Have you ever wanted to know where you'd be sorted at Hogwarts? Princeton has its own form of houses; each first-year student is assigned to one of six residential colleges: Butler, Forbes, Mathey, Rockefeller (Rocky), Whitman and Wilson. I’m grateful for these small communities within the larger campus.

When you find out your rooming assignment over the summer, you also find out your residential college or "res college" for short. Each res college encompasses several dorm buildings, a dining hall and has unique characteristics. Want to live in a castle? Hope for Rocky or Mathey. Do you prioritize a central location? Wilson might be for you. Prefer more modern amenities? Cross your fingers for Butler or Whitman. Students joke that Forbes is far from campus, but as a non-Forbesian, I often envy Forbes’ delicious food (especially Sunday brunch) and its great sense of community. So really, you can’t go wrong.

The residential college system is designed to support and advise students in a more individualistic manner through dedicated staff, such as the director of studies and director of student life whose jobs are to support their students in academic and non-academic areas. All first years and sophomores have to live in a res college, but even juniors and seniors are associated with one. I plan to stay in mine, Butler College, all four years.

There are also social benefits to the res college system. It provides awesome gear several times a year. They also run amazing trips and special events. I’ve gone to four Broadway shows through Butler, and the trip included an extremely discounted ticket and transportation to and from the show! Every week, Butler also holds study breaks with delicious free food. While you can eat in any dining hall on campus, there’s always something nice about going to the dining hall associated with your res college. The people start to look familiar, from the friendly students to the helpful employees. I’ve made friends just by sitting down with people in the dining hall, only to find out that they live right around the corner from me.

The residential college system fosters friendships and community for all undergraduate students. I definitely don’t know all 5,000+ students on campus, but I do know many of the students in Butler. I have a lot of pride for my res college, and soon you will too! It truly makes a big campus feel much smaller.

During the summer before my first year, I was afraid of not finding my own community on campus. However, my fears were subdued when I realized Princeton does a great job of introducing you to students from different cultures and backgrounds. From the friends I made during first-year orientation, to those I lived with in Israel during a summer program, these friendships have carried me through Princeton. Everyone here is smart, motivated, and has something special that drives them. I am inspired by my friends on a daily basis and it's nice to have peers around you who are going through the same struggles and experiences. 

Princeton is a great place to nurture friendships because of the tight-knit community and small undergraduate population. Whenever I go to the dining hall or walk around campus, I am always greeted by familiar faces and people I know. There are many avenues through which you can meet new people, such as joining a club or creating a study group for a class. There are also countless activities to do with friends, like the weekly free movie showing at the Garden Theater, or grabbing a coffee at the student-run coffee club, The Coffee Club.

My message to prospective students is to cherish the friendships you will make. These will be the people that make your Princeton experience. I wish I could go back in time and change those moments in which I decided to stay in to finish a paper instead of going out with my friends. The problem sets will get done, the papers will get written, but the memories with friends that will last a long time are waiting for you. 

To the newly admitted Class of 2024, congratulations! 

I remember being in your shoes, quite intimidated by the college selection process. I remember asking myself, will I fit in at Princeton? Will there be people like me? Can I handle the academic rigor? Despite my hesitations, choosing Princeton was one of the best decisions of my life. 

What I found appealing was Princeton’s focus on the liberal arts and world-renowned undergraduate education. The University gives you the flexibility of taking classes in a variety of subjects before officially declaring your concentration at the end of sophomore year. For me, this was crucial because I was undecided. I came in as a prospective math major, but after taking classes in different departments, I discovered an interest in archival research and joined the Department of History.

I also knew I wanted to learn from my peers, travel to different countries, and get access to enriching opportunities. From traveling to India with a geology class to interning in Israel at a high-tech startup, Princeton has provided me with memories and experiences that I will cherish for years to come. Best of all, these opportunities are fully covered financially! 

Another important factor was affordability. The financial aid program here is amazing. My parents were worried they wouldn’t be able to afford Princeton, but the financial aid award I received made it all possible. Throughout my years here, the financial aid office has supported me every step of the way. 

Princeton has truly become my home and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

It’s a tradition for Orange Key tour guides at Princeton to end their campus tours highlighting their “Why Princeton” story: a description of what brought them to choose the University for their undergraduate experience. Everyone's story is different, and as my years on campus progress I get more emotional each time I deliver it. Without further ado, here it is:

What drew me first to Princeton was the beauty of the campus. I didn’t go on a lot of college visits, but when my dad and I saw Princeton we both knew nothing was going to top it. But other, perhaps more pragmatic, elements of campus were just as attractive: I felt safe and loved that the campus residential community would mean I’d never need to venture off or live off campus to see my friends. The libraries scattered evenly among campus meant I’d have a different place to study for each day of the month. Having Nassau Street so close meant I’d have access to a bevy of global cuisines within a stone’s throw of campus.

