Princeton is known for having a strong alumni network, but prior to matriculating, I wasn’t quite sure what that would mean — I had vague impressions of reunions held on Princeton’s campus every year, and met some alumni from the Richmond, Virginia area when I was accepted, but it wasn’t until this semester that I began to experience first hand the sorts of ways that alumni connect with students.

As a member of the University Press Club, a group of freelance journalists on Princeton’s campus, I met some of the alumni for the first time last spring, when we had our biannual board meeting. This meeting provides board members (all of them former Press Club members themselves) a summary of club activities and updates from the past semester. I was incredibly nervous prior to loading into the Zoom room as our board includes editors for the Washington Post and New York Times, CEOs, authors and more. I felt a little out of place, having only written for a handful of publications before my first semester with the club.

And I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what became clear as the board meeting began was that each board member cared deeply about the present and future of the Press Club. Although they had all left the club in member capacity when they graduated Princeton, it still obviously occupied space in their hearts and minds, and they listened intently to what club members had to say and gave insightful and varied feedback and suggestions. During a normal semester, I’m told that the Press Club gathers with board members in a physical conference room in New York City, but even without this formality, there was a gravity and intensity in the Zoom room that was welcome and comforting — we, the current club members, weren’t alone in our pursuit of journalism.

This semester, in addition to the regular board meeting, we have been joined by a board member or other alumni every other week to discuss their careers and bounce story ideas off of them. It’s injected new energy into our weekly meetings — it’s always good to have a fresh mind to generate ideas for what to write about — and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know some of the Press Club alumni and hearing about the different paths they took after graduating.

The Press Club is small, with usually under fifteen active members, so feeling like we have a whole alumni network behind us means a lot. While my future is still uncertain, journalism or some career in writing looms intimidatingly large on the horizon. It’s nice to meet some of the people who have similar interests as I do, chat with them about their career paths, get advice about the changing landscape of the field, but above all, it’s nice to have their support and interest as the Press Club continues to grow and change. It’s comforting to know that the people who were in my place in years past haven’t just left the club and Princeton behind; rather, they keep on cultivating the group that meant so much to them.

Members of Princeton’s Class of 2022 have had an up-and-down, unconventional time during these past four years. But I count myself very lucky to have experienced not just one, but two, of Princeton’s most unpredictable and unforgettable traditions: the bonfire, which happens only if our football team defeats both Harvard and Yale in one season.

In the late fall of 2018, and again just this month, all of campus gathered in front of Morrison Hall for a bonfire that reached high into the night sky. 

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This year, I found myself staring at the high, bare branches of a particular tree, lit brightly against the dark sky by the orange glow of the bonfire. I remembered looking at the same tree three years ago as a first-year. Now, in the same place and warmed by that same heat, I didn’t even have to close my eyes to imagine that it was 2018, that the majority of my time at Princeton still stretched ahead of me. 

The crowd, rowdy and calling for the flames before the fire had begun, seemed to quiet as the bonfire crackled, its sparks catching high into the wind. On one side of the green, the Greek pillars of Whig and Clio were lit orange - all other light came from the growing fire, illuminating our faces and protecting us from the November chill. 

Sustained on wood pallets assembled and painted by each class the same afternoon, the flames stretched as tall as the trees, as if they were trying to ring the bell atop Nassau Hall. The crowd cheered as wooden pallets cracked and fell as they were consumed. Within our orange bubble, everything touched by night was lit bright as day.

The fire remained strong for more than an hour before it began to diminish. I felt that I had been there only a minute since it first began.  

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Princeton was the last stop on my college tour. This was not intentional by any means, it just so happened that I circled by Princeton last before heading to the airport. In retrospect, had I visited Princeton first, I do not doubt that the rest of the college tour would have been for naught because everything else faded in my memory as soon as I stepped foot in the Orange Bubble. 

I visited in the summer when Princeton is quieter, serene and as gorgeous as ever. There is something about the empty walkways and buildings that both intimidate and invite you in, and as a high school sophomore, I could see myself at Princeton, walking (or running, as I often do now) to class, weaving my way through the residential colleges in search of new study places (of which there are plenty), or sitting at a bench outside stealing a moment to myself in the midst of organized chaos. 

