JP (junior paper). Never have these two letters been the source of so much anxiety, stress, and worry. Coming to Princeton, I knew I would eventually have to face independent work. As a freshman,…

After flying 18 hours from China on the other side of the world and settling into this quaint, small town called Princeton, I found myself face-to-face with culture shock, academically, socially and…

I spent my intersession break much like any other student: Relaxing, getting some sun and hanging out by a lazy river. And by lazy river I mean a river that was FROZEN SOLID…

When I sit up late at night, contemplating how to finish another 150 pages of political philosophy before sleep, and when my already fragile focus is broken by spontaneous grumbling sounds from my…

A few days per week, I set down my problem sets and head to Dillon Gym for ballroom lesson or practice. I started ballroom my very first semester at Princeton, mainly because I once took an…

If you’ve done any poking and prodding into the subculture of Princeton, you’ll know that we like to refer to the Princeton area and campus as the “Orange Bubble.” Image…

What does it mean to “fit in” in a community where everyone is so different? When I came to Princeton, I initially felt apprehension about finding friends I would feel comfortable around. Sure, there…

Tentatively, I step into the classroom. Momentarily blinded by the stark fluorescent lighting, I blink to see staring back at me the nine faces of the students I will be teaching for the next…

A week ago, I was hobbling from University Place to the Mathey Common Room with about 100 samosas precariously balanced in my arms, hoping that I wouldn’t trip or collide with anyone on my way. That…

At 185 Nassau St. stands an old elementary school. At first glance, it is mysterious. If you walk by at night—10 p.m., midnight, or even 3 a.m.—you'll see the lights are always on. Maybe you'll…

I applied early action to Princeton. I was fascinated by the University, and I spent hours pouring myself into reading about Princeton, links opening in tabs like heads of a hydra on my browser. I…

Peer down over the light and let’s go back in time…  On the edge of an island you can see four men at land’s edge near tranquil tan colored waters that parallel slightly lighter tranquil tan…

...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Image I'm out in Singapore now, and I know that even if…

Like all freshman, I was assigned to a Residential College Adviser (RCA) when I came into Princeton. Each RCA is responsible for a group of around 15-20 advisees (“zees”), and the primary role of the…

The night air was chilled not cold, more like a drink with three respectable crackling ice cubes than the Arctic beverages more careless waiters bring filled with more ice than water. Or maybe…

I am currently the academic chair for Wilson College, one of Princeton's six residential colleges, and am responsible for organizing events where students can interact with professors casually and…

I awoke to see the reading room much as I remember it before I rested my head on my crossed arms—that is empty and well lit. My skin burned lightly under my left eye, which had adopted the weave of…

"Thesis bootcamp." Ever since I first heard it, the phrase frightened me. I imagined some sort of drill sergeant in charge of a room full of cowering seniors, shouting orders for them to "Close…

I've written in the past about leaving the "Orange Bubble," which, for those of you who haven't heard the term before, refers to the insular, world-unto-itself atmosphere that tends to muffle…

This past semester, I studied abroad through the Princeton in London program. I took courses at University College London in addition to a Princeton seminar on "Modernist London." I also…

Underclassmen at Princeton live in one of six residential colleges, each with its own distinct identity. Yet perhaps no other college prompts as immediate a reaction as Forbes. It’s a name that…

A few weeks ago, I was a part of a Google Hangout hosted by the Office of Admission (video available, if you’re interested). Because of time constraints, we could only get through about 20 of the top…

Before coming to Princeton, I received an unassuming message asking me to consider a so-called Intergrated Science Curriculum (ISC). The program offered to teach physics, chemistry, biology and…

This semester, my friend Anna and I took ART 212: Neoclassicism through Impressionism with Professor Bridget Alsdorf. It was a great class; we learned about paintings full of prostitutes and…

A year and a half ago, I entered Princeton with illusions of concentrating in the Woodrow Wilson School, where I envisioned spending my days reading white papers, sitting on task forces, and learning…