Social Life and Activities of Carleton College

If you think that the process of "getting an education" at Carleton only applies to hours spent in the classroom or studying in the Libe, think again. Much of the "learning" that happens at Carleton occurs during the conversations between classes with a floor-mate, in late-night broom-ball competitions, or while trying to organize a campus-wide event with a group of friends. But really, what does happen when you get a community of almost 2,000 incredibly interesting and talented young people together? Something pretty interesting.

Residence Halls

Carleton is first and foremost a residential campus, so all first-year students and the majority of all students live in the nine residence halls (or dorms) on campus. Every dorm is coed and mixed by class year. Freshmen will live in one of seven dorms (they don't live in two dorms because their layout isn't conductive to proper freshmen "floor bonding") and will be assigned to one or two roommates. Living in close quarters with a diverse group of people for an entire school year can be a challenging, yet ultimately rewarding experience. Dorm floors become small communities of their own, and many of them band together in intramural broom-ball games or as cast and crew of an annual campus-wide video-making competition called DVD Fest.

The chief overseers of the floor living communities are Resident Assistants, or RAs. RAs are upper class students who have all applied for the job and have been trained to handle many of the situations that might arise in a dorm environment. Two RAs are assigned to live on each dorm floor, and they are good resources for first-year student making the transition to life at college.

Upper-class students progressively get more living options as their seniority grows. After their first year, students can apply to live in special interest houses like the Sustainable Living house or the Jewish Interest house. Some juniors and seniors  can apply for Northfield Option, which means that they can live in privately owned houses or apartments in town. A few lucky seniors (and maybe some very lucky juniors and sophomores) get to live in college-owned townhouses, the cushiest campus living.

Clubs and Activities

At the beginning of every school year, each student is given a Lagniappe, Carleton's very own daily planner. It's a good thing to have around campus because schedules can get complicated very quickly. Besides class periods, assignment due dates, and readings to follow, a Carleton student will probably want to keep track of things like club meetings, performances, volunteer events, intramural games, and dates to hang out at the local coffee shop. All students are part of the Carleton Student Association (CSA), and elected officers form a student government that influences college policy and allocates funding to student organizations. There are over 150 "official" student organizations on campus to satisfy just about everyone's interests, whether it be religious, athletic, political, artistic, cultural, intellectual, or just plain goofy. If there isn't a club for a particular group of Caris, they can easily start their own

Students often find a sense of camaraderie in the club that they join because they are drawn together by a collective enthusiasm, and sometimes passion, for a particular subject or cause. Because students have a broad and often unique range of interests, it's hard to peg people into certain groups. The captain of the rugby team might also be involved in the outdoor enthusiast association and the campus alliance against gun violence, or the awkward guy who helps you out with your calculus homework is also a member of a comedy improv group.

AFRISA Group

Being Nigerian means so much to me and I wanted to make sure that I did not forget that when, I went to college. Joining AFRISA (African Students Association) was like meeting all of my brothers and sisters and getting to know a place I had not seen in so long. It's role is to make sure that the spirit of Africa that lives inside every African student on campus has a voice.....and that voice is heard.

Community Involvement

Northfield's population of just over 17,000 people includes students from the town's two colleges, and this inclusive measurement goes to show how much the town relies upon college students to be involved residents. But what does it mean to be a Carleton student and also live in a small town in the middle of cornfields? First of all, there's plenty of opportunity to get invested in a small but vibrant community. Carleton's Acting in the Community Together (ACT) office is a place that helps studetns find service opportunities in the Northfield area. From playing with puppies on Friday afternoons at the local animal shelter to traveling to rural Arkansas to help out with a Habitat for Humanity project during spring break, the ACT office gives Carls plenty of opportunities to get involved and stay involved.

Many students work as peer leaders in many different offices on campus. Carleton's Resident advisors, Intercultural Peer Leaders, Gender and Sexuality Center Associates, Student Wellness Advisors, Chaplain's Associates, and Student Departmental Advisors are constantly working to make Carleton a welcome and inclusive campus for all students. They frequently host guest speakers, panel discussions, open houses, movies, and other events to educate and inform the entire campus community.