Now, speaking to you as a student who was lucky enough to be admitted, the beauty of Princeton extends beyond its exterior. To begin, there is also never a ‘standard,’ or ‘average’ day here. I might wake up expecting to attend my 3-hour seminar in a classroom, but instead spend the class time sitting outside with my classmates and professor discussing politics. I’ll think I’m spending the night eating dinner with my friends but instead find myself wading in the SPIA fountain on a whim and meeting so many new people. The opportunities and paths are endless here on a day-to-day basis, and they become even more varied the more time you spend here. 

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I also love Princeton for the people and how genuine they are. Even before I had committed to the University, Professor Ksenia Chizhova from the East Asian Studies department reached out to me to arrange a Skype call to talk about my interests and how I could pursue them at Princeton. She assured me of the attention I would receive from the professors and people here, and after I arrived, I saw how true this was. The professors are so attentive, friendly and care about their students. My professor for a course called “China’s Frontiers”  sent me a feedback email after the first class, complimenting me on points I brought up during the discussion. 

I also learn a lot from my classmates, who are inspirational in their drive and work ethic, their commitment to social causes and extracurriculars outside of class, and their willingness to lend a helping hand. Everyone here has an interesting story to tell, and my friends range from environmental engineers to future politicians. As someone who is greatly influenced by the environment I am in, I believe there is no other place where you will be able to become the best version of yourself than Princeton. So take the chance, and join our Princeton community! There is a place for you here.

My best friend introduced me to Chancellor Green Library during our first few weeks on campus.  We quickly bonded over our love of this peaceful rotunda. The library often teems with busy students, including me.  Something about the beautiful atmosphere makes my stress dissipate, at least a little.

Chancellor Green, while a library in name, does not have a circulation desk. There are shelves full of the most random collection of novels and nonfiction books. I’ve seen everything from Toni Morrison’s "Tar Baby", to an outdated guide to getting into law school, to Professor Keith Whittington’s "Speak Freely", the book about free speech chosen by President Eisgruber for everyone in my class year to read before our first semester.

The library contains four oversized brown leather chairs with matching ottomans that are by far the most comfortable chairs I’ve ever sat in. My favorite chair is the one with the best view of the entrance and the stairs leading up to the top level. This makes it easy to spot other friends who also gravitate towards this study space.

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The only noises to be heard in this peaceful abode are the whir of the air conditioner and the occasional whispers. The quietness makes it a productive place to complete my assignments. Full conversations are not exactly tolerated here. Most of the time this holds true, except one afternoon when there was an opera rehearsal while I was trying to study. There are lots of events in Chancellor Green because it is such a beautiful place.

Chancellor Green is also a prime napping location. There have been countless times I’ve come here looking for a seat only to find the comfy chairs taken by students fast asleep. Several times, I entered the library only to find a student napping in my favorite chair. When they got up, someone else sat down and promptly fell asleep.

Words cannot fully describe the magnificence of Chancellor Green. I am already dreading the days post-Princeton when I can no longer sink into my favorite chair and think about how lucky I am to be here.

I’m a bit obsessed with the holiday season...catch me on #holidaytok for sure. My family puts up our Christmas tree immediately after Halloween (November 1, to be specific). During that first week, all of the fall decor comes down and the holiday decor goes up: snowflake gels pressed onto the windows, gold lights strung across the trees, toy reindeer and “let it snow” signs stacked on the kitchen island. After we connect our holiday music to the house sound system, we’ve basically transformed into the North Pole in the middle of N.J. 

Given how whole-heartedly we celebrate the holidays at home, when I was a first-year at Princeton, I remember missing the rush to decorate and sing Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me.” It felt strange to not set up a tree after Halloween, and I started longing for spaces where I could get into the holiday spirit. Over the past few years, I’ve found many ways to satisfy my Christmas music cravings and decor instincts. If you’re also on #holidaytok, check out some of the ways that I like to celebrate at Princeton throughout November and December!

Mini Tree 

It’s a pink Christmas! This year, I bought a 4-foot pink tree to decorate in my dorm room. It was super easy to set up and a quick find on Amazon. I used a bunch of my ornaments from home so that I could feel like I was in my own house around the holidays. I plan to put all of my gifts for friends and family before break under the tree so it’ll be extra festive. 

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PSEC’s WinterFest

As a Program Chair of the Princeton Student Events Committee (PSEC), I’m involved in planning school-wide events that function as study breaks and fun outings with friends. One of our annual events is WinterFest, where you can make holiday stuffed animals and winter crafts, take photos with winter backdrops, and eat yummy food like pies, latkes, cheesecake bites and so much more. It’s literally a huge food buffet in the middle of Frist Campus Center.

