Winter on Campus Before and After: a Photo Blog

The Elephant in the Room

As a Minnesotan, there’s a lot I wish people knew about our state. Like the fact we’re regularly ranked #1 in voter turnout. Or that we invented Post-It Notes, rollerblades, and honeycrisp apples. Ultimately, though, the #1 thing most prospective students actually know about Minnesota is that it gets cold. Really cold. Many previous admissions bloggers have tackled this topic. These include breakdowns of snow days on campus, adjusting to the weather, and making the most out of winter break. In the Carleton Admissions Blog tradition of discussing the winters in Minnesota, I’m going to show off some of my favorite spots both before and during winter to prove once and for all that campus does not become a desolate wasteland in the winter, even though it may get cold.

The Bald Spot

The Bald Spot is a grassy quad at the heart of our campus. On warm, sunny days it’s always bustling. Campus events, picnics, casual frisbee sessions, and more are all regularly hosted here. That being said, activity doesn’t drop off after it snows. Carleton puts up two full-sized ice rinks every winter. Broomball, hockey, figure skating and more are all common pastimes. Regardless of season, you’re bound to see a flurry of activity centered around the Bald Spot.

Before

After

The Cowling Arboretum

The Cowling Arboretum, or the Arb for short, is one of my favorite parts of campus year-round. A lot has been said about the Arb already by a lot of different people. What I can add here is that the harsh Minnesota winters don’t stop us from enjoying it in the slightest. The Arb has over 15 miles of hiking and biking trails that can be enjoyed in the fall and spring. In the winters, those same trails are groomed for cross country skiing. Plus, I would argue that the winter scenery is just as beautiful.

Before

After

The Lyman Lakes

The Lyman Lakes are another great space on campus. There are also two islands that are a hub for bonfires and socializing. In the fall and spring, expect to see people hanging out or fishing all around the Lymans. In the winter, the bonfire pits die down, but the frozen lakes provide plenty to do. Students who live on the far side of campus will even use the frozen lakes as a short cut across campus. Before we started putting up our own rinks, these ponds were the central skating location. Now, though, there are still plenty of people who brave the ponds for ice skating, although it’s more common to see students walking across or building snowmen on the ice.

Before

After

Northfield

Northfield as a town is really accessible to students all year. With lots of places to frequent, and lots of things to do in those places, Carleton students are always exploring beyond the borders of our campus. I would even argue there’s more to do in the winter. Northfield was the location for the Hallmark movie Love Always Santa, and the town definitely gives off big Hallmark vibes. In the winter, the city covers downtown in beautiful Christmas lights and most of the cafes put up cozy winter decor.

After

The Final Verdict

I’m not going to promise you that winter will be your favorite season in Minnesota. I can’t even promise that you’ll be excited when the forecast calls for snow. What I do hope you understand having finished this blog post is that harsh winters in Northfield put life on hold across our campus. Even in the harshest winters, Carleton students are enjoying life on and off campus. Even if you never come to love winter as much as I do, there’s something for you on our campus year round!

Chance (he/him) is a rising Religion and Classics double-major from Hardwick MN. When he’s not working in admissions, he does work in the Office of the Chaplain and conducts research with Carleton humanities faculty. He’s the vice-commodore of the Carleton Sailing Club (despite being from the only county in Minnesota that doesn’t have a lake), and he can regularly be found biking around on local trails and gravel roads, or refining his latte art as a barista.