College Expectations vs. Reality
An details some of the expectations she had coming into Carleton and how these have been challenged by her realities as a student.
An details some of the expectations she had coming into Carleton and how these have been challenged by her realities as a student.
Hello world!
Hello April!
I can’t say hello to spring yet because it snowed yesterday, and it seems like winter wants to be in the spot light for a bit longer here in Minnesota. Anyway, there’s nothing interesting happening in my life besides microfossils, prairies, and integrals (I might write about my current classes in future posts), but for all of you prospective students, I believe most of your college results are out!
Here are some college expectations I had and the realities I experienced at Carleton during my freshman year.
| Expectations | Reality |
|---|---|
| I’m going to have to study harder in college. | AHHHHHHHHHHHHH it’s already finals week. What have I been doing this past 10 weeks???? |
| Professors: some alien species with a higher IQ than the average humans. | Extremely kind and unpredictable intellectuals who would bring cookies for field trips and a cast iron to a math course. |
| College students seem so smart. | Geology professor pointing at a cool limestone sample on a table: “Identify what this is.”Me: “A rock.” |
| I get to do everything I want to do! | I don’t know what I want to do. |
| I’m going to miss my friends and family. | I miss my pet bird. |
| I’m going to start caring about my health. | Eats cereal for dinner. |
| I don’t have to wake up at 6am in the morning for school anymore. | 8am is 5am in college time. |
Everyone has different experiences at colleges. These are just my personal experiences. Whether or not you are coming to Carleton, I hope you all the best in deciding which college to attend. To those who decided that Carleton is their best choice, I can’t wait to see you guys in fall!
An
An is a freshman from Japan who is thankful that Minneapolis has a direct flight from Tokyo. She loves animals, both stuffed and alive, and one of the hardest parts of packing for college for her was choosing which plushie to bring to Carleton or, sadly, leave at home. She is currently undecided about her major and is excited to explore new subjects.