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Starbucks Holiday Drinks

While there are a ton of places to get coffee on campus, I can’t resist the Starbucks holiday drinks. And since we’re lucky to have a Starbucks right on Nassau Street (literally right across the street from campus), I’ll often pop in for something festive. 

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Palmer Square Lights & Tree

Every year, Palmer Square (a shopping & dining area walking distance from campus) decorates one of their biggest trees with beautiful rainbow lights. It’s a tradition to take photos in front of the tree! The whole surrounding area is also decorated with tons of gold lights that always remind me of the ones my family has at home. 

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Cannon Club Tree Decorating 

My eating club Cannon also has its own holiday events and food. I especially love decorating the tree-- if you couldn’t tell by now, I’m really into Christmas trees. We drink hot chocolate, eat cookies and blast holiday music together. 

Cheer Holiday Practice 

Princeton Cheer always has its own holiday practice, where we dress up in holiday outfits and play fun games. Typically our coach will bring hot chocolate and desserts, and we’ll split up into teams to compete in a bunch of challenges. 

Secret Santas 

Secret Santas are one of my favorite parts about being on campus during December. My family never did Secret Santas growing up, so this is a bit of a new tradition I’ve started at Princeton. Each year I participate/organize multiple Secret Santas with clubs and teams that I’m a part of. It’s so fun to meet up with friends and exchange presents. 

Not only does Princeton look absolutely magical in the snow, but it has a lot to offer when it comes to all things winter and holidays. Of course, I look forward to winter break at home with my family, but I now get equally excited for the holiday season at school! 

At Princeton, life is busy. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has spoken to one of the five thousand undergraduates who call this chilly part of New Jersey home — this is a campus where students are known to hang out at a dining hall much past midnight, sipping coffee and finishing assignments, where many need an electric scooter, bike or skateboard to get from one lecture to another in time, where students schedule things like “Coffee with Grady” in their Google Calendar to ensure that they can fit in their social obligations alongside their academic and extracurricular ones.

There is something exciting about the bustle, to be sure, but this campus can be a tiring place. On the first day of November, I took the chance to slow down with the Religious Life Council, a project of the Office of Religious Life (ORL), for a talk on “Scholarship as a Contemplative Practice.” Contemplation — a key part of existence that I find easy to forget in college, when everything can feel so fast-paced and objective-focused.

The Office of Religious Life is located at Murray-Dodge Hall, one of my favorite buildings on campus — not least of which because of its open-daily cafe which offers free tea and cookies, its beautiful redbrown archways and the Joni Mitchell quote inscribed on a table in the quiet inner courtyard. The talk on contemplation was here, and as ever, when I entered Murray-Dodge, I felt a little calmer.

The ORL is always full with tea, conversation and friends old and new, and this night was no different. After a quick dinner and chat, we — students, faculty, staff and other members of the Princeton community — filed into a room where we unstacked and lined up chairs in a semi-circle facing the three professors who were there to talk. Although I no longer would describe myself as religious (which isn’t as uncommon as one might think at the ORL), this tradition reminded me fondly of the past: unstacking and restacking folding chairs at the United Methodist church I attended growing up.

Professors Ruha Benjamin, Yair Mintzker and Michael Hecht talked for a half hour about their experiences melding the contemplative and the scholastic; about focusing on research as a thing in itself to be prized, rather than to advance yourself and your career; about placing yourself in the narrative that your work produces; about the comfortable analogues between religion and science. Professor Benjamin described her experience in graduate school, when she had to work hard to ensure that what she was doing was actually connected to the real world and its real people. (Of course, they spoke about many other things as well, but I don’t feel well equipped enough to reconstruct their comments here faithfully.)

The talk was a welcome distraction from the work I left safely in my dorm room. For an hour and change, I thought deeply about something that was completely divorced from my various classes in semantic theory, philosophy of race and the italian subjunctive; I thought deeply about myself and my relation to this place called Princeton and all the demands that attending college anywhere places on a person. There is always time to take a break from strenuous, narrowly-focused work — there is always time to let the mind wander and think about other things — there is always time to close the textbooks. I carve out time to do this wherever I can; attending talks, screenings or readings that have nothing to do with a class I’m taking or something I want to major in. There is always time to be enriched by other things.

“Please evacuate the stadium,” exclaimed the announcer. “We ask that everybody leaves the stadium now due to lightning.” 

