I was never a fan of sports. I dabbled in tennis and dribbled some ball, but I wasn’t someone who tracked sports schedules or flaunted my loyalty to any team. So when my friends asked me if I wanted to attend the Princeton-Harvard football game at Powers Field last October, I didn’t offer much enthusiasm. I had little desire to sit on the aluminum bleachers in the midst of a freezing drizzle for two hours on a Saturday afternoon just to watch a game I didn’t know about until the morning of. However, despite my complaints, my friends dragged me to the football stadium where I ended up truly feeling like a Princetonian for the first time.

I think what first surprised me was the sheer number of fans who were there. A vast sea of orange and black crowded the bleachers, in which current undergraduates, alumni and their families all unified together that day to watch this anticipated game. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but this was one of the most pivotal games of the season due to the long-standing football rivalry between Harvard and Princeton which began with the first collegiate meeting in 1877. And not to mention, Princeton has a tradition of holding a huge bonfire on Cannon Green at the end of the football season if we defeated both Harvard and Yale that year. A lot was riding on this game, and the excitement and tension that surrounded the stadium was almost tangible at that moment, as the players on both teams streamed out onto the turf and the cheerleaders fluffed their pom-poms.

When Princeton scored the first touchdown, putting us in the lead, a rush of pride surged through me that could not compare to any inkling of sentiment I may have felt for any other team. My friends and I leaped to our feet, unabashedly rooting for the football team that represented the strength and endurance of the University. It was like a wave of emotion that swept through the stadium, and that was the defining moment that confirmed my sense of belonging at Princeton. We ended up squeaking by with a win against Harvard, 30 - 24, right after one of our defensive backs intercepted the ball, initiating the team to ring a golden bell on the sidelines to signify our victory. I had absolutely no regrets spending half of my day watching a football game instead of working on a problem set, and I encourage others to join me at a home game when the season starts once again!

This is now my fifth reading period at Princeton, but it’s the first one that I’ve been at home for. What is this so-called “reading period,” you may ask? All written work-- papers, projects, etc.-- are due on Dean’s Date at 5 p.m., and then exam period begins after that. So between the time that classes end and written work is due, we have about two weeks to prepare. This year, classes ended on Tuesday, November 24, and Dean’s Date is Tuesday, December 8. Typically on Dean's Date, there's a huge celebration on campus hosted by USG (Undergraduate Student Government) with food and giveaways. Last year, we got cozy blankets and we had various delicious treats from Nina's Waffles, Milk n' Cookies, Dunkin Donuts, Tot Cart, and more, with music by the Princeton Band! 

Personally, I love reading period. Although it can definitely be stressful with papers and exams coming up, Princeton gives you plenty of time to get your work done. When I’m on campus, I study with friends at Firestone Library, attend self-care study breaks and stay up late chatting with my roommate. Princeton really cares about your mental health and well-being, and they understand that you need a sufficient break between the end of classes and the beginning of exams to rest, relax and prepare. And I definitely look forward to celebrating with the Princeton community at 5 p.m. on Dean's Date. 

Now that we’re all caught up, what does reading period look like at home? Though we won't be eating Nina's Waffles on December 8 in McCosh Courtyard together, there are some things that will stay the same. Here’s what my typical day looks like: 

9:30 a.m.: Wake up and post on Instagram (I run social media accounts for local small businesses).

10:00 a.m.: Cook and eat breakfast, typically eggs and toast or a bagel with cream cheese. 

10:30 a.m.: Look up primary sources on Firestone Library online for my paper on Media Lengua, a mixed language in the Andean highlands of Ecuador. This is for my course, “Languages of the Americas.” The databases have just what I need to gather research for my paper! 

11:30 a.m.: Take a break to pet my cat and give her fresh water. 

11:45 a.m.: Start working on my paper for “Writing About Family.” I decide to write on the memoir "Men We Reaped" by Jesmyn Ward. I’m curious about how ideas of home interact with physical descriptions of houses in the text...my thesis is TBD! 

