Thoughts on First-Year Fall

In my role as a Summer Admissions Fellow, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with many incoming first-years and hear a lot of anxieties about the college transition — I remember the nerves well! In the spirit of reflecting on my experiences and passing along wisdom, I’ve compiled a list of DOs and DON’Ts for your freshman fall.

Academics

DO get some of your liberal arts requirements out of the way, particularly if you don’t yet know what you want to major in!

DON’T pigeonhole yourself into one discipline — even if you know you want to be an English major, challenge yourself to branch out and try something new like a geology class.

DO talk to your academic advisor; they are one of your most valuable resources and can help direct you to other campus resources if needed.

DON’T skip out on office hours, they’re there for a reason! Even if you don’t have a burning question about course material, it’s a good opportunity to chat with the professors and deepen your understanding.

DO find a few study spots that work well for you. Some people work well with background noise, others need total silence — your first-year fall is the right time to develop good study habits.

DON’T get into the habit of skipping class. College attendance is less rigorously policed than in high school, but it doesn’t mean it’s not important! If you start skipping regularly, you’ll fall really behind before you know it.

Activities

DO put yourself on as many club email lists as you can find — even if you don’t attend right away, you’ll know when events happen.

DON’T miss the activities fair during the first week of classes. This is where most clubs and organizations do their recruiting, and you might find a new club you’ve never heard of!

DO take advantage of the dorm kitchens and Dacie Moses. Food brings people together!

DON’T be afraid to try something new — all clubs at Carleton are beginner-friendly and encourage you to participate even with no experience.

DO take advantage of the many lecture and concert opportunities. Carleton always brings guest speakers and artists to campus with cool lecture topics or concert themes, and they are all free to the Carleton community.

DON’T stretch yourself too thin! As much as I encourage trying new things, trying to do everything all at once is a recipe for burnout. It’ll all still be there next term!

ResLife

DO make your dorm room feel like home. Put things on your walls! Fun decor doesn’t have to be expensive and a cute poster or tapestry goes a long way.

DON’T forget your towel when you go to shower. Trust me on this one.

DO take advantage of your RAs. They are super knowledgeable about all things Carleton and generally just lovely people. (Shoutout to my freshman year RA for providing Benadryl in a time of desperate need…)

DON’T ask your RAs how to do laundry. I mean, you can, but that’s a skill you can learn before coming here 😉

DO go to the floor/dorm events, there’s usually free food involved.

DON’T bring too many clothes. This was something I needed to hear. 7 pairs of shoes is not necessary.

There’s so much more that could be said about your first-year fall, but the most important DO is to have fun and explore! Put yourself out there and you’ll be surprised at all the amazing things Carleton has to offer. Feel free to email me at leeq@carleton.edu with any questions, I’m always happy to share my thoughts.

Quinn (she/her/hers) is an American Studies Major and Chinese Minor. Quinn has a deep love of the Carleton community; she says she is so lucky to be surrounded by such brilliant and kind people. Quinn is an active member of the student-run radio station KRLX, the orchestra, the equestrian club, and the music department! Following her love of music and radio, her favorite place on campus is the record library. And finally, a fun fact about Quinn is that her family helped to found the Minneapolis St. Patrick’s Day Parade!