Happy New Year, friends! I am so excited to be stepping into a new year filled with new opportunities and chances. One of my favorite things to do at the beginning of the year, or semester, is to create a vision board or to write out my goals in list form. Goal setting is such an important part of my process as a student. I’d like to share a few tips towards fulfilling goals that I consider as I go about my year! 

Start Small:

Yes, it would be amazing to get over procrastinating overnight, but it's a process! Give yourself credit for the little wins! Set obtainable and consistent small steps that help you build toward the bigger ones. One example of this would be writing a few pages of a big assignment a day. Here, you have a consistent small goal that you can achieve daily that is also contributing towards your larger goal of a finished paper.

Accountability:

It is harder to put off tasks when other people are relying on you. Getting an accountability partner to whom who you express your goals, and letting them help verify your progress is extremely helpful. I know it’s very tempting to do all your hard work behind closed doors and come out a changed person, but I recommend trying to invite others into your process. Set up reading groups with friends if your goal is to read more, have someone randomly text you weekly or daily inquiring about your tasks if your goal is to be consistent. 

Adjust as Needed:

I know you said in December that you would finish 3 workouts by the first week of February but it's January 22 and your workout clothes are still in the hamper. (I’m definitely speaking from experience here). One really helpful tip is to leave room for change in your schedule. The feeling of being behind can be discouraging sometimes, so adjusting and pivoting allows you to account for days you won’t feel motivated and times when things come up. One example of this would be if I planned to work on my Junior paper for about an hour Monday and Wednesday, but I leave Thursday night open in case I don’t get to it on either of those days. Or, after working on my paper Monday, I decide to work Tuesday as well to leave Wednesday open for another assignment.  

Appreciate Progress:

Appreciate the days where you only consider working on things or even days where you don’t get work done, but you’re productive on something else. Your process and progression are just as important as the finished product. Yes, we want to see finished assignments and things checked off the list, but the process is important too. Having a time constraint on your goals is overrated. Take your time and progress mentally and change your mindset. The experience of persevering and or struggling is important to the goal. Explore that. 

These are a few things I consider at the beginning of my year or semester as I set goals and set the tone of my year. These are in no way the only way to go about things, but suggestions based on things that work for me! 

As Princeton University prepares to welcome many students back for the spring semester, questions abound about what to bring and how to prepare for a new type of semester.  Whether you’re a first-year student ready to experience your first taste of the Orange Bubble or a prospective student looking to get a better idea of what Princeton is like, I hope this post answers some questions about winter in Princeton.  

I, myself, am from Colorado — a state known for its winters.  But I come from southern Colorado, which is more of a desert climate than our famous mountains.  I’m used to a mix of warm and cold days, with occasional snow, each year from around October-February.  My biggest surprise when coming to New Jersey was that there weren’t really any warm days during the winter.  Some days were nicer than others, to be sure, but it’s still a far cry from the 57 degree Fahrenheit and sunny days that I’ve had here in Colorado these past few days.  

So, what’s winter like in New Jersey?  Well, it’s cold.  Most days are below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and often cloudy or overcast.  There’s a mix of rain and snow, but winter storms are rare.  You’re more likely to need rain gear rather than snow gear! 

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My number one suggestion would be a knee-length winter coat.  In Colorado, I had a typical jacket-style winter coat.  It wasn’t until I spent a week in Chicago in March that I learned the value of a longer coat.  It makes all the difference in the world.  

You will also want some type of waterproof shoe for rain and snow.  I have a pair of waterproof hiking boots that I wear on rainy days instead of sneakers, and a pair of fun rain boots I wear with thick socks for other occasions (they have sparkles!).  There’s nothing worse than walking around in wet socks because your shoes soaked through. 

Of course, you’ll want plenty of jackets and hoodies to keep warm.  Luckily, residential colleges often give away jackets, and you can always pick up a Princeton hoodie at the U-Store!  Stay safe and stay warm.  

Dear First-year Self,

These next four years will be some of the best years of your life—you will take classes with world-renowned professors, form life-long friendships, and travel the world. There will be various obstacles and challenges in your way, but you will learn from these experiences and turn out to be stronger and wiser. I know you are apprehensive about fitting in and succeeding academically, but rest assured, you will get the hang of things.

I’ve written some of the biggest lessons that will help you in your time at Princeton:

Embrace failure

You will soon learn that failure is inevitable. You will face rejection from the internships you apply to, not getting the grade you wanted, and trying to compare yourself to others. Remember that every time you fail you come out a stronger and more resilient person. Don't let failure discourage you from trying new things at Princeton and putting yourself out there!

Live in the moment

Although you care about academics and trying your hardest, there are life-long memories to be made at Princeton. Go out with your friends instead of staying in for a problem set, go to New York City for a weekend and most importantly, have fun! Remember that it's ok to have fun once in a while and enjoy the company of your peers. When you look back at your time in college, the experiences that you will cherish the most are those in which you chose to live in the moment.

Be open to change

It’s ok if you change your major or if you drop a class you thought you would enjoy. I know that you are used to following a rigid pathway in high school, but this will not be the case in college. Your time at Princeton will be of self-discovery and adventure: chase after your true passions and you will find where you belong. Unexpected changes will make you reflect on what matters most to you.

Enjoy these four years because they will fly by. 

Sincerely,

Senior-year you
 

I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing, so I knew I wanted my time at Princeton to involve those interests. Luckily, I found a home for my love of the written word within the Journalism department. Princeton’s journalism classes are consistently some of the highest-rated classes in the whole university. They are all small seminars that foster a close-knit classroom environment and push students to explore what it means to be a reporter in our ever-changing media landscape. These classes are so popular that it’s often hard to get into them, but I lucked out by taking two amazing journalism classes.

My first journalism class was, “JRN445: Investigative Journalism.” Joe Stephens, founding director of the Journalism department, taught us tricks of the trade he learned in his many years at The Washington Post. The discussions we held in our nine-person seminar led to powerful insights and new friendships. We heard from many interesting guest speakers, ranging from Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, to Sacha Pfeiffer, reporter for The Boston Globe and subject of the movie Spotlight. Another highlight of the class was visiting the Bloomberg News headquarters in New York City! The class culminated with an in-depth investigative journalism project, so I wrote about the many inaccessible buildings in the town of Princeton. This project forced me to come out of my comfort zone and led to many interesting interviews. It’s one of the assignments I’m most proud of from my time at Princeton.

I just finished my second journalism class, “JRN 449: International News - Migration Reporting,” taught by Deborah Amos of NPR. It has been such an honor to learn from accomplished journalists like her and Joe Stephens. The class focuses on the differences in immigration policy between the United States and Canada, and usually goes on a trip to Canada over fall break. While the travel component could not happen this year, the class was a fantastic learning experience. We discussed the history of the American immigration system and the drastic changes the Trump administration has made to long-standing policies. I’m glad I got to learn and write about an issue as important and relevant as immigration in this class.

Princeton formalized a certificate in journalism in Spring 2018, right before I matriculated. While I would’ve taken journalism classes even without seeking the certificate, I am happy that I can get formal recognition for my pursuit of truth and exploration of writing through the certificate program. Journalism classes really are the best classes at Princeton, and I highly encourage you to take at least one!

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.

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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.

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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). 

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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.

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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.