12:15 p.m.: I have somewhat of a thesis for the “Writing About Family” paper, so I move on to brainstorm for my creative project in “Jane Austen: Then and Now.” I’m creating an Instagram account from the perspective of Mary Crawford, a character in Mansfield Park. I start planning out all of my Instagram posts and captions. 

1:00 p.m.: Lunch time! I eat leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner, and after I’m full on mashed potatoes and turkey, I take a break and FaceTime my friends to check-in on how they’re doing during reading period. 

2:00 p.m.: Ten pages of my Junior Paper or a 10-page prospectus are due on Dean’s Date, so I get started on that next. If you haven’t picked up on it by now, my concentration is English, so I have a LOT of papers. I’m writing my Junior Paper on nameless female protagonists in literature. 

2:45 p.m.: One of my brothers, who’s a first-year at TCNJ (The College of New Jersey), joins me now after his classes. We write and study together for a little while, but we’re mostly just talking, laughing and having a good time. He’s become my new study buddy! 

3:30 p.m.: I hop on a Zoom call with my team, Princeton Cheer, to study and chat with them. Normally, during reading period, we book a room in a building on campus to study together, but Zoom works too. 

4:15 p.m.: Time to get ready for work! I picked up a job at J.Crew near my house during the holiday season to make some extra money. I typically work 5-9:30 p.m. on weekdays and longer hours on weekends. I grab a coffee at Gloria Jeans nearby before my shift.

9:45 p.m.: I get home from work, chat with my family and shower.

10:30 p.m.: Finally, Netflix time! Right now, I’m watching The Queen’s Gambit, but I’m also keeping up with the latest season of Grey’s Anatomy on Hulu. 

12:30 a.m.: Bedtime :) 

Reading period surely look different this year, but there are still plenty of ways to stay connected, get your work done and make time for self care. Still have some questions about reading period, papers, and finals at Princeton? Feel free to email me! 

One of the first people I met at Princeton was my Residential College Adviser, or RCA. Every first-year student belongs to a “zee group” of 15 or so other first years, living together in one area of their residential college with an upperclassman RCA who is there to help with any challenges or questions they might have. RCAs are the first resource for first years and do everything from hosting study breaks to mediating conflicts. I formed a really great connection with my own RCA and knew pretty early on that being an RCA was something I also wanted to do.

The application process can be pretty competitive, so I was thrilled when I learned I’d made it! I imagined all the different study breaks I wanted to do, from painting to getting sushi to playing bubble soccer. I was excited to be part of Clash of the Colleges, a yearly orientation event between each residential college where first years competed in fun games. And of course, I was happy that I’d be living in Forbes College again as an upperclassman. 

But as you know, this year has changed all of that. When we all went virtual, I was worried about meeting my zees online and doing everything through Zoom. I was incredibly disappointed and stressed about what the semester would look like. 

Fortunately, things turned out okay. I’ve been able to hold weekly study breaks online where my zees can come by to talk and play games, and I’ve organized some events with my fellow RCAs so our zees can get to know more people. I still meet with them one on one, maybe not in Starbucks as I pictured, but the sentiment is still there. I always wanted to be an RCA to be there for my zee group, and I can still do that.

As we look to be on campus in the spring per the University’s recent announcement, I’m cautiously optimistic and excited. I’ll be living in Forbes as I originally envisioned, and I’ll meet my zees for the first time. While large gatherings aren’t possible right now, I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to meet with them one on one, and truly welcome them to our Princeton home. 

I’ve loved following politics since I was a kid — as early as middle school, I would come home in the afternoons from school and turn the TV to political commentary while I did my homework. Accordingly, I’m sure it came as a surprise to no one who knows me when I decided to pick Politics as my major at Princeton, even though it wasn’t what I thought I would pick when I first stepped on campus. However, declaring Politics is one of the best choices I’ve made at Princeton, and I can’t imagine my university experience without it. 

Students who come to Princeton interested in politics and political science tend to choose between two departments: Politics and the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), although some of my classmates who care most deeply about those subjects choose to concentrate in totally unrelated areas. While SPIA is an interdisciplinary program that spans politics as well as history, sociology, and economics, Politics is more precisely focused on political science and theory. Students generally choose Politics over SPIA or vice-versa because of personal subject matter preference, rather than any (likely non-existent) employability or graduate school-related concerns. 

