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Racket’s New Intern Introduces This Week’s Open Thread

As we do every week, we're turning Racket over to you, the readers.

10:12 AM CDT on June 19, 2026

The gorgeous campus of Carleton College in Northfield, where our intern studies.

|Wikipedia Commons

For my first week at Racket, I have been given the honor of introducing myself in the Friday Open Thread.

So hello! I’m Clare.

I’m interning at Racket this summer, so you'll be seeing my byline around here for the next few months. I grew up in Chicago, but I’ve spent most of my time over the past couple years in Northfield, Minnesota, as a student at Carleton College. I’m majoring in English with a minor in public policy, and I’m hoping to go into journalism after I graduate. (So please keep supporting local publications—my future job security depends on it!)

I’m so grateful to be a part of the Racket team this summer, and also excited to spend my summer in the cities! I’ve been less than an hour's drive away for the last few years, but I’ve made tragically few trips up here. To be honest, I’ve been held back by my Illinois license plate—I have a great fear of proving the stereotypes about Illinois drivers correct.

Driving anxiety aside, I plan on making great use of Freeloader Friday listings this summer. I want to meet cool people, go see live music, spend time in nature, and do everything else that I don’t have enough time for during the school year. I’m currently living with my twin brother in St. Paul near Macalester, so if you have suggestions about fun spots in the area (or anywhere in the Twin Cities) for two enterprising 21-year-olds, let me know in the comments!

What else should you know about me? I’m an avid board game player; I collect vintage and antique newspapers and magazines; I still have not fully unpacked my suitcase (maybe I’ll get to that tonight); I love watching bad movies with friends (maybe I’ll do this tonight instead); and I start most mornings with a cup of tea! 

That’s everything I can remember about myself. Say hi and let me know your suggestions or advice in the Open Thread. If you have any story ideas, I'm game to cover just about anything. Or maybe share a good (or hilariously bad) internship story.

Or talk about whatever you want! As Keith would say, “This is your Open Thread after all.”

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