Princeton is often collectively referred to as the Orange Bubble — a colloquial term for the cozy, safe, and tiny Princeton neighborhood. Our campus is not always as bustling as our neighboring schools in the city, and although I always feel quite fond of our homey Orange Bubble, sometimes, the Princeton community can feel too small. We, as students, tend to frequent the same local businesses and sites until we've exhausted them; we often see the same people. Thus, our little community can sometime feel a bit stifling — especially in the middle of high-stakes semesters. However, the thing that no one really tells you is that there is indeed a world beyond the Orange Bubble. And that world is always available to you.

Over the last two academic years, I've devoted myself to exploring opportunities outside the Orange Bubble. This was apparent last fall when my friends and I visited Drexel University in Philadelphia for their annual "Nollywood" party. This party celebrates Nigerian cultural heritage and brings together Nigerian students from schools across the tri-state area. This was one of my first times attending a social event outside of the Princeton ecosystem. I got to visit my cousins who attend Drexel and even made new Nigerian friends who were enthusiastic about collaborating with Princeton's many affinity groups. It reminded me that my community is not just limited to Princeton — there are so many nearby academic institutions and like-minded students at my fingertips.

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In addition to visiting other local universities, I often enjoy trips to New York City to see art shows. The Lewis Center for the Arts — Princeton's center for most arts-related academics — frequently provides a bounty of free opportunities to see theatrical performances in the city. This has always been highly beneficial to me, given that theater is one of my greatest passions at Princeton. Most excitingly, I saw a preview show of Princeton alum Brandon Jacob-Jenkins's play Appropriate last winter. One of my professors designed the show's lighting and was thrilled to host us in the city. It was a truly amazing night of theater. Sitting with my theater friends, watching a work made by someone once in our shoes, was a surreal experience.

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Most recently, Princeton's Office of Undergraduate Research helped fund an opportunity for my friends and me to attend Howard University's 2025 African Indigenous Knowledge and Languages International Conference. This was a conference my peers and I had longed to attend, given our academic interests in African Studies and indigenous African languages. Howard University is known as a large hub for this kind of research, so participating in this event was a dream come true. After a three-hour Amtrak ride, we found ourselves in the middle of D.C., forming unforgettable memories. Since D.C. is my hometown, I could take my friends to some of the sites and spaces I adored as a child. I also visited local family and friends — which provided a nice break from the mid-semester stress — while engaging in stimulating conversations during the various panels I attended at Howard. At the end of that weekend, I found myself full of gratitude for the opportunities Princeton provides for me to navigate my academic interests beyond the boundaries of our campus. I also felt immensely grateful to be able to share my hometown with my beloved Princeton friends.

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Princeton can feel small, but the world outside of it is big and the university offers many opportunities for students to explore the big world beyond our campus. I look forward to continuing to take advantage of these opportunities as I pursue my studies.

When I was a Freshman, everything at Princeton was exciting. There were always activities to do, places to go, and events being held. But by the time Sophomore year rolled around, the novelty wore off and I found myself constantly escaping to New York City. 

Despite my love for the school, I quickly found that there wasn’t much to do in the immediate area. I would frequent the same three coffee shops, cycle through the same six study spots, and end up back where I started: bored. Three coffee shops expanded to four, and six study spots expanded to eight, but still, there was nothing new, exciting, or anything to look forward to for the weekend.

Spoiler alert: there still isn’t much to do, but in my attempt to combat boredom, I found some not-so-hidden gems that I try to take advantage of whenever I feel that inkling to flee. Here are some of those gems:

1. The Graduate Hotel: Nested next to Sakrid Coffee Roasters, the Graduate Hotel has been a relatively new study spot that I enjoy spending time at whenever I want to feel the quintessential - dare I say - Princeton experience. 
2. Belle Journée: Located across from the Graduate Hotel is a new bakery offering iconic twists on classic pastries. From cookie croissants to coffee buns, the bakery presents exciting options when I’m craving a classic study-break but don’t want to frequent my usual croissant and coffee suppliers.
3. Jazams: Though Jazams has been around for quite some time, I’ve recently found myself obsessed with board games. Every now and then, I’ll host a game night with friends, which not only is a nice reprieve from studying, but also is a relatively easy way to try new activities. We’ll have beverages, snacks, and occasionally play some music in the background and it’s always a fun time.
4. New College West’s ceramics studio: Though only open to students, the ceramics studio is a great way to pass some time. Despite lacking skill in pottery, trying to create new dishes and trinkets in the ceramics studio is a good way to teach myself how to be more creative. Plus, I get to leave with a keepsake. 
5. Hoagie Mail: Though not a place, Hoagie Mail is a gem that has helped me combat the depths of my boredom when I’ve exhausted all else. There are always sales of some kind and it is interesting to see what I can find on rare occasions. From printers to lamps, to sweaters to shoes, you’ll never know what people are selling, and it offers a nice opportunity to find something new. 

Though sometimes it may feel like there might not be much to do, there is always something happening – even if you have to dig for that gem. These are the few that I’ve managed to find, but if you have any others, please feel free to send me an email so I can add them to my list. (Seriously, please).

     Ever since I was admitted to Princeton, I have felt so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to attend such an amazing institution. When I first got in, I remember thinking: what will Princeton do for me? It has taken a while for me to realize this, but that train of thought was so wrong; I should have been thinking, what can I do for Princeton? The magic in Princeton is not the place, academics, or even resources, but the people who utilize these tools to move the world forward. Princeton isn't a place, it's a people. After all, a place cannot be “In the Nation's Service and the Service of Humanity,” only a people can be.

     I bring up this point to shed light on the importance of perspective in understanding the value in being a part of certain communities. At the end of the day, communities are defined by the people who make them up, not the place or anything else. Sure these other factors can influence the people and their way of life, but like I said, at the end of the day, the common denominator across communities is people. This distinction is important because it gives power to you - you can be the difference that you want to see in this world, regardless of what hand you're dealt.

     I’ve come to this realization after having the privilege of visiting my old high school and speaking with a few classes of students. I was in their shoes four years ago, so I knew exactly what they were thinking - ‘Hooray! We get to skip actual class today and listen to our classmate’s brother talk about college.’ While I knew this is what they were thinking, I hope that I was able to get through to some of them and provide some good advice about college. On a more subliminal level, I wanted to inspire them to take a simple message away: make the most of every situation. Many of them will go on to college, so I told them, 1. it doesn't matter where you go but what you do once you're there, and 2. if you don't try the answer will always be a no automatically. I believe this advice applies to anyone and everyone.

     The link between this realization and the broader understanding of Princeton being a people is that people (aka you) are in charge of moving the world forward. It took me a while to realize that an extractive mentality isn't the most productive; instead, to get the most out of a situation, you must give back to those who have helped you get there (including yourself). Change and opportunity do not begin when someone else gives them to you, they begin with you. For me, asking what I can do for Princeton has led me to helping deliver on the informal motto of being “In the Nation's Service and the Service of Humanity,” and I still have a long way to go since this is a lifelong journey. For you, ask not what the world can do for you, but what you can do for the world. 
 

Touring with the Triangle Club was nothing short of an adventure. The Triangle Club is Princeton's oldest touring musical comedy group, in which students write, compose, and perform an original musical from scratch each year. This year’s show, Pageant Pending, debuted in McCarter Theatre during the fall semester, and as tradition holds, we took it on the road before returning for the spring semester. Over the course of our journey, we brought our show to audiences in Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Millburn, experiencing the thrill of performing in new spaces while also immersing ourselves in cities I had never explored before.

As a member of the pit orchestra, I quickly learned the art of adaptation. Every venue posed a new challenge—sometimes we played on stage, other times we were fully backstage, and occasionally we were in an entirely separate room, relying on monitors and headsets to stay in sync with the performers. It was exhilarating to adjust on the fly, knowing that each night would bring a slightly different performance experience.

Beyond the music, what made this tour truly unforgettable was the camaraderie. Spending time with people from all sides of Triangle—cast, crew, pit, and tech—allowed me to form friendships I never would have made otherwise. Whether we were unloading and reloading the truck with all of our sets, costumes, and equipment before and after every show, or simply passing time on the bus, the teamwork and support among us made the long days fun and exciting.

Another highlight of the tour was staying with Princeton alumni overnight in different cities. Not only did it provide a great opportunity to connect with past Tigers and hear about their experiences, but it also brought our group closer together as we shared stories and late-night conversations in unfamiliar yet welcoming homes.

Of course, no tour is without its challenges. One particularly memorable moment was being stuck in traffic for three hours—a test of patience that turned into an impromptu bonding session filled with music, snacks, and ridiculous conversations. And speaking of snacks, the discovery of Buc-ee’s was a game-changer. I had heard about the legendary Texas-based travel stop before, but stepping inside for the first time was like entering a world of endless road trip fuel, from brisket sandwiches to walls of snacks and souvenirs.

This tour wasn’t just about performing; it was about experiencing new places, overcoming unexpected obstacles, and forging friendships that will last far beyond our final curtain call. From the excitement of stepping onto a new stage each night to the simple joy of exploring a new city with friends, the Triangle Club tour was an experience I’ll always cherish.

At Princeton, Wintersession is a time to explore new hobbies, academic interests, or career aspirations on campus during the end of the winter break period. This winter, I had planned to return to campus a week before classes resumed, to give myself some time to focus on my senior thesis. Looking to fill my schedule with some much-needed study breaks, I perused the Wintersession offerings until one event captured my full attention: “Create Your Own Chess Board!”

On a cold Wednesday morning, I made my way over to the Princeton Facilities Carpentry Shop, excited for the day of crafting that lay ahead of me. Our instructor, Jim, kicked off the event with a tour of Princeton’s carpentry shop, showing us the equipment and ongoing projects. He explained his work as a carpenter, which includes tasks such as repairing broken legs from dining hall chairs and custom building retirement presents for his colleagues. 

Once the tour had concluded, it was time to start constructing our chessboards. We started by building the frame from the board, using hammers to nail the wooden pieces together. Next, it was time to select the pieces of wood that we wanted to use for the individual squares. This was the most special part of the entire process, as Jim explained to us that all the wood we would be using came from cherry and willow trees on Princeton’s campus. We inspected pre-cut slabs of wood for desirable coloring and grain patterns, before assembling the wood and gluing it into our frames. We left the glue to dry overnight and returned the next afternoon.

On Thursday, we put the final touches on our chess boards. I used about three layers of wood varnish to give my chessboard a shiny, glossy finish. It was remarkable to see just how much the color changed after the varnish was applied! While waiting for the coats to dry, Jim gave us demonstrations of each of the saws in the Carpentry Shop, and gave us miniature wooden versions of the Princeton crest that he had made in preparation for our last visit. After 2 days and 6 hours of work, my beloved chess board was finally ready to take home!

Altogether, I will cherish this as one of my most special experiences at Princeton. As a senior, this last semester already feels so bittersweet, and I have found myself eager to hold onto mementos before my time at Princeton comes to an end. Knowing that I made this chessboard from trees that grew on campus makes me feel like I am taking a small part of campus with me wherever I bring it. I will cherish it forever!

As hard as it is for me to believe, I’m somehow almost halfway through my last semester at Princeton. Time has flown by! The past 3 ½ years have been full of great friends and even better memories. Yet, there’s still so much on campus that I haven’t been able to do. With the countdown to Commencement starting, I’ve been ruminating a lot on what things I want to see, do, and experience before I graduate. I present to you: my Princeton Senior Spring Bucket List…

1) Eat at the Graduate College (and maybe climb to the top of the tower!)

Although it’s only a short walk across Alexander Street, I’ve never visited our esteemed Graduate College. As undergraduates, we actually do have access to eat meals in their dining hall, which I heard has some pretty awesome architecture (think Hogwarts Great Hall) and delicious food, too. Students have also been able to climb the stairs all the way up to the top of the Graduate College’s Cleveland Tower, where you can get a gorgeous view of the whole campus.

2) See the Danny DeVito Shrine

I’m not kidding. This is 100% legit. There’s apparently a shrine to legendary actor Danny DeVito hidden in the basement of ***** Hall, and I intend to see it before I leave this campus.

3) Walk the towpath

I’ll blame the fact that I’m not much of an outdoors runner for why I haven’t made it to this one yet. It’s true a lot of people usually like to do their morning jogs on the towpath, which runs alongside our beautiful Lake Carnegie. Once the weather gets a bit warmer, I’ll definitely be making my way out there soon with my friends—maybe not for a run, but a leisurely stroll!

4) Use the waffle maker in Choi Dining Hall

I know this one seems silly, but I’ve always wanted to use the waffle maker in Choi Dining Hall. Every time I’m at Saturday or Sunday brunch, I haven’t seemed to make my way over there. But I’m determined to before I graduate and hopefully finally understand all the waffle hype.

5) Take a class at the NCW ceramic studio

This is one that my friends and I have talked about since our first year here. The ceramic studio at our residential college home of New College West has free workshops, open studios, and study breaks that all students can attend. There are both professional and student instructors there, who provide a comfortable environment and are always happy to teach artists of all levels. Though I’ve never made pottery before, I can’t wait to try my hand at it!

6) Go to an Arch Sing

Given how many talented acapella groups we have at Princeton and how many Arch Sings they host over the course of a school year, I can’t believe this one is still on my list! For those who are not familiar, Arch Sings are when the various acapella groups gather in one of our campus arches—usually our famous Blair Arch—and perform a few songs. Besides it being just a cool visual to be surrounded by all the gothic architecture as you listen, the acoustics in the arches also make the experience that much more magical.

This list is still a work in progress, and I’m sure many things will be added between now and Commencement. But to all the prospective students reading this, take my advice once you’re on campus: savor it! Take advantage of every place, tradition, and activity here—even the silly stuff. Because before you know it, you’ll be a nostalgic senior like me, trying to soak in all that Princeton has to offer before I walk back through those FitzRandolph Gates!
 