There are also a number of ways to get involved with activities concerning politics, political science or government outside of the classroom. Whig-Clio is Princeton’s umbrella extracurricular political group. Organized within it are the Princeton Debate Panel, Princeton Mock Trial, Princeton Model Congress and more. Even if you don’t want to directly be involved in these sorts of extracurricular activities, Whig-Clio regularly hosts guest speaker events and even Presidential debate watch parties that are open to the whole student body. Outside of this organizing structure are the Princeton College Democrats and the Princeton College Republicans, which are rather directly tied to American political parties and offer community to politically like-minded undergrads. 

If you’re a writer, Princeton has a ton of outlets for you to share your beliefs. Perhaps two of the most prominent are The Princeton Progressive (known to students as “The Prog”), which terms itself “Princeton’s only left publication,” and The Princeton Tory, characterized on its website as “the leading Princeton publication of conservative thought.” Other publications like the Princeton Legal Journal, the Nassau Weekly and even The Daily Princetonian aren’t overtly political in nature but provide fora for students to express their opinions. 

Many students either email me or ask me on my tours about what it’s like to study politics in college, since it’s a subject not usually taught in high schools. I can’t speak to what it’s like everywhere — but at Princeton, it’s been an exceedingly fulfilling experience.

Every semester, Princeton holds its own music festival called Lawnparties. In years past, we’ve hosted everyone from Rihanna and Maroon 5 (back when their careers were just starting) to A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Cupcakke more recently. This semester was no different: even with students scattered around the world, Princeton still hosted a virtual Jason Derulo concert that brought us together as a student community.

Lawnparties is one of the most beloved Princeton traditions. Usually, students dress up in the preppiest clothes possible, only to get these clothes soaking wet after taking pictures with friends in the fountain outside of the School of Public and International Affairs. The streets are lined with delicious food trucks, music is blaring, and the whole campus is alive with energy and excitement.

This year, Lawnparties took place as a split-screen video on my laptop, with the YouTube stream on the left and a Zoom call with my friends on the right. A talented senior named Glenna Jane ‘21 opened for Jason Derulo, and then student representatives from Vote100 discussed the upcoming election. Derulo performed all of his many hits from over the years, from “Whatcha Say” to “Trumpets” to “Savage Love.” This was the first Lawnparties I’ve been to where I actually knew most of the music! Listening to Derulo’s songs brought me back to memories of middle school dances and high school homecomings. Derulo appeared to be performing in his living room, which was funny to see. He had talented backup dancers, but he certainly had excellent dance moves himself. I’m glad to have been able to watch the concert with friends to simulate the feeling of the in-person Lawnparties experience.

The Undergraduate Student Government Social Committee, the group that plans Lawnparties, ran social media contests throughout the week, with students earning entries by posting pictures of Lawnparties outfits and videos of them dancing to Derulo’s songs. The winners of the contests got to virtually meet Derulo after the show! The Social Committee also conducted giveaways of cool gear to support Tigers for Nassau, a student organization that supports local businesses in Princeton impacted by COVID-19. It must have been difficult to plan and host a virtual concert during a pandemic, but I think the Social Committee did the best they could to make Lawnparties as interactive and fun as possible. Of course, this Lawnparties wasn’t the same as the in-person experience, but it made me even more excited for the next time we can all gather in the backyard of Quadrangle Club (one of our eating clubs, which hosts the headline act every semester) to enjoy good music together.

After nearly nine months of doing all of my schoolwork in my bedroom or in my basement, I miss doing work in coffee shops, dining halls and most of all, libraries.  Princeton’s libraries are one of the most amazing parts of the University, so there’s no wonder I miss them.  

