During the summer before my first year, I was afraid of not finding my own community on campus. However, my fears were subdued when I realized Princeton does a great job of introducing you to students from different cultures and backgrounds. From the friends I made during first-year orientation, to those I lived with in Israel during a summer program, these friendships have carried me through Princeton. Everyone here is smart, motivated, and has something special that drives them. I am inspired by my friends on a daily basis and it's nice to have peers around you who are going through the same struggles and experiences.
Princeton is a great place to nurture friendships because of the tight-knit community and small undergraduate population. Whenever I go to the dining hall or walk around campus, I am always greeted by familiar faces and people I know. There are many avenues through which you can meet new people, such as joining a club or creating a study group for a class. There are also countless activities to do with friends, like the weekly free movie showing at the Garden Theater, or grabbing a coffee at the student-run coffee club, The Coffee Club.
My message to prospective students is to cherish the friendships you will make. These will be the people that make your Princeton experience. I wish I could go back in time and change those moments in which I decided to stay in to finish a paper instead of going out with my friends. The problem sets will get done, the papers will get written, but the memories with friends that will last a long time are waiting for you.