A Sticker is Worth a Thousand Words

For those of you who have just heard back from Winter Early Decision (or heard back from Fall Early Decision a couple of months ago): Congratulations! Whether you got in or not, surviving the first batch of admissions results is a huge accomplishment. For those still waiting for Regular Decision news, hang in there! I know it can be stressful, but a year from now you will be looking back and smiling at your success.

While you wait for that acceptance letter (or rejoice in the one you already received), let me give you a sneak peek at what it may contain. Besides your electronic letter, Carleton will likely mail you an acceptance package which, among other things, will include a set of stickers just like this one:

Each sticker is meant to showcase an element of Carleton’s campus, history, or community. Let me break them down for you.

The Knight

The Carleton Knights are the varsity athletic teams of the college. From golf to volleyball, our 18 teams proudly wear the Knight’s maize and blue colors. We routinely compete against our biggest rival, St. Olaf College.

In addition to our varsity teams, there are also 25 student-run sports clubs, that include our four most serious ultimate frisbee line-ups.

Oscar the Penguin

One of our many unofficial mascots is the penguin and, in particular, Oscar the Penguin. Though we are very far from penguins’ natural habitat, Carls have long identified with these sociable flightless birds. So much so, that the penguin has found its way to promotional material, student organization logos, and even has had advocates to make it the official mascot.

Schiller

Schiller is undoubtedly the sneakiest Carl out there. For 65 years, a bust of the German poet Friedrich Schiller has been the protagonist of several wild adventures. Now, the bust is routinely stolen and displayed. It is definitely one of Carleton’s most treasured traditions.

Cows, College, and Contentment

That is Northfield’s slogan. Hence, it should not come as a surprise that the Carleton’s identity is deeply intertwined with that of our host town. Though relatively small, Northfield is the ideal college town. It has enough amenities to keep us entertained, and it is at a convenient distance (about an hour’s drive) from the Twin Cities.

Snow ❄️

You may or may not be surprised to know that it snows quite a bit here in Minnesota. When it does, campus looks beautiful for several days, until the snow starts to melt. On occasion, the snow is just the perfect consistency to build a snowman, a lot like the fella you’ll see in your sticker pack!

Cookie Oven

Few spaces on campus hold as much history or as much love as Dacie Moses House. Affectionately called the Cookie House, Dacie Moses is one of our interest houses in which students can live and hang out. Dacie Moses is especially known for its Sunday brunches. It also hosts rehearsals and performances for Carleton’s Singing Knights and Knightingales. Anyone can come in, bake some cookies (or anything else you’d like), play some games, and hang out with friends!

Carleton’s First (of Two) Wind Turbines

Carleton is very committed to energy sustainability. In August 2004, Carleton built its first wind turbine (the second one was built in 2011). These wind turbines are one of the many steps that the college takes to promote sustainability, alongside student organizations, environmental justice initiatives, and many more.

A… microscope?

To be completely honest with you, I am still not entirely sure what the microscope sticker stands for. Could it be alluding to the most recent science building, Evelyn Anderson Hall? Is it perhaps a reference to our strong science programs? In trying to figure out the hidden meaning of the microscope, I have thought about student-faculty research projects, the chemistry department, and even Chris Kratt ’92, one of our most famous alumni.

If you have a better guess about what the microscope could mean, let me know! I am still scratching my head over this one.

So, there you have it. I hope this helps you clarify some questions about the stickers pack, and hopefully get you excited about your admission news. Good luck!

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!