Three years at Carleton has made me more confident intellectually, socially, academically, and athletically. In high school I felt out-of-step with my teachers and the general mood of the student body, and it was hard to relax and let myself grow while I was at school. As a result I tended to shut down and be a little cynical to my classmates. I like to think my time at Carleton has helped me open up.

They would be surprised by the things I'm doing now that I never would have considered in high school, like playing rugby and doing karate. I love the attitude at Carleton that it couldn't hurt to try new things.

In high school I was definitely not athletic or a dancer, but now I enjoy running through the Arboretum regularly and I've even co-choreographed a dance for Ebony II.

I'm still no social butterfly, but I think I'm much more at ease talking with people now than before. Being surrounded by like-minded nerds for two years is quite therapeutic that way. I've also grown up a lot.

I'm on an intramural Ultimate Frisbee team. My friends would never suspect that I would do anything athletic, ever. However, they probably wouldn't be surprised to know I fail at it. But I'm having fun!

I'm much louder and friendlier. There's a friendly atmosphere on campus that's brought out that side of me.

I am picking up some of the Minnesota accent!

I think I am gaining confidence in myself and in my ideas. I have become a much better critical thinker.

My friends from Massachusetts all stared at me with blank faces when I told them I was going to a school in Minnesota! It will definitely surprise them when they hear that Northfield is a great college town, and not a "frozen outpost" some of them imagined.

They would be surprised at how much I've grown up since coming here. I've had to buckle down and hone my study skills, and I've also interacted so closely with my professors that I've had to mature in my speech and in my actions.