FAQs of a Tour Guide

I have been giving campus tours at Carleton for almost a year now. Over the many tours I have given, I have been asked many, many questions. Here are my answers to some of the top questions I’m asked.

Q: How is the food?

A: It’s alright. The food at Carleton is solid and we do a lot of work to provide fresh, healthy, and generally pretty tasty food. We have two dining halls and three cafes and students can see the menus at each location online as they cycle through a long list of offerings. There are also some great consistencies like the salad bar in Burton or the pizza station in LDC (aka East Dining Hall), where you can get something reliable if the other dishes don’t interest you. We’ve also got good vegan and vegetarian options, as well as ways to avoid allergens. Finally, if you ever get tired of our food, your meal swipes work over at St. Olaf (although I don’t think their food is any better than ours)!

Q: What is a typical weekend like at Carleton?

A: Whether it’s movies being put on in the Weitz, artistic performances, student comedy shows, events hosted by cultural organizations, or big events like Midwinter Ball or Sproncert, you will always be able to find something to do that catches your interest. We are a college, however, so we still have typical college shenanigans but we don’t have any Greek Life. The party scene isn’t massive but still exists. Living on a highly residential campus certainly has its benefits for weekend life as well. One of my favorite things to do with my friends is cook in the dorm kitchens or hang out in the Cave. 

Q: What do you think of the trimester system?

A: I love it. Trimesters match my learning style excellently. Taking only three classes at a time allows me to focus on a limited amount of material and advance on it quickly, without too much distraction from other classes or slow spots that get boring. It offers all sorts of other benefits, such as quicker progression through class sequences (such as intro language courses or calculus), and better flexibility for pursuing Off-Campus Studies. Also, our break schedule is awesome and we never have to worry about classes while home for Thanksgiving or on spring break.

Q: What is your favorite part of Carleton?

I used to struggle to answer this question because I couldn’t make up my mind. The easy answer, however, is the professors. The professors here are as much a part of the campus community as the students are and it creates an awesome learning environment where you can build relationships and receive awesome hands-on opportunities in the lab or excellent advice for life after college. One of my German professors even gifted me a to-go container because she was worried I wasn’t eating enough and wanted me to pack a lunch. They are honestly all amazing.

Q: What do you dislike about Carleton?

This question is always the hardest one to answer (but I recommend you always ask this). Carleton is a genuinely supportive community but a lot of people here struggle with imposter syndrome. There are so many high achievers that it is oftentimes easy to reflect on yourself and worry that you’re falling behind your peers, not good enough to be here, or not doing enough to prepare yourself for the future. The high number of imposter syndrome on campus is the one thing I don’t like about our community.

Q: How’s the winter?

A: I love it. It’s one of the reasons I chose Carleton over similar schools with different climates. To be fair, this is not always the same opinion among other students.

Q: Do you go to the Twin Cities often?

A: Not as much as you would expect. It is certainly an option and can make for a lot of fun but there is so much going on on campus and in Northfield that I honestly get FOMO when I go to the Cities.

I am certainly asked other questions, but these are the most common. If you visit Carleton (or any other school) ask questions! I never asked many questions when I visited schools and I wish I did.

Harrison (he/him/his) stays busy at Carleton! He is a captain of the club water polo team, plays both IM basketball and broomball, and participates in activities hosted by the German and physics departments. He loves the atmosphere of Carleton in that its students are focused on academics but they don’t let it get in the way of fun.