[Corina Perez]Hello, reader. First off, nice shirt! :D

I have taken the time to tell you a little about myself just so that you can feel that much more comfortable coming into Carleton. The truth is, Carleton is a great place that pays attention to how each student can fit in on campus. Not only fit in and feel comfortable, but also stand out and feel unique. Hi, I’m Corina Perez and I’m from Chicago, Illinois. Although I absolutely LOVE my windy city, I always feel the need to represent my Puerto Rican ethnicity.  Moving to such a different place full of people you have yet to introduce yourself to makes you realize that your identity becomes so much more important. You search for friends who you feel comfortable hanging out with, studying with, or having lunch with. However, in order to find those people who fit your friend category, you must find out who you yourself are. “OH MY GOODNESS! HOW DO I DO THAT?!,” you ask? Well, does Carleton have the answer for you.

Try new things. Easier said than done? Here are a few things I learned about myself my first year here in bullet point format J I like bullet points. They’re easy.

I don’t dance in front of anyone.

I don’t sing in front of anyone.

I don’t play guitar in front of anyone.

I don’t raise my hand in class to ask a question in front of anyone.

I don’t act for any production in front of anyone.

Hahah! I was so silly. After one year at Carleton, I have…

Danced in Ebony (A student-run dance company open to students with any or no dancing background).

Sang for the choir, in student events, and a music class.

Played guitar with friends in my room and for campus events.

Raised my hand and answered questions, as well as asked them (No matter how dumb they seemed to me).

Acted for 4 film projects my friends needed to film for their classes.

What are the academics at Carleton?

Believe me when I say that Carleton is hard. But believe me also when I say, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are high expectations once you set foot into each classroom. You are a Carleton student and you worked hard to get in. There will be hundreds of pages to read each week, papers to write, problem sets to solve, art to be created, and more. In high school, I was the top student; however, at Carleton, I find myself studying way more than I ever have. It may seem hard, but when you really think about it, it is simple. There are so many resources on campus like the Writing Center, the Math Skills Center, Teaching Assistants, and more to help you with literally EVERYTHING. Don’t stress. You have a problem? Talk to your professor. When people come to their office, it not only boosts their ego, but it helps them know that you care about your studies.

How does one manage time at Carleton?

My first trimester here, I thought that academics were going to take all my time. So I didn’t join any clubs or extra activities. Big mistake; I took so many naps because I had so much free time. Once you figure out what you need to spend time on (Readings, math tutoring, etc.) you will figure out how much free time you have. Once you figure that out, then you decide what clubs or activities you want to join. Having a calendar, Iphone scheduler, book planner, etc. really helps. Naps are great, but think of all the things you can accomplish with that time. J