In this short conversation, Tristan discusses the unexpected experiences he's been having at EXPLO. With a malleable disposition and excitement for expanding his horizons, he is able to come into the summer with an open mind.
Would you just tell me your name and what concentration you're in?
My name is Tristan and I'm doing the Biomedical Engineering and Surgical Interventions Concentration.
They do some fascinating things in that Concentration.
Yeah. Cat dissection started today.
Can you tell me a little bit about that experience?
Absolutely. I just walked into the classroom today and saw a bunch of dead cats on the tables. It came as a bit of a shock. But once you get used to the smell, it's pretty interesting. My cat was pretty small compared to other ones, but that didn't stop it from being a really informative experience. I definitely learned a lot about the anatomy and the process of what some surgeons might go through.
Were you familiar with the kinds of tools and procedures you’re using and doing now before EXPLO?
Absolutely not. I guess I’ve used a knife before, which might be the closest thing to a scalpel. But I never did anything like suturing. It's kind of like knitting. But nothing like that before. Not a chance.
And to be completely honest, I have no idea what's coming up next. It’s that's kind of on purpose. I like the surprise, walking into a classroom with a bunch of dead cats is a big surprise.
What other exciting things are you doing this summer besides cutting open cats?
Pool party tonight! This weekend I’ll be whitewater rafting, and I'm also doing culinary challenges after that. I love cooking, so the fact that I could do it with a bunch of my friends and just mess around sounds perfect.
Have you thought about what you’d like to accomplish in your remaining time here?
That's an excellent question I should’ve asked myself before. I guess my bucket list would’ve been to make a bunch of friends anyways. Make lots of homies that I can call friends for, I don't know, the rest of my life, maybe. And if that were the case, I think I've got that checked off.
So what do you think of the Colby College campus? Have you been here before? Or to EXPLO before?
Never. I actually go to a boarding school with a pretty large campus, but it’s nothing compared to this. It’s massive here. The biggest shock is how big this campus is, and how beautiful it is with all these huge hills.
Will Walawender