Firestone Library is probably the most well-known of the Princeton libraries.  It’s huge, with three below-ground and three above-ground floors.  It’s full of conference rooms, individual desks, couches and books, of course.  Princeton students come here to study all the time.  If I woke up early on a weekend and had a lot of studying to do, I would snag a fourth floor conference room for my friends and I to do our homework together.  If I had a problem set that needed my concentration, I would grab an empty desk on any floor.  And if I had an hour in between classes and needed a break, I would put my headphones on and take a quick nap on the second floor couches (hey, don’t judge). 

Lots of people also love the Architecture Library for its central location, big windows and relative emptiness.  I spent several evenings working on essays or research at a desk in front of a window, people-watching when I could no longer stare at the screen.  When it started to get dark outside, I’d pop over to Murray-Dodge Cafe and grab a freshly-baked cookie before trekking back to my dorm room for the night.

There’s also a number of study spots on campus that are joked about as places to go when you just want to talk with your friends, but pretend you are studying.  The lower level of Frist Campus Center is one of these places; it seems that the whole student body passes through the building twice a day.  Another one is the Julian Street Library, or “J Street,” located above Wilcox Dining Hall.  Somehow, as soon as you sit down and open up your laptop, a friend you hadn’t talked to in weeks would be passing through and would stop to say hi. 

But my favorite place to study at Princeton would have to be East Pyne.  As a Slavic Languages and Literatures concentrator, my department and many of my courses are housed in this building, alongside our friends in Classics, Comparative Literature, German, Renaissance and Early Modern Studies, French and Italian, and Spanish and Portuguese.  In between classes, I often head to the East Pyne library, one of the most beautiful places on campus, to get some studying done.  It was one of the first places I saw when I visited the University for the first time, and I don’t think I’ll ever cease to be in awe when I pass by.  East Pyne reminds me of how lucky I am and how amazing the school I attend is.

 

I can’t wait until the next time I get to set up my laptop and backpack by one of the stained-glass windows of East Pyne.  Till then, I’ll settle for the regular window in my bedroom.  

The Black Student Union hosted a Black Alumni Panel via Zoom that gave recent alumni a chance to talk to current undergrads about what life is really like fresh out of Princeton’s ‘orange bubble.’ Edwin Coleman ‘19, Pablo Vasquez ‘18, Alexandria Robinson ‘17 and McKalah Hudlin ‘20 shed light on important issues such as work-life balance and future planning during the panel discussion. Below are a few notes, paraphrases and points I took down during the panel. I unfortunately do not have them accredited to specific people, but all were words of wisdom that the alumni shared with us. This event was sponsored by the Carl A Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding.

Some of the advice they shared for Princeton students: 

1. Know your values.
2. List out things that bring you joy and actively work towards including them in your week.
3. Pour into yourself.
4. Make sure you experience college; take time and look around; use the resources available; take advantage of once-in-a lifetime opportunities.
5. Princeton teaches you how to look tough deadlines in the face, and navigate them with less discomfort.
6.  We are able to navigate places like Princeton after we graduate with a little more ease.  
7. Be resilient and take more care of your mental health.
8. We need to unlearn equating our value with productivity.
9. Find your academic niche.
10. Post college, lean in on the discomfort of being alone.
11. What’s your unique perspective? 
12. For interviews and applications: know your skills, and what void you will fill in the industry.
13. After college, if you seek community, create it.
14. Set clear boundaries and expectations.
15. If time and money weren’t factors, what would your dream job be? Lean into that dream.

From wise alumni, these words are here for prospective students to think through and truly reflect as they enter this space. Remain true to yourself, take advantage of opportunities and be an involved undergraduate. These words have reshaped my views on Princeton life and allowed me to see beyond my homework and assignments as a third year, and I hope prospective students can come to college with these words in mind, using them as a guide.

 

My home in Midlothian, Virginia, is about 300 miles away from Princeton, but this semester, I’m much farther away — 822 miles, to be exact, in Chicago, Illinois.

As a first-year, I had no idea what to expect from college in the first place, but when it was announced that the fall semester would be virtual, any ideas I had of a normal “college experience” went out the window. Instead of buying dorm decorations, I got together with three other first years, and we scoured AirBnB for a good deal. We ended up here, in Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood, just a few minutes away from Loyola University.