But more than a physical space, I knew Princeton was a community. I was drawn to the residential college system and the idea that I’d have a smaller, built-in support network the moment I stepped on campus. Additionally, the Princeton experience lasts a lifetime: our reunions are a raucous, orange-and-black celebration of everything Princeton that draws nearly 25,000 alumni annually. (Check out this old New York Times article for a description of some of the antics). Local alumni networks like Princeton in Washington (of which I’ve taken advantage through Princeton Internships in Civic Service) host events for current students and alumni. In my experiences through the alumni networks I've had the opportunity to attend events with senators and world leaders. This means that the Princeton learning experience isn’t ever really over after you graduate.

I knew the students I would go through school with would be exceptional. I was, and still am, truly excited by the idea that I’m going to school with future leaders with whom I will share a crazy, one-of-a-kind four-year experience. I knew the University’s laser focus on undergraduate students, unique among its peer institutions, would exceptionally qualify me to become one of those leaders myself. In that regard, the University has exceeded even my own lofty expectations, funding weeks of in-class travel and summers’ worth of internships to enhance what I’ll take away from my studies.

There are thousands of undergraduate institutions in the United States. It's probably true that I would've been happy at many of them. But, I’m confident that there’s no place I'd be as happy as I am at Princeton.

We telescoped the word “community.” What's telescoping? Basically, we start with a large word count and work our way down to just one word! The first blogger writes close to 250 words; the next around, 200, 150, 100, 75, 50, 25 and 1. If you're considering Princeton as your home for the next four years, we want to make sure that you have a good sense of all the many communities on campus, what community means to students, and how the Princeton community is a vibrant, supportive group of Tigers, from when you begin your Princeton journey to when you join Tiger alumni!

Mia Salas '22

Coming from a small high school that fostered a strong sense of community, I was nervous about joining an undergraduate student body of over 5,000 students. Would I find that same community on campus? And how long would it take for me to do so? Princeton has a pretty robust orientation program – it’s organized so that you can get to know campus, have meaningful experiences, form relationships, develop leadership skills, and feel included, all before the first day of classes even begins! My small group for Community Action (one of Princeton’s Orientation service trips) was my first community, and once I returned to campus, my residential college (go Forbes!), became my second. It was so important for me to have that initial sense of inclusivity and belonging because it reassured me that Princeton would definitely become a home away from home. 

Now, almost two years after my first-year orientation, Princeton is more than just a home. Princeton is where I am a part of so many different communities that have shaped me into who I am today. On Princeton Cheer, I’m surrounded by an incredible group of student athletes who are my closest friends. Princeton’s writing community inspires me every day to pursue my dreams, and Forbes College will always be a place of love and support. Classes, clubs, sports, student groups, residential living, the Princeton area beyond campus – they’ve all become mini communities that remind me of the greater community that I’m a part of.  

Richard Ma '22

Here are some of the things about Princeton that make me happy:

“Late meal” in mid-afternoon, where people go for a between-class snack and run into familiar faces; in the summer, we take our food out to the warm steps of Frist South Lawn to enjoy the sun.

The third-floor theater in Frist Campus Center, packed on a Friday night for the latest student production, which is always a reminder of the talent, passion, and courage swirling all around you.

The Tiger Tea Room in Firestone Library, always alive with sunlight, the smell of coffee and the voices of group projects.

Dillon Gym’s courts, where there is almost always a pickup game to join, especially late at night for hours on end.

Forbes College, where I go after everything, and always has the most peaceful golden lighting.

Underlying all of it is a sense of belonging and this feeling of togetherness – in each of these places there is some moment, quiet or outstated, that makes me feel part of something greater. When I’m with the people I’ve grown and lived with the past two years, I feel part of a community that has come to be one of the most important things in my life.

Naomi Hess '22

I found my Princeton community on my second day on campus. I met my closest friends on my Community Action orientation trip, and ever since then, we’ve been inseparable. I know I can always turn to them for compassion, advice and friendship. 

There are many ways to find your own community. The residential college system fosters a sense of closeness with your neighbors. You can join some of the many student groups to find people who have similar interests. I’ve found communities in my classrooms as well, from passionate professors to engaged peers. 

It’s hard for me to think of another place where I’ve felt so included and supported in every capacity. The best part of Princeton has been the amazing community of students I’ve met throughout my two years here. I’ve found my people, and soon, so will you. Princeton is truly a community like no other.

 Mallory Williamson '21

I wasn’t very sure where I was going to find it. I had it in high school, but I’d known those kids forever. This was a different ball game. I didn’t really know anyone who had gone to Princeton, and I wasn’t sure if people from backgrounds like mine found their niche. 

