Making Friends Across the River: ISL and St. Olaf International Speed Friending

By Patrick Assali

In the week after midterm break winter term, once students have typically finished their midterms and big assignments, workloads tend to open up and for a moment in the term, Carleton students have extra free-time. Coinciding with this moment is the beginning of St. Olaf’s spring semester, which usually starts off slow. Students from both campuses had an opportunity to meet up at a joint ISL-Taylor Center event held at St. Olaf which facilitated intermingling between the two student bodies, which usually do not mix. Called “Speed Friending,” the event format was such that each table hosted a pair of students, one from Carleton, the other from St. Olaf, with a notecard for icebreakers to help facilitate the interactions. After a few minutes of getting to know each other, students would change tables and meet someone new. Food was also present at the event. Students enjoyed dishes such as hummus and chicken satay, which were eaten up before I even got a chance to try some. In my experience, I made a lot of new friends as well, getting dinner with a freshman I met at the event immediately after. Overall, I would say the event was really successful as a bonding experience between the two student bodies.