Reflections on Upperclassmen Housing
Junior year brings many changes — JPs, eating clubs, thinking about the future — but a change that not many discuss is the shift from underclassmen (residential college) housing to upperclassmen…
My IIP in Athens, Greece
In the winter of my junior year, I knew that I wanted to do something special for my last summer internship opportunity at Princeton. Excitedly, I perused the many positions offered as part of…
Seasons of Change
It’s September 1st as I type this. 2:41 PM to be exact — 40,000 feet above the ground, smooth flying on a United flight. For me, this means my annual migration from Texas to the beautiful garden…
Spaces for Identity: Embracing and Celebrating My Cultural Heritage on Campus
As a Nigerian-American from Prince George’s County, Maryland — home to a large community of Nigerians — I spent most of my childhood in spaces where I could embrace and celebrate my cultural identity…
Celebrity Sightings on Campus
One thing that I was perhaps not so prepared for coming to Princeton was the amount of celebrities I would encounter on campus! Whether it be for performances, guest speaker panels, or movie shoots,…
Don't Be Scared of Your Professor
What comes to mind when you think of your professors? Brutal arbitrator of your academic performance and professional future? Source of worry; bearer of your latest discouraging essay comments? …
Socks, Cities and Movie Nights: A Senior Year Bucket List
Senior year is flying by and with midterms approaching, I’m reminded just how fast this semester is moving. Between working on my thesis (which feels like a never-ending list of tasks) and juggling…
Welcoming New Classes: Orientation Traditions
One of my favorite parts about Princeton is how tradition-laden we are as a campus community. Whether it’s our traditions during reading period, or the bonfire held when we beat both Harvard and…
Simulating the US Congress
During my time at Princeton, I’ve taken many engaging classes, but one that truly stands out is Congressional Politics (POL 324). Taught by Professors Lee and Oldham, this course was especially…
Princeton and the Northeast Corridor
As a fifteen year old browsing college options, perhaps the one mistake I did not make was deciding I wanted to move to New Jersey. Growing up in the Midwest (Michigan represent!), most big cities…
A Fall Mood Board
October in New Jersey is signaled by the changing of the leaves to vibrant hues of red and yellow, and the cool air that brings in the fall season. It means leaving your dorm room in the morning…
A Summer in Singapore Through the Streicker International Fellows Program
This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at an aerospace startup in Singapore, through the Streicker Fellowship, which supports students in pursuing self-sourced internships…
A Mid-Semester Check-In
October has been full of some exciting times. The second month of the semester always proves to be my favorite: everyone seems to be getting back into the bustle of things, the seasons are changing,…
FALLing In Love With Princeton
In my time at Princeton, I have come to love and appreciate a lot of things orange and black. This has no limits, as it is hard to find something about this school that I do not like. From the…
Getting Out: On Comfort Zones–and What Lays Beyond Them.
Last weekend, I drove more miles in a single day than I’ve driven in my whole life leading up to that point. Image…
My Top Thesis Tips
The senior thesis can be a daunting project for incoming students, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Having two months of my senior year under my belt, I have compiled my top tips for getting…
Pumpkin Spice and Problem Sets: Finding Balance in a Busy Semester
For someone coming from Barcelona, fall at Princeton is like stepping into a postcard. The campus is surrounded by red and golden leaves, cozy corners for studying appear everywhere, and there’s an…
How to Challenge SAD
SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, hit me my first semester at Princeton. Now it is a frequent friend I embrace once a year. Coming from California, where the sun never stops shining,…
Justin Parsons
Justin Parsons is an associate dean focused on international recruitment and selection. Originally from Ohio, he received his B.A. in international relations and diplomacy from Ohio State University…
Notes From the Road as an International Admission Officer
Each recruitment season I have the privilege of traveling internationally to visit students, parents, and counselors to talk about the Princeton experience and try to demystify the application…
Expressing Gratitude
With the holidays approaching, I've been thinking a lot about home. As a first-year student immensely new to campus, the holidays and the breaks that came with them were a refuge from the Princeton…
Giving Thanks to Princeton's Precept System
Inspired by the tutorial systems of the University of Oxford and Cambridge, University President Woodrow Wilson implemented the notion of a “precept” in 1905. The precept is basically a fancy word…