Who is Isabelle Grace Wright? She is a sophomore here at Colby College that works at the Miller Library service desk. She loves tik tok trends, popular music, skiing, and puppies. Well, the “belle” in her name refers to her grandmother’s name, Jacqueline Bell Garrison. She is from a small rural community 3 hours north of Colby called Blaine, Maine. You might have seen some of her family’s potato chips in the chip aisle of your nearest Hannafords. Fox Family potato chips are decorated in a silver and teal bag with red writing. This article is based off of an interview that I conducted with Isabelle myself.
Most memorable pastime in Blaine, Maine: Probably getting to work on my family’s farm for a 3 week break from school called the Harvest Break. We would wake up at 6 in the morning and help harvest the potatoes and I would work with my high school friends and cousins. There are 14 different farms in the town,and my family does have a potato production facility that processes potatoes to make mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, etc.
What exactly is your involvement with your family’s potato farm and company? When I was younger, since my mom worked in the office, I worked in the business side of the company. I spent time doing tasks like putting data into spreadsheets, but as I grew older, I became more involved with the manual labor side of the company. For instance, in the summer, we would go through the fields with about 4 people on a crew and drive the tractor through the fields and pick up rocks that were bigger than softballs and put them in the back of the cart. The rocks would inhibit the potatoes growth, so we had to move them.
Is it true that you are also a part of a Toboggan Team? HAHA yes it is! They are called the Spud Runners, and I am on a sub team from the family called Deedles. It’s with my best friend’s family. They are from Belfast which is right next to Camden where the races are held. At the beginning of their racing career (before I joined them) they ended up getting second place the second year they competed, and they have been doing it ever since.
Is any of you immediate family involved with the team? No, but one time when my friends were visiting me to watch me compete, a team member of ours fell sick and one of my friends stepped into her place. There are typically 3-4 people on the team, and I sit in the back so she sat in the middle. But make no mistake, the entirety of the team is steering, so she definitely wasn’t sitting back and relaxing. As a side note, my team has won the World Toboggan Championship.
On campus, what activities are you and your friends involved in? My friend group is very diverse. Some of them are involved with the lions club, but also ultimate frisbee and SPB. We are all different majors.We don’t all have something we do collectively, but that’s what makes it fun. It gives us the opportunity to see different things around Colby.
If you could give your freshman self some advice about Colby, what would that be? I would tell her to speak more in class and be more involved that way. I would tell her to definitely go to office hours, because the professors at Coby are amazing. Getting to know them better only helps you in classes because they have a more personal way of finding out how to help you where you need it. Also, later on down the road if you need recommendation letters they come in handy.
Photo Courtesy of Isabelle Wright
What is your major? I am a sociology and history double major, but I came to Colby anticipating to be a biochemistry major on the premed track, but decided after three semesters that was not the best choice for my mental health. I had to make that very hard decision, but I found that I have passions within sociology. I am happy I made that change. Do something that will make you happy! My parents were very supportive of my change in career paths, and they were right next to me as I changed my schedule and cancelled all of my previous classes.
Do you think that you will bring back what you learned to the farm? Or will you venture out? Even though both of my parents pursued master’s degrees and brought them back, I definitely see myself going elsewhere and venturing out. It’s a wonderful community, but I do see the benefit of living in other areas with more diverse opportunities that aren’t available where I grew up.
What’s your favorite movie? Mine is soooo basic, but it’s Clueless. I think it’s spunky and timeless.
Photo Courtesy of Isabelle Wright
Who is your favorite music artist right now? Well, my favorite song is “Come Sail Away” by STYX. I also listen to a lot of Lizzo (that was my summer mood) and old Taylor Swift. I don’t really like her new stuff. HOT TAKE HOT TAKE. And then finally, Post Malone. I love to listen to them in the shower and when I am doing homework. I also like to listen to podcasts like “Call Her Daddy” when I am doing homework.
What are you looking forward to for the rest of your time at Colby? I am looking forward to having more freedom now that I’ve left biochemistry behind. I am excited about things like exploring new clubs, meeting more people, going to more events, and creating more memories with my friends!