Ready to welcome the Princeton football team onto the field, we watched as the sea of orange and black in the stands got thinner and thinner. The sky grew darker and that’s when we heard the first loud clash of thunder. We stopped shaking our pom poms and followed our coach into the tunnel within the stadium, just beating the downpour of rain by a second or two. And then we waited. Everyone waited: the Princeton and Yale football teams, their families, the Princeton band, students, staff, faculty and Princeton Cheer.

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I can’t say this is how I imagined cheering at my last Princeton football game to go: playing hand-clapping games of concentration and slide in the tunnel and huddling for warmth as the rain continued to fall. At one point, all I wanted was to head back to my dorm, grab a hot chocolate and watch Schitt’s Creek in bed. But an hour or so went by and the sun peeked out. The teams started warming up again and we joined them on the field. Nobody’s going to watch the game after waiting all this time, I thought as I stared out onto the empty stands. But over the next 15 minutes, the sea of orange and black gradually returned. At first just a few clusters, then larger groups, then an entire crowd with creative signs, Tiger ears and waving hands. 

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It was still cold and even a bit rainy, but somehow that didn’t matter anymore as I looked up at the crowd. During the second quarter, Princeton Cheer performed a dance on the field and at the end, the seniors got recognized by the announcer. When my name was called, I waved to the crowd, standing side by side with my teammates, and felt incredibly thankful to call this place my home. As Princeton led Yale into the last quarter of the game, the crowd started chanting “Bonfire! Bonfire! Bonfire!” It’s a tradition that if we beat Harvard and Yale in football, we get a bonfire on campus. We already won against Harvard at the homecoming game, so all we had to do was finish out this quarter strong to secure our bonfire, something we haven’t had since my first year at Princeton. 

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When the clock ran out, the score was 35-20 Princeton. The crowd stormed the field to congratulate the team, jumping over the railings of the stands in excitement. I hugged my teammates and met up with my family and boyfriend who all came to watch the game. Yes, it was not the game I imagined, but it was exactly what was meant to be. I can’t wait for the bonfire!

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Stepping foot on Princeton’s campus for the first time as a first-year can be an intimidating process as you’re met with new lingo (What is a prox? Are P-sets different from precepts?), beautiful looming gothic architecture, and a myriad of brilliant people from all walks of life. 

For me and other international students, it was paired with the added challenge of attending university away from our home countries, and beginning our journey largely alone. 

Due to COVID-19, international students in the class of 2024 did not get the traditional International Orientation experience, a 3-day program where they are given the chance to acclimate to Princeton’s campus and the United States before the rest of the first years arrive. 

As a result, I was afraid that I was insufficiently prepared for what Princeton life entailed. I remember sitting in my dorm room on the first night, jetlagged from a 14-hour flight and feeling homesick already, wondering if and when this place would feel like home. 

It took only a few days for me to realize my worries were for naught, as not only was everyone incredibly friendly and welcoming, but I luckily had a strong international community at my disposal to help ease the transition. 

The hub of Princeton’s international community is the Davis International Center, where students can find resources ranging from a ‘Guide to Living in Princeton’ to information to help with Immigration. The Davis IC held weekly events all through the year such as Bingo Night, Cake Baking, and Immigration Sessions for work authorization. In addition to more administrative tasks, the Davis IC also has undergraduate student leaders who are there to help with programming for the international community at large. 

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The virtual International Orientation hosted by the Davis IC leaders early on in my first year led me to meet some of my first (and closest) friends at Princeton, and the weekly study breaks I had with my International Orientation group throughout the semester allowed me to connect with people from all across the globe. The community was close-knit and strong, in addition to being some of the most enthusiastic people I have had the pleasure of meeting. 

The international community helped me realize the emotions I felt as an international student were not isolating, and I welcomed the consistent presence of Princeton’s international community during an uncertain academic year. 

Towards the end of my first year, I applied to be an IC leader myself, as I wanted to contribute to taking the pressure off of future international students at Princeton by becoming their sounding board and support system. 

This year, the Davis IC continues to support its international students by hosting events such as International Education Week, with activities ranging from an opening gala with performances from student dance groups to international trivia night -- and they were all in person!

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Though the prospect of attending college in a country thousands of miles away is daunting, I can assure you that the Davis IC is more than equipped with the proper tools to help you. I am grateful for the abundance of resources at my disposal as an international student, and my fellow IC leaders who enhanced my sense of belonging here. 

