belonging initiatives in the near future.

ISL (International Student Life)

In a lot of ways, ISL has been my hero from the second I joined the Carleton community back in April. The Office makes sure that we have all of the information and resources we need to succeed at Carleton. They have been there every step of the way, from applying for a student visa, to finding an on-campus job, to even recommending the best restaurants in town. They also throw fun events with amazing food to help international students share a piece of home with the rest of our community.

LDC (Language and Dining Center)

The debate on whether LDC or Burton is better is as old as time, and this is not the time or the place for me to make a compelling case for one or the other (although LDC is obviously the best). Serving as both the Language Center and one of two dining halls, LDC is one of the most fascinating buildings on campus. If you ever have the opportunity to grab a meal here, I highly recommend the Chopsticks and Woks station, as well as the oatmeal cookies.

Stay tuned for more of my favorite Carleton acronyms!

Fátima strives to learn everything about everything, but is especially interested in Sociology/Anthropology, Psychology, and Disney! As a freshman, she can’t wait to introduce her peers to her native Guatemalan culture, put in practice her newly acquired ASL skills, and play in the snow for the first time. In her free time, Fátima can be found watching cartoons, poorly playing the ukulele, or desperately missing her dog, Cosmo. Meet the other bloggers!