Being a Carl Who Calls the Twin Cities Home

Having grown up in the Twin Cities, Carleton is not too far from home. And while many of my peers are getting the opportunity to explore these unfamiliar places, I find myself returning to a familiar scene with new opportunities. And that is my favorite part about the location—the fact that I can feel more secluded in small town Northfield, but easily access the larger city for more experiences.

Music

This past school year I found myself visiting the cities frequently in order to see some of my favorite artists perform live, which was incredible. Live music is a huge treat for me personally, so being able to drive less than an hour to access these experiences was something that I found very beneficial. 

First, my roommate and I went to see Tate McRae, a smaller artist performing at First Ave. As some of you may know, First Ave is a historic venue so we of course had to stop and see the iconic stars holding the names of artists such as Prince, Aerosmith, and Macklemore. Not only was I excited because I was going to see my favorite artist, but also because my roommate and I had made a full night out of the event and got to spend a lot of time hanging out together.

Another artist who I saw was Olivia Rodrigo when she came to play at the Armory in Minneapolis. This concert was a little less intimate seeing as Olivia Rodrigo is an artist on the rise but it was very cool to be able to see her perform live and surprise my best friend with the tickets to this concert.

Food

Another major draw to the Twin Cities is the food scene. There are so many unique restaurants around both Minneapolis and Saint Paul that warrant the trip up at least once a trimester in order to get some great grub. And while my list of personal recommendations is expansive, I don’t think this blog post should only be a list of restaurants. Mainly, a night out in the cities can be used to decompress and bond with those around you, which is what makes it so wholesome. For example, my friend’s birthday was celebrated with a great seafood meal on a rooftop in Uptown, Minneapolis.

Home

As I always mention on my tours, I rarely go home during the academic term. This is mostly due to the fact that I get terrible FOMO whenever I leave campus and am not around to experience the many activities happening. However, when I do decide to go home for a home cooked meal or some well deserved puppy time, it isn’t uncommon for me to bring my college friends with me since they are not from MN. For example, we all visited my house to watch the Super Bowl this past year and ate tons of great food while spending time together. 

So while I would say I enjoy having easy access to home, Carleton provides the kind of environment that makes me call Northfield home.

Stella (she/her) is a rising Junior from Minneapolis, MN. She is a Political Science major with minors in Spanish, Neuroscience, and Public Policy. Stella is a member of our varsity volleyball team and can explain at length how being an athlete is just one part of her identity at Carleton, not all of it. Around campus, you can find Stella having fun with her coworkers in Admissions, hammocking in the Arb (when it’s not cold), or hanging around in Sayles. She loves to explore the town of Northfield, and tries to find new places to visit as often as possible – especially for some good eats.