When I feel overwhelmed by my coursework or other life stressors, going for a run never fails to help me put things in perspective. Movement and exercise are an important part of campus life for me, and I've found that the many opportunities here for group or individual exercise make it easy to fit fitness into my schedule. 

When I'm looking to run with a group, I'll join the Princeton Running Club for practice. The group meets to run together almost every day, and some members compete in weekend races against other universities. I often have meetings during their afternoon practices, so I drop by only occasionally, but they always welcome anyone who'd like to join that day's run. They've introduced me to several great routes in the area, many of which start on the "towpath."

The towpath, known formally as Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park, is a long, flat trail that runs parallel to the canal along its entire length. It runs parallel to both the canal and Lake Carnegie (water views on both sides!) if you make a left at the Alexander Street entrance. While you'll sometimes hear Forbesians grumble about being a little further from central campus, a benefit of Forbes' location is that it's the closest residential college to the towpath entrance: I can run down Alexander Street from Forbes and be on the towpath in about 6 minutes!

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After a heavy rainstorm, the towpath can be fairly muddy, and I'll usually choose to go for a run on the streets instead. Princeton is a very pedestrian-friendly town, so running on the sidewalk or street is a safe option that allows me to get off campus for a little bit. When I want to do interval training, I'll run a 1.5 mile warm-up to the public track at the local high school, run some interval laps, and then jog back. It's a nice way to explore the streets of the town.

After a run, I sometimes like to supplement the cardio with some strength training at Dillon Gym. Having a gym right on campus is highly convenient because I can just drop in for 15 minutes after a run to do some sit-ups or pull-ups, and then be back at my dorm in 5 minutes. Dillon also has cardio machines that I'll use when it's wet or cold outside. Running is my preferred activity, but Dillon also offers spinning, Zumba, and yoga classes every week. 

The trails, campus gym, and numerous clubs mean that there is no shortage of ways to be active during the semester. I've really loved getting to know some of the local running routes (my favorite so far is a 7-mile loop the running club has dubbed "Bean Fields"), and I'm excited to continue exploring.

As a student who had East Asian roots as well as a rich international experience, I thought I was well prepared for life at Princeton as an international student. I had lived in Utah for 10 years prior to my acceptance to Princeton. I was proved quite wrong, as my transition to Princeton was very different from what I had expected. My sophomore year was the first time I had spent a prolonged period of time away from home and family. The COVID-19 pandemic had allowed me to study remotely from home during my first year, allowing me to grow closer to my family. So, when I first set foot on campus, I was actually at a loss. The campus seemed big, I was alone and I didn’t know who I could ask for help. It felt as if I shouldn’t ask for help. I was a sophomore, after all, not a first-year.  It was the Davis International Center (Davis IC) that provided a lot of support for getting acclimated to campus and that made Princeton a ‘home’ for me. I worked with the Davis IC and organized events for the incoming international first-year students, such as managing the check-in on international first-year arrivals on campus and setting up group events to strengthen bonds between the international student groups. 

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Through collaborations with other IC Leaders, I planned and organized social gatherings for the International Class of 2024, deciding food and activities for international students to enjoy while getting to meet and become friends with each other. Additional events that are hosted by Davis IC are the International Orientation World Cup and socials organized by class year. By actively planning and participating in these activities, I felt like a part of the community, at a place where I belonged and where I could welcome other people in. Internationality, the very thing that made us diverse and different, also became the thing that tied us together. The friendly environment encouraged questions and cooperation, and it was clearly understood that nobody was expected to work alone.  When I found myself alone at night in my dorm, it helped that I was used to phone calls and Zoom meetings thanks to the ‘virtual’ experience during the pandemic. This aided me in communications with my family, which also lessened the homesickness that I initially felt. South Korea is still my home, and my family is still there, but I am no longer afraid to be on my own.

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Physical distance does not lessen the love one feels for their family; sometimes, it’s actually strengthened by such experiences. At Princeton, through the Davis IC and my classes, I found new connections, new people to call friends and to depend upon. I bonded with other international students who had various backgrounds yet shared a common experience of adjusting and living in a dual culture. And I was able to meet people who shared my interests and passions in the classes that I chose to take, especially in those related to my concentration. I wish I knew this before I came to Princeton. I wish I could say to my younger self to not be afraid; to be bolder, and to be more excited. The world may be big and I may feel small, but that only means there’s more for me to explore, and to discover.