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!

 

This semester I am taking four live Zoom classes, two classes in my department, one for my certificate, and the last one for my Quantitative and Computational Reasoning graduation requirement. I generally start my classes at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m., with about two classes a day. As an African American Studies concentrator, a reading-based humanities concentration, I read A LOT of pages for class. I prefer to read throughout the day, so I’ll chop up my readings accordingly, but whatever I don’t get to, I let it be. I read everywhere around the house, but I like to type and take notes at my desk! Having a work space that I can walk away from helps me handle my college course load. On campus, we would definitely have time to go from class to class or walk to a friend’s room to study or hang out, so I like to carve out those times into my Zoom schedule as well. 

In my classes with about 60-100 students, it's a little harder to participate, so I am usually more present mentally when we review material in small groups during precept. It feels about the same as my on-campus experience with large lectures, but seeing so many faces at once on Zoom can be a little intimidating. My smaller seminars on Zoom have given me a chance to talk more and ask questions during class that I would feel a little more hesitant to ask. I like the way that the virtual setting allows more space for questions with the chat and raise-your-hand features. As a result of these features, I think students are asking more questions during class rather than privately after, which helps me learn more about the material.

The most challenging part of the college experience this semester has been navigating my schedule and internship applications while being a first-generation, low-income and immigrant student. I make time to clean the house and wash dishes! I cook, sometimes during class, because I don’t get to be just a student at home. I must take up that responsibility as a young woman in an immigrant home because I choose to make that load lighter on my mom, but also because that's the expectation of a young woman in my culture. Being on campus alleviates that sometimes, but being home and managing all these parts of me has been pretty draining. 

I have had a lot on my plate, but I am trying my best to be present when I can and say no when I cannot as well. I ask for extensions, take some classes off when I’m very tired, and go to bed early. Saying no is a form of self-care in this college world. Be kind to yourself. Let all of who you are take up space because all of you will be taking up space in whatever institution you choose.

The senior thesis is the capstone project of your Princeton career: it’s normally between 80 and 120 pages, and is an opportunity at once to explore an academic passion and to produce original academic research. It’s also a huge time commitment for seniors. Many seniors begin work — oftentimes, after receiving summer research grants or fellowships — on their theses shortly after their junior year. Procrastinating types often wait until later in the fall (or occasionally, until the new year) to get started.

This year is a little bit different for seniors, and for their theses. The travel grants that so many students look forward to receiving each year, which often afford them the opportunity to journey across the country or abroad to conduct first-hand research for their thesis, were unilaterally canceled due to COVID-19. The vast majority of seniors also don’t have the opportunity to work with their advisers in person; instead, that communication is happening largely over email. Many students who had hoped to work in laboratories have had to revise their thesis plans so that research can be conducted at home. And being off-campus for the fall has meant students don’t have access to libraries and study spaces where, just a year ago, it was common to see seniors, surrounded by books, typing away on their capstone projects. 

But students and the University are adapting. My department, Politics, has worked hard to keep digital research funding available for seniors wherever possible, even if the pandemic has stolen much of the fun from its use. My thesis adviser and I have met over Zoom, and I’m excited and well prepared to begin my work. The University Library has stepped into overdrive, responding to student requests for scanned volumes and access to digital resources normally unavailable to off-campus students.

The senior thesis holds near-mythic status at Princeton; writing one is an experience shared by nearly all Princeton alumni, and many graduates cite it as the most fulfilling endeavor of their academic career. Writing a thesis is a way for seniors to explore future projects and career paths: Wendy Kopp, a member of Princeton’s Class of 1989, laid the framework for Teach for America, which she would go on to found, in her thesis. And, as is the case with most things, it would be impossible to argue the experience of piecing together a thesis will be quite the same this year. But I’ve been heartened by the way students, the faculty, and the University have come together to provide support for seniors in the home stretch of our Princeton careers.

To Future Princeton Quest Scholars, 

As a QuestBridge scholar, I distinctly remember how nerve-wracking and confusing the entire match process was, especially since I was one of the only students in my high school who applied through the match process. I had to navigate through the arduous task of sifting through each of the university-specific applications alone. When I applied, Princeton was a non-binding partner school, so I had the privilege of being able to experience campus life during Princeton Preview, the admitted students’ event, before making up my mind. Personally, it wasn’t the admission letter that fueled my decision to attend Princeton, but rather what was implied in between the lines.  I saw that the University had full faith in my future success: they chose me over thousands of other candidates, as might be the case with you, and that means quite a lot.

This year, Princeton’s QuestBridge decision is binding which means, if matched, you’ve committed to enrolling at the University! Though it may not seem easy to assess whether Princeton will be a great fit for you despite all the virtual offerings and the descriptions you may have read online, this can also be a blessing in disguise. While your peers are still trying to decide which colleges to apply to, you have already done the majority of the work. Now your application is in the hands of the Admission Office who take care to get to know you, your experiences and what you’ll bring to the Princeton community.

At this point in time, you may also wonder what comes next after you match with Princeton. (Besides a heartfelt congratulations and sense of accomplishment, of course.) QuestBridge requires that all partner colleges meet 100% of need for match students. In fact, Princeton is one of the most generous universities and always covers 100% of demonstrated need for all students.

As a Quest Scholar you may wonder if you will fit in at an Ivy League institution. There perhaps exists a false perception that all students at Princeton are wealthy (I even believed this myself.), but that’s just not the case, around 60% of students are on financial aid and I have never been isolated because of my socioeconomic status. Instead, we are motivated to seek out employment and internship opportunities that are equally accessible to every student on campus. There are also plenty of resources available for students who are first-generation or lower-income like the Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI), Scholars Institute Fellows Program (SIFP), First-Generation Low Income Council (FLIC) or Programs for Access and Inclusion (PAI).

Additionally, one of the perks of enrolling at Princeton through QuestBridge is that you will get to know a community of students who can empathize with your financial situation. I was able to develop relationships with other students who matched with Princeton through Facebook and other social media platforms. Through our conversations, we all realized that we all faced many of the same worries and fears and we bonded over them. Remember that this is unfamiliar territory for everyone--not just you! While networking might be somewhat difficult during these unprecedented times, I still encourage you to make connections with other Questies because this will be the community with whom you will spend the next four years.

I wish good luck to all future Quest scholars and I hope that you end up matching at the university of your dreams, regardless of whether that may be Princeton. We can’t wait to meet the Class of 2025!

Over my two and half years at Princeton, I’ve learned how important self care is to my own mental health and well-being. Yes, Princeton academics can be challenging, but there’s also plenty of time to go to the Garden Theater with friends on the weekend, attend Fall Fest to paint pumpkins and eat desserts from food trucks, work out at the gym, and so much more. Since we’re not on campus right now, self care looks a little different. Here are five ways that I’m maintaining self care during SFH (School From Home)! 

1. Connecting with my Friends 

Many of my friends from Princeton have decided to live in off-campus apartments in New Jersey. Since I am from New Jersey, that worked out great, because I can visit them on the weekends. Sure, there are times when I feel like I should be writing my papers or finishing up my novel, but I make time to see my friends. It’s a lot easier to just be able to knock on my friends’ dorm rooms on campus, but there are still ways to connect, from driving to see them in person at a social distance or setting up Zoom lunches. 

2. Eating Bagels from Bagel Bazaar

My dad owns a small business in NJ called Bagel Bazaar, which means our house is constantly stocked with bagels! Food was always a central part of my self care on campus. From late meal at Frist Campus Center after cheer practice (quesadillas, sushi, waffles are among my favorites) to Forbes Sunday brunch (chocolate fountain, omelettes, fruit platters and more!), there is food everywhere you look at Princeton. While I certainly don’t have a chocolate fountain at home, I enjoy my rainbow bagels with Oreo cream cheese or my everything bagels with plain cream cheese from Bagel Bazaar. Bagels definitely correspond to self care, especially if you’re from Jersey! 

3. Attending Talks & Virtual Visits

Princeton is known for bringing amazing people to campus. One of my forms of self care has always been to attend talks that I’m interested in. Recently, I went to a book club meeting hosted by the Princeton English Department to discuss Justin Torres’ “We The Animals” before Torres does a virtual Q&A. 

4. USG Movies 

While I’m a big fan of Netflix and Hulu, the Princeton Undergraduate Student Government (USG) also hosts movies throughout the semester, which are free for Princeton students to watch! I love watching these movies because it’s a great way to engage in a conversation with my friends who also watched them, rather than just watching TV or movies on my own. Movies that USG has made available to students this semester include “Black Panther,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “La La Land,” “Dunkirk” and many more. 

5. Spending Time With My Family 

I never expected to have this much time with my family since going to college, but I’m really grateful that I do now. One of my brothers is also doing virtual college at TCNJ (The College of New Jersey), so we study together in the evenings. My youngest brother is doing a hybrid version of high school, so I’ve also been able to spend more time with him. My mom and I have gotten a lot closer — we even bake homemade breads together! My dad is working hard at Bagel Bazaar during these times, and we’re all so proud of him. I appreciate having my family around this semester. 

Self care comes in many forms, and it doesn’t always mean face masks and Netflix (though it definitely could!). While we are not on campus this semester, there are still many ways, both through virtual Princeton and on my own in my home life, to practice self care.  

 

 

This fall, many students have chosen different paths for their college experience. Some have chosen to take a gap year, others are social distancing at home, and then there is the third option: quarantining with the roomies. I fall into the third group. This semester I am living with two of my friends in a quaint little airbnb just ten minutes away from Princeton’s campus. I am originally from Nashville, Tennessee so the change in scenery was very much appreciated. It has a porch that looks onto Lake Carnegie; it is a view to take your breath away. I would like to think I got incredibly lucky for getting to room with such great people in such an amazing place. 

Each morning, I wake up to a refreshing breeze from the lake and the vibrant greenery all around. It feels peaceful and secluded, but the location actually provides relatively easy access to Princeton’s campus. Every now and then when we go into Princeton for groceries, we pass by the campus and Nassau Street. Suddenly, a wave of nostalgia washes over me and I get a little wistful. No one had any idea what would happen just a year ago, and now the Class of 2022 has a handful of memories from simpler times. I miss the littlest things from campus: running from one end of campus to another within a ten minute time span, late meal at Frist Campus Center, and sitting in Firestone Library for hours on end. I may be in the town of Princeton, but it is so different from being on campus, from being a part of Princeton University. Right now many students who have made this campus their home are feeling the same distance no matter where they are in the world, but I also think it is important to revel in that nostalgia. 

Nostalgia is how I make it through the tough days. I think of my favorite spots on campus and I recreate them. Whenever I reach for a cookie while studying for an exam, I accompany it with a cup of tea, put my headphones on, and imagine myself in Murray-Dodge Café. Towards the end of the night, I sit at my desk by the window and picture myself in the glass reading room in Firestone Library. When I start getting zoom fatigue, I step out into the living room, lay sideways on the couch, and trick myself into believing I am laying on the square blue couch on Firestone’s second floor. I have also zoomed professors from previous semesters to reminisce about good times, and it has been a while since I have laughed like that.

For those who look forward to living on campus when this is all over, I stress the importance of finding your niche in its diverse types of spaces and atmospheres. I cannot think of late summer without Forbes brunch with friends, chatting over the açai bowls. Fall is synonymous with the golden crisp leaves dancing along the path to Marquand Library. Winter is frozen in time with me sledding down Whitman’s snow-covered hill; it was a night where only the moon illuminated the dark indigo sky. Spring is intertwined with memories of me walking back to my dorm at one in the morning after a girls night in because I still had assignments due that week. The places and people who are there for the ride alongside are just as important to our experience as what we choose to learn.

This fall, Christian Union NOVA hosted one of its first virtual events this semester entitled "Speed Meeting," which was a cool way of meeting new people (and a nice spin on speed dating). Christian Union Nova is a Christian-based group on campus, partnered with the Office of Religious Life. It truly is like a second home for me! There are so many ways to get involved like worship and a weekly lecture series called "Encounter" and "TruThursday."

The hosts would use the breakout room feature on Zoom to randomly match two students into rooms and they would have about 2-4 minutes to chat. The whole event lasted about an hour. Some of the questions I encountered ranged from “Why did you pick your major?” to “If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be?” I was matched with 5-6 different people and it was so much fun. The rounds weren’t awkward at all. Though I met people in Christian Nova from all years, it was primarily a great opportunity for first-years to get to know members of the NOVA community. I felt that this event allowed us to engage with one another on a level even beyond what in-person events could offer. Because I joined Christian Union Nova my sophomore fall,  I didn't have the chance to "speed meet" everyone like many first-years would during orientation. Since this event was open to anyone and everyone interested, however, I met some really cool people and got to know some first years! 

If making friends and thinking through what clubs to join is at the top of your priority list, just know that there are events that are suited for even the most introverted person and there is absolutely no pressure. You will find your people and find the clubs that are cool, fun and so interesting to you. Even in the midst of this strange Zoom environment, I really appreciated CU Nova for bringing community and family to the virtual scene.

Shameless Plug:

NOVA Instagram!

Tru Instagram! 

Check out CU Nova's official website!