<ansition from home to college is coupled with numerous changes, adjustments, and even culture shocks for nearly every first-year student on campus. College party life is one campus culture in and of itself, the likes of which many freshman have never experienced before.
To be sure, each freshman enters with their own personal background of what they experienced in terms of high school life, and no two Carls party the same way. However, the broad range of freshman experiences as newcomers to the social scene could maybe help them gain a bit of outsider perspective into part of our own campus culture here at Carleton.
Some first-years clearly have been pleased with their experiences so far. “There was not a single rude person, and everyone was really nice and got progressively nicer,” one freshman said of a frisbee social he attended.
Others, however, are not yet quite as enthusiastic. “It’s interesting,” said freshman Preethiya Sekar. “It’s different from what you did back in high school.”
Sometimes, “different” may mean a let down from higher expectations, or feelings of discomfort among throngs of unknown people crammed into a theme house.
“It’s more cliquey than I thought, and I didn’t realize how dominated it was by sports teams,” freshman Suzanna Erlich said.
Some like Erlich felt disappointed, but most, like Preethiya, are simply still adjusting to the transition from high school to college. Moving into an older, more mature group of peers, however, may not necessarily coincide with impressions of a more ‘mature’ social scene.
“Actually, it feels kind of less [mature],” Margot Radding said. “People are more willing to go all out. There’s a lot more dancing,” she remarked. “We just didn’t dance [in high school]. That just wasn’t a thing…Everyone was just talking. I’m actually really surprised that that’s not more prevalent here.”
“In high school it’s easier…you know what you’re doing, you hang out with your same people, you have plans, and you don’t have to wander,” Preethiya said. “You always know who you’re with.”
It’s certain that any situation in which which we are not yet familiar with the people, atmosphere, and the way of life is bound to be slightly uncomfortable for at least a little while. But one shouldn’t forget; every upperclassman partier was also a freshman once.