Recently, we have been getting regular snowfalls in Princeton. From what I have heard from my Garden-State friends, this much snow is not a very common occurrence. Anytime I see snow falling on campus, I either glue myself to a window or go outside for a walk, hoping the snow will never cease and taking way too many pictures.

The other day, as I was admiring my amazing pictures of the snow, I decided to scroll back a few months to appreciate some of the scenic moments I had captured from last semester. Upon reaching October and November, I immediately found myself entranced by the red, yellow, and orange leaves along Cannon Green. Once I got to August and September, I could not help but feel a sense of nostalgia as I marveled at how green and lively campus was, reminiscing on orientation week and FDOC, or First Day of Class. 

Reflecting on these photos helped me realize a common truth that is too often overlooked: seasons always change. Life is a mosaic of seasons (I know… another “mosaic metaphor” reference): one piece is a season of happiness, another is a season of hardship, another is a season of exploration, and so on and so on. Some pieces seem better than others, but the beauty at the heart of every mosaic is all its different intricacies. If a mosaic was composed of just one piece, then it would not be a mosaic; if we only ever experienced one type of season, we would never gain appreciation for the beautiful mess that is life. We must endure difficult seasons to truly appreciate the goodness that stems from uplifting ones. Likewise, we must remember the goodness of uplifting seasons when we are met with difficult ones, knowing there is always a better day right around the corner. 

Right now, I am sure many of you are in the season of waiting. Waiting to hear back from colleges; waiting to see what the next phase of your life will look like. I was there a year ago, and let me just say, I completely understand how you are feeling. And let me also say, everything is going to be okay. 

Though this season of waiting may feel endless, know that decision day will finally arrive, and soon enough, you will be looking back and wishing time would slow down. No matter the emotions you are currently experiencing or the decision that pops up that day, just know that you are loved, you are important, and that in the end, everything is going to be okay. 

I am sure you are probably thinking, “Of course this boy thinks everything is going to be okay. He got into Princeton!” I know it sounds cliché, but truly, when I tell you everything is going to be okay, I mean it and know it wholeheartedly. 

Life has a funny way of working out. As long as you keep your head up, put one foot in front of the other, remain determined, and have even the smallest amount of faith, you can do more than you ever thought possible. I am rooting for you!

All this to say, as you look outside and see the leaves change, the snow fall, or the earliest sights of spring start to bloom, remember that the seasons of life always change and you are going to be okay. 

As a South Carolinian, I can proudly say I do not have too much experience with the snow. On one or two rare occasions growing up, I was able to make an actual snowman, or one that was as tall as me. Other than that, though, I could count on two hands the number of times I had seen snow before arriving at Princeton. 

When I officially decided to come to Princeton, one of the many reasons backing up my decision was the chance of me regularly seeing snow… real snow. Coming from the South, I had always pictured the Northeast getting inches and inches of snow every single winter, with snowflakes falling around every corner and the aesthetics of all the classic Christmas movies. So, of course, I was beyond excited for the opportunity to experience some amazing snowfalls upon enrolling. 

Before returning from winter break, I heard news that Princeton had just gotten a huge snowfall, admiring pictures of campus’s winter wonderland. Blair Arch was adorned with crystals of snow, and there was a shimmering frosty blanket covering Cannon Green. As I made my way back to “Old Nassau” a week later, I was just hoping there would be some inches of snow left for me to see!

Well, I can assure you I was not disappointed. Right when I set foot back on campus, I was immediately taken away by the beauty of the snow paired with the beauty of Princeton — and was slapped in the face by a blast of cold air! Even though it was around nine o’clock at night and I had a duffel bag, suitcase, and backpack I was lugging around, I just had to walk around campus and embrace all its wintry feelings, having seldom seen anything like this at home. 

With all my belongings with me, I walked over to McCosh Courtyard, East Pyne, and of course, Nassau Hall. Everything was so serene, and as ironic and corny as it sounds, though my hands were freezing from taking so many pictures, I felt so warm. 

As I stood in front of Nassau Hall, with its lights and ivy leaves and the ocean of snow surrounding it, I was simply overwhelmed with gratitude. Reflecting on my journey up to that moment, all I could do was give thanks to the Lord for allowing me to come to this beautiful school. 

And the best part is that even when all the snow melts away, Princeton will still be beautiful, not just because of its naturally stunning architecture, but because of its people. The people I have met here truly are and will always be the most beautiful aspects of this school to me. In fact, as I gathered my belongings and started making my way to my dorm from Nassau Hall, I saw one of my closest friends heading toward Nassau Street. Having not seen each other in over a month, we gave each other a big hug. A friendship like that will always be more beautiful to me than any snowy landscape — but the snow is always a nice sight to see!

Needless to say, I am very grateful for my first snowfall at Princeton and all the different forms of beauty this school radiates, and I know there is snow much more to come!