Exceeds Expectations at Carleton

If you are unfamiliar, Hogwarts’ grading system looks like this:

O = outstanding (a vibe!)

E = exceeds expectations

A = acceptable

N = needs improvement

P = poor

T = troll (not a vibe)

Here’s my rating of things at Carleton accordingly…

Professors: O! Carleton Profs are approachable, incredibly friendly and helpful, and know a ton about their subject.

• (Profs’ animals and children also score an O—they make online classes much more fun and entertaining!)

Staff: O. I love every staff member at Carleton. They’re all so sweet and helpful! (Special shout-out to the workers at Schulze Cafe who are always fun to talk to!)

School Mascot: N. What is Carleton’s mascot, again? What’s your preference?

A. Lyman the campus cat. Iconic.

B. Oscar the stuffed penguin who lives in the Libe

C. Cows! We love cows!

D. Albus the elusive albino squirrel

E. The Knights

F. The Bust of Schiller (don’t ask)

Food: E. Good college food is hard to come by, but LDC and Burton pull through! (Their fantastic desserts bumped them up a whole grade…)

• Note: Sunday brunch donut holes and the occasional chocolate chip pancakes are outstanding!)

Cowling Arboretum: O. Expansive, beautiful, and just a vibe, the Arb is one of my favorite spots on campus.

Residence Halls: E. You won’t be disappointed in any hall! It seems like most college’s have a big divide between desirable dorms and undesirable ones—all of Carleton’s are great which is a rare and special find!

Our room: P. This is not a campus issue, we just don’t vacuum enough.

Friday Flowers: O! The cutest tradition. Read Avery’s post about it here.

Campus squirrels: T. Scary and large. No thanks.

Campus geese: T. Again, scary and large. I’d rather not. (Their cute geese babies almost moved them up to a P grade but still…no thanks)

Location: E. Northfield is adorable and absolutely the best college town. Check out my last post for details!

My first year here: E. Carleton has truly exceeded my expectations: the fact that I’ve had such a great experience here during a pandemic amazes me and makes me incredibly excited for the next three years.

Erin grew up catching salamanders, recklessly climbing trees, and running around barefoot in the Appalachian Mountains in a small town in North Carolina. This is her first year at Carleton, and she’s looking forward to meeting new people, exploring campus (especially the arb!), and experiencing her first Minnesota winter. She is currently interested in studying psychology and gender, women’s, and sexuality studies. Meet the other bloggers!