Fine Arts

KRLX Organization

Two of the largest student organizations are KRLX, Carleton's very own radio station, and Ebony 11, a dance troupe open to anyone (like just about all Carleton groups). Over 200 students are involved in each club each term-as DJs, newscasters, and engineers for the round-the-clock FM station, or as dancers in one or many of the Ebony 11 shows that debut near midterms, Students wanting to get more involved in dance can try out for Semaphore Repertory Dance Company, take classes ranging from ballet to moving anatomy, or even apply for a special major. Every year a few students also apply for special majors in theater, and there are many opportunities for Caris with a wide range of abilities and interest levels to get involved in theatrical productions. Every year students write, direct, and perform in a program of one-act plays or put on larger faculty-directed Players shows that go up in the large Arena Theater. Students can also participate in a number of CSA-sponsored theatrical and comedy groups that usually perform several times a term.

Ebony 11 dance troupe

If there's one thing there isn't a lack of on campus, its's singing groups. There are seven a cappella groups, many of which you can sometimes hear practicing in dorm stairwells singing anything from The Postal Service to traditional Irish airs. There are also a number of choir ensembles, as well as an orchestra, a symphony band, a jazz ensemble, an African drum ensemble, and many other smaller groups for those who are musically inclined. Those who are interested can learn how to play the sitar, as Carleton offers music lessons to both beginners and advanced musicians for many different instruments.

Carleton offers a wide range of publications to inform, entertain, and educate the student body. The campus weekly newspaper, The Carletonian, has been an independent source of new since 1887. From the wacky and often cynical articles in the Carleton Literacy Association Paper (the CLAP) to the heated political debates published in the The Observer, there's something for everyone. There are also several more artistic and literary journals around campus for students to debut and share their work.

Athletics

Whether its varsity soccer or intramural dodge-ball, Carleton students will support their teammates and make lasting friends inside and outside the field, court, or pool.

There are twenty-one NCAA Division III varsity teams at Carleton who compete in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, one of the strongest Division III sports conferences in the country. Men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming and diving, and women's soccer and volleyball have been particularly successful in the past few years. While varsity sports are a large commitment, student athletes are no different than their friends, lacrosse, and equestrian teams.

Most students get involved in intramural leagues, which are truly open to any student with any type of sports ability. Many students get involved in intramural through their dorm floor teams, and others get involved through academic department squads. One of the most beloved intramural is broom ball-the perfect excuse to run around late at night in subfreezing weather and not feel cold. For those not wanting to brave the cold more than they already have to, there are also Frisbee, sand volleyball, 3 on 3 basketball, dodge ball,indoor soccer and tennis intramural leagues as well.

Many students will do a pilgrimage to Carleton's fairly new Recreation Center especially in the winter months. The Rec Center features a fully equipped fitness center, as well as a climbing wall, a bouldering gym, multipurpose courts, racquetball and squash courts, and a dance/yoga studio.Students can sign up to take classes like yoga and kick boxing through the Rec Center. There are also two lap-swimming pools on campus available for student use. In the fall and summer months, Carls will take advantage of the seemingly endless running trails in the 880-acre Cowling Arboretum, or Arb (President Oden claims to have run on every single one of them). In the winter, students can check out cross-country ski from the Rec Center and explore the miles of trail while hurling a few snowballs to a friends. Whatever the sport, Carleton students will stay active all year long and make like they're having fun doing it.

Making the Most of Campus

Since Carleton is a full-time residential college, the social scene is very campus-centric. In any given week or weekend, there are countless speakers, exhibits, community meetings, movies, presentations, gatherings, festivals, performances, and parties to attend. Sometimes it can be quite overwhelming. If there's one thing Carls know how to do, it's how to have fun, both inside and outside of academic activities.

Carleton does a good job of providing various types of events and social opportunities for its eclectic student body. The social atmosphere on campus is pretty laid back, and most feel that they're free to do what they want, with whom they want, and when they want. On a Friday night, Carls can watch and talk about Anime movies, sled down icy hills on lunch trays, or catch up with friends at a party, among a million other activities. There aren't any sororities or fraternities on campus, and the vast majority of social events on campus are open to all students. Members of the CSA-sponsored "Party Crew" will even help any group of students put on a unique all-campus party, whether it's a Bar Mitzvah or a Luau on Mai Fete Island.

The social atmosphere on campus is pretty liberal, and xenophobic. Homophobic, sexiest, and racist attitudes are not tolerated inside or outside the classroom. But students aren't just tolerant, and the college itself makes an effort to help student organizations that foster campus inclusiveness. In fact, Carleton was one of the first colleges in Minnesota, and perhaps the United States, to give institutional support to a campus Gender and Sexuality Center and the Queers and Allies