First-year fall is always a time of growth and change for students, but it’s hard to overstate how strange of a first year I’ve had so far. Instead of living in a dorm with a Residential College Adviser (RCA) and taking my meals at a dining hall, I’m living in an apartment with a landlord where I cook and clean for myself. In addition to the growth necessary for the transition from high school to college work, I’ve had to become more responsible in other ways to ensure my daily tasks don’t interfere with my schoolwork and vice versa. Some examples are as whimsical as me running time trials with my roommates for our weekly grocery run, and others are as serious as working with my health insurance to get out of state coverage when my mental health started to suffer.

This isn’t the first time I’ve lived away from home, but it has certainly been odd to explore a new city at the same time I was exploring a new stage in my life. I’ve spent the weekends here going to art museums and getting takeout from local restaurants, and the weekdays diving into subjects like linguistics and metaphysics that I wasn’t able to study in high school. While looking over concentrations (our term for major) and deciding what I want my academic life to look like in the future, I’ve also been thinking about where to live my life — do I want to live in a city like Chicago? Do I want to be closer to nature? I miss being equidistant between the coast and the mountains, like my house in Virginia, but I love being so close to one of the largest cities in the United States.

Although I won’t lie and say that I’m not looking forward to whenever the world is safe enough for me to finally live and study on Princeton’s campus, this is a semester I otherwise never would have experienced.

Grace Lee

• Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
• Class Year: 2021
• Major: Sociology (certificate in Entrepreneurship)
• Email: yklee@princeton.edu 

 

As an international student from Korea, a racially homogeneous nation, I was not used to being surrounded by such a diverse population at Princeton, one where I am a racial minority. It was a challenge that I had not anticipated prior to college. Yet, it came to significantly impact my identity. I even wrote my Sociology Junior Paper on this topic (the racialization of international students from homogeneous countries in higher ed in the US). However, as much as that diversity initially made the Princeton environment seem foreign to me, the very diverse make-up of Princeton's campus came to be one of the best parts about the community and helped me find a strong sense of belonging at the University.  The sense of connection to Princeton's broader community came from the recognition of how I help contribute towards to that incredibly rich diversity. Through being part of diverse, dynamic communities in my residential college, student clubs, classes, the Davis International Center, and several other spaces, I have become more aware and proud of my identity as a Korean. Now, I have a deepened sense of appreciation for the diversity of thought that stems from varied backgrounds and experiences.

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Ronnie Kihonge

• Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya
• Class Year: 2022
• Major: Economics
• Email: rkihonge@princeton.edu

 

As an international student, life on campus has had its fair share of ups and downs. From not knowing what products to buy because of the numerous brands America has to offer, to not knowing how to properly address my professors in emails. These nuanced challenges have been part of my Princeton experience. Fortunately, the Davis International Center (Davis IC) was there for me from the very first day. One of their student leaders was even kind enough to help me move in and get settled! While in the beginning I was uncertain about how to navigate Princeton, International Orientation helped me get a better sense of the school and eventually make close friends. The Davis IC also hosts regular events throughout the year that foster community among international students. We would meet, talk and joke about everything we were going through, and I would leave feeling like I wasn’t alone at Princeton. Joining different clubs also helped me transition into the Princeton community. The frisbee club, for example, was a way to make friends and also take a break from school work. As I became more comfortable, I decided to serve on Mathey's College Council in my sophomore year, organising weekly study breaks for students. I also found great joy in serving as director of PiE, a sub-group in the Entrepreneurship Club, which allowed me to meet great leaders in different entrepreneurial spaces.

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Katherine Ross

• Hometown: Toronto, Canada
• Class Year: 2022
• Major: Economics (certificates in cognitive science, German language and culture, and environmental studies)
• Email: kfross@princeton.edu

 

While coming from abroad presents its own challenges and hurdles for international students, the Davis International Center (Davis IC) staff understands and anticipates them. For example, during our International Orientation, there was a fair to help students learn about phone plans, set up bank accounts and ask any visa-related questions. I remember thinking that the event coordinators must have read my mind! They knew my concerns and planned an event to help my classmates and me settle in to our new home. The international students here at Princeton really do contribute to the diversity of opinions and backgrounds on campus, and I love that we have the Davis IC to celebrate and support that.

 

International Orientation was a great way for students to get to know campus, meet their residential college staff, and begin to bond with their fellow international students. I am from Toronto, Canada, and therefore, live closer to New Jersey than any American students from the West Coast. I remember debating whether or not I should attend International Orientation, but looking back, I am so grateful that I did! I am now a junior, and have met many other students, whether they are teammates, other students in clubs I am involved in or peers in the Economics department. Over the years, I continue to cherish the memories made with my fellow international students, during orientation and beyond!

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Tanvi Nibhanupudi

• Hometown: Singapore and London
• Class Year: 2023
• Major: Economics
• Email: tanvin@princeton.edu

 

There’s no doubt that Princeton is challenging, and one of the challenges of being an international student is dealing with the culture shock. Having moved between London and Singapore, I considered myself fairly well-versed in navigating different cultures and, naively, I did not expect to experience culture shock. Yet, when I got on campus, I was overwhelmed but exhilarated by just how AMERICAN everything was. I was inspired by my friends’ passion for constitutional law, for moral debates, or even for finding the best chai latte on campus, Tiger Tea Room! My favourite part of Princeton will always be the conversations I’m having and the friends I’m making: everyone on campus is eager and excited to hear you bring your experiences from outside the U.S. to the discussion. The culture shock has even taught me so much about my own values and finding my place in the fields of journalism and economics. To be an international student on Princeton’s campus is to meet new people every single day, each with exciting stories that you may know nothing about. It is about learning and immersing yourself in a foreign country’s politics, history and culture. And, it is about having conversations that push the limits of your knowledge, shape your values, and teach you what it means to be an engaged global citizen.

 

Princeton prides itself in offering a multitude of study abroad and travel options, and making those as accessible to everyone as possible.  While COVID-19 has suspended most travel, I find myself reminiscing about past trips, including one university-sponsored trip I took just last year.

My freshman seminar course, FRS 161, was a geosciences course taught by Frederik Simons and Adam Maloof.  Over the course of the semester, we were to work with climate data and MATLAB to explore how climate change affected Italian olive orchards, even spending our fall break in Italy gathering data in the field.  Of course, I jumped at the chance for free travel and worked hard on my application to the class.  To my surprise, I got in, even though I had no programming experience and admittedly struggled with science.  I later found out that Adam and Frederik had read all of our essays personally, and selected a group they thought would be enthusiastic and hard working.  I can attest to the hard-working part — a year later, and I still count that class as the hardest one I have ever taken.  

However, I was sure all the long nights spent at my computer would be worth it once the lab portion of the class came along.  While most Princeton students spent the last day of fall midterms preparing to visit home or sleeping off the late nights studying, I spent it frantically packing my duffel bag and racing to the bus our class would take to the airport.  A bus ride and a plane flight later, I was blinking in the late-morning sun in Naples, Italy, the warmth on my skin in stark contrast to the air-conditioned flight or the chilly October morning I had left behind in New Jersey.   

Over the course of the eight days FRS 161 spent in Italy, we drove along the beautiful Amalfi coast, collected data from three different olive orchards (where we were welcomed with open arms and presented with gifts of olive oil), visited historic Pompeii and majestic Mt. Vesuvius and shared pasta with our hosts at an Italian monastery.  This was no vacation — we were in the orchards from nearly sun up to sundown, and spent nights doing data entry and modeling.  I recall hours spent calling out pH readings for my classmates to record as we worked by flashlight and headlamp late into the night.  But I also recall running into the cold ocean at the end of a long hike, gleefully grabbing all of the gas station snacks I didn’t recognize from home, and finding stray cats wandering among the ruins of Pompeii.

Although the days of international travel and unmasked gatherings seem so far away, scrolling through the old photos reminds me that there was a time before this, and there will be a time after.  I eagerly await the day when I can once again apply for Princeton courses that promise international adventure!