Approximately thirty-two months ago, our 25th reunion planning committee came together in Northfield to start initial planning for our milestone reunion. Many of us wanted to be on the committee because there’s something energizing about coming back to Carleton and (re)connecting with people and places. Although planning stretched out fourteen months longer than expected, our co-chairs kept our spirits up and kept focus on how wonderful it will be to finally come together again. As we get ready to submit the last NNB for this reunion cycle, Eryn and Brendan took the time to answer a few questions.
Why did you volunteer to be a reunion committee chair?
Brendan: You get to plan with lots of great Carleton people you may not have known well before and make new friends.
Eryn: I’ve been a Carleton volunteer for about 15 years. I’ve had so much fun and met so many great people. Chairing this committee is my last effort before I take a break.
What word or phrase would you use to sum up two years of reunion planning?
Eryn: Zoom
Brendan: Zoom with a cocktail!
What makes you smile when you think about a past reunion?
Brendan: Catching up like it hasn’t been 20 years.
Eryn: Groups of friends on Evan’s hill.
What song, when you hear it, immediately transports you to your Carleton days?
Brendan: Like a Prayer by Madonna
Eryn: Send Me on My Way by Rusted Root
What did you secretly want to do at reunion that didn’t make it into the final event?
Eryn: Giant slip and slide (actually, I just thought of this).
Brendan: I am totally with Eryn on that! We need to make that happen before I get any older.
What excites you about our 25th-ish reunion?
Eryn: Laughing, dancing and being myself with a community of like-minded people in a special town that’s full of treasured memories.
Brendan: An excuse to see people I haven’t been as good about staying in touch with as I should have been. Maybe this time I will learn!
As we wrote in that first newsletter “Carleton is more than a special place — it’s a shared and foundational experience and a one-of-a-kind community”. Twenty-five years is a long time but look forward to seeing many of you in person and holding the rest of you in our thoughts.