But, within days, I found it. I found it in my dorm room with my random roommates, in my residential college dining hall, and in my freshman seminars. I found it when I was least looking. It’s probably more appropriate to say it found me. It’s still here.

Jonathan Haynes '20

Early on, some alumni told me that the Princeton experience only gets better as you get older.  At the time, I found it hard to believe, but now, as I am wrapping up my time at Princeton, I cannot see how this will be anything other than true. This speaks to one of my favorite parts of our small community here: it truly extends beyond our time on campus, beyond careers and beyond generations.

Grace Masback '21

I had a difficult experience finding community in high school and I arrived at Princeton uncertain about how or even if I would find community. Yet, as I near the end of my third year I am so grateful for the incredible diversity of community I have been able to find. 

Fedjine Mitchelle Victor '22

The community at Princeton is irreplaceable. Here you meet some of your best friends, have some of your best laughs, and start your best adventure.

Andrea Reino '20

Family

In the summer before you’re set to begin your Princeton journey, you’ll get an email that will determine much of the social trajectory of your four years on campus. Mine came on July 19, 2017. I knew it was coming — I’d been awaiting this day for weeks. Finally, it pinged my inbox at 11:42 a.m., as I was standing in line at Costco with my sister and mom. I anxiously opened it to find my residential college assignment, dorm room number and the names of my three roommates enclosed.

I didn’t even finish reading through my new roommates’ names before I Google-searched pictures of “Mathey College at Princeton.” Mathey is one of Princeton’s six residential colleges. In my totally objective and not at all biased opinion, it’s the best. Other than its sister Rockefeller College, it’s the furthest north on campus. (That means easy access to Firestone Library and all the delicious snacks on Nassau Street). It’s also designed entirely in the classic Collegiate Gothic style, meaning you’re guaranteed to spend your first two years living in an actual castle. Our color is maroon, and our mascot is Mathey the Moose.

Though I don’t live there anymore — I chose to move into upperclassman housing when I joined my eating club — I cherish the memories of my time in Mathey. More than its location, architecture or adorable mascot, Mathey is a community of interesting, kind people. The professional staff in the residential college is always available to support Mathey students and stays in touch even after you’ve left the walls of your college. Mathey-wide events bring the community together each week, and the communal dining hall means the college quickly becomes a collection of familiar faces. (The gear each college gives out at the beginning of each semester also means you’ve automatically got clothes to match with your best friends). Princeton’s residential colleges are touted as a way to make the over 5,200 member student body feel small, and Mathey certainly did that for me. Even now, when I choose to eat in a residential college dining hall, I almost always pick Mathey’s!

Your residential college is first presented to you as a, well, residential assignment. Even before you arrive on campus, though, you’ll discover it’s more than that. In Mathey, I found a community that I still draw upon today for companionship and inspiration. And, while Mathey is obviously the best, that same sense of home is present in each of the six colleges.

My teachers in high school used to say that “college would be different.” Usually, they were referencing the idea that expectations of college students are higher than they are of high school students. For most of my high school career, I didn’t think much of those warnings. When I learned of my admission to Princeton, and felt my future beginning to roll out in front of me, I panicked. How right were they? Was I going to be able to handle the rigor of my college coursework? Was I going to be well prepared?

Three years later, and I’d tell my high school senior year self to take a deep breath. In some ways, college is certainly more demanding than high school. Your professors are going to expect that you genuinely engage with the course material — not just regurgitate memorized facts for a test. They’re going to expect that you care about what you’re learning, because you’ll find most professors have dedicated their lives to studying that very subject.  Balancing coursework in college is something some people also find tricky — class schedules are less structured in college than in high school and can make it difficult for first year students especially to properly budget their study time. You’ll be surrounded by tempting opportunities to ditch the books for time with friends, extracurricular groups and campus events.

But, in my experience, it’s not that college is more difficult than high school. The best way to describe it is merely to say that it’s different. You’re studying what you love, so you’re going to care about all your classes. You’re going to want to prepare for your classes, because you’ll grow to know and care for your professors on a personal level. They’ll care about you, too, and the vast majority are very understanding if you’re unable to meet a particular deadline or need special assistance in class. You have more resources available than ever before to make sure you succeed — everyone from residential college deans and Peer Academic Advisers to the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning has your back. And, you’ll be surrounded and motivated by other passionate learners every day. You’ll see a substantial reduction in the amount of “busy work” you’re assigned, and you’ll spend your time on more meaningful projects.

Believe me, your academic preparation is good enough. Nothing can really prepare you for the totality of your Princeton experience. But, relax: you’ve got this!

Dear Great Class of 2024,

This is an open letter from me, a jealous senior, to all the incoming first-years. Congratulations! You’re about to embark on the journey of a lifetime in a beautiful place I’ve been lucky to call home for the past 3.75 years. On behalf of all the bloggers, I’d like to welcome you to Princeton. There will be ups and downs, but you’ll soon learn that this truly is the best damn place of all.

Princeton is full of new opportunities, experiences and memories that you will cherish forever. My advice to you is this: take advantage of every single opportunity, experience and memory that comes your way. This is a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and as I know many of you can relate as high school seniors, it can all change in a matter of seconds. Cherish your time here. It really does fly by, I swear. It feels like just yesterday I was moving into Butler 1967 Hall, meeting my roommates, getting my bearings on campus and looking forward to the four years to come. Instead, a few days ago, I moved out of my cute little Patton Hall dorm room and said goodbye to everyone who made Princeton feel like home.

But enough with the sadness! This should be a happy time for you all. Be open to new experiences! Meet new friends; it may take a while to establish your core group, but you’ll get there! Get to know your professors; they can be great mentors and they’re there for you. Thank your dining hall workers! Explore the campus; Princeton is gorgeous, and it’s yours to take in. Try out every coffee shop in town. Call your parents ⁠— they’re anxious to hear from you! Stay in touch with your high school friends. Cope with stress in healthy ways; watch the sunrise, go to the gym, try out a new restaurant, take a walk. Take your time. Get to know some upperclassmen; I know they can look scary sometimes, but I promise they aren’t!

Last, but certainly not least: believe in yourself and trust in the process. You’re meant to be here! You’re meant to be a part of this amazing community. Good luck, and have fun!

Once again: welcome to Princeton.

Sincerely,

A jealous senior who wishes she could do it all over again.

Navigating around Princeton—both on campus and in the surrounding communities—is an important part of the Princeton student experience. 

First, some caveats: I spend almost all of my time here on campus and in neighborhoods within walking distance. This isn’t the case for some students, especially student athletes who travel frequently for competition. When I leave campus, I usually do so by car or train — I usually only leave campus by plane during the breaks, but it’s an extremely common experience for students to fly during the normal year.

Like on most college campuses, people walk here. A lot. Bring your best walking shoes — you won’t be wearing high heels on your hike to class! Campus isn’t that big, so most students get around solely on foot. A substantial number of students do have bikes and scooters (both the traditional kind and the electric ones— I don’t quite understand these). There are bike racks near most dorm buildings, and scooters have to be stored in your room in order to keep the campus as accessible as possible. Don’t think you need these things, though — unless you’re a resident of Forbes College or a student-athlete frequently traveling south on campus to Jadwin Gym, you’ll easily be able to make it everywhere on foot, on time. If you ever don’t feel like walking, Tiger Transit (the campus shuttle system) can take you to different hot spots on campus. 

Tiger Transit also runs shuttles off campus for students. The most commonly utilized service they offer is the Weekend Shopper, which loops students from campus to a variety of different shopping centers in the larger Princeton area. Highlights include Trader Joe’s and Target, two of my favorite suburban spots. Something important to note is that students aren’t allowed to keep cars on campus, meaning that you’ll have to find another way to get around. In addition to University services like Tiger Transit, students frequently use the Enterprise Car-Share service offered on campus (easy to use, and pretty cheap!) or use a ride-share app. 

If you’re looking to get out further into the world, your ticket is the ‘Dinky.’ The ‘Dinky’ is a train station on campus that provides shuttle service to the larger Princeton Junction station. From Princeton Junction Station, you can mainly catch NJ Transit trains and Amtrak trains. Trains branching off from these can take you to New York City, Philadelphia or even Newark or Philadelphia airports, which is a passport to anywhere in the world! 

Princeton’s unique residential culture means getting around can seem daunting for incoming students. The reality is that it’s pretty easy — you’ll find your way around in no time at all!

Before this year, I had never had a problem set, or “pset” for short. I came to Princeton as a potential English concentrator, hoping to limit my exposure to any quantitative subject. That changed rather quickly after I changed my prospective concentration in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. I am in two prerequisite classes for my concentration that have weekly psets, worksheets filled with math and problem solving. These assignments are a lot different from my usual workload of reading and writing essays. Here are some tips I’ve learned about how to handle psets for the first time:

1. The most helpful resource for handling psets is the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning. The McGraw Center runs group review sessions and individual tutoring for many of the most popular classes on campus. I go to the group review sessions for my microeconomics class almost every week. The tutors are students who did well in the class previously, and they do a great job explaining concepts and assisting with the psets. The McGraw Center also offers learning strategy consultations, where students work with you on topics ranging from thesis planning to overcoming procrastination to study strategies. I find all of the McGraw Center offerings to be very helpful, so I highly recommend using the many programs they offer to help students.
2. It is also very important to go to office hours when you can. During office hours, you can ask your professor or preceptor specific questions about the psets or concepts that you are having trouble understanding. It might make you a little nervