In short, I’m definitely still struggling; I’m convinced that anyone who is fully functional after just 6 weeks is lying. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not dysfunctional; however, midterms were… something. Things are looking promising, though. Six weeks in, I am already really feeling like part of the Carleton community.

Each weekend so far has earned the title “one for the books” in its own respect. This is largely due to how awesome the people here are. The Princeton Review was certainly not mistaken about Carleton quirky, and it’s amazing. Only at Carleton can your night progress from a Queen of Comedy explaining how her hymen fell out to throwing the frisbee on a snowy night, all within 15 minutes. Upperclassmen have been surprisingly nice to us freshmen, which is really amazing. This became clear the first Porch Wednesday, which fell on NSW. As some friends and I approached the door (NSW lanyards concealed in our pockets) we were actually invited in by an upperclassman; this marked the antithesis of weird, overly-exclusive high school parties where nobody actually has fun. On less-active nights, though, the couches on 3rd Libe are truly unparalleled.

My dorm is really starting to feel like home, too! Evidently, my roommate and I are not the only ones who think so; currently, about 15 ladybugs proudly call Cassat 111 home. Our ceiling is 12 feet high, and being not the tallest of fellows, getting them from up there is a lost cause. Because our dorm is adjacent to the restroom and kitty-corner from the garbage room, there have certainly been some odd smells. For better or worse though, I am becoming nose blind to them. Furthermore, I have noticed a strong correlation between my cumulative sleep deprivation and the gradual decline in the cleanliness of our room.

Classes have been amazing so far! I love my professors this term, and the coursework is interesting. What a friend said the other day is really keeping me awake at night, though: ‘it’s a real bummer that test corrections don’t exist like they did in 10th grade.’ Time in the Libe has been copious these first few weeks. I find working there is better than in my dorm; that is, when you’re swamped with insurmountable sums of homework, it takes no more than a brief look around to realize you definitely aren’t alone. Moodle took some getting used to. In all honesty, I consider myself more of a Google Classroom gentleman, but, we’re getting there.

On the note of extracurriculars, I would argue that things are also going quite well. Despite the fact that I have yet to attend some clubs whose email list I am on, the ones that I am actively participating in could not be better. Trying new things has been a blast, yet, continuing with old passions is equally fun. In addition to the Carletonian, I am also on Club Soccer, in our pre-law society, and trying to get more involved with sustainability initiatives on campus. At this point, the anticipation of the snowboard season is building very quickly.

In conclusion, Carleton has been everything I had hoped it would be, and more — so much more. Because of this, I’m still in the last phases of adjusting. My calendar is jam-packed with events, but I’m still trying to master the art of not sleeping through breakfast. I’m feeling really happy to be at Carleton, though, and I don’t foresee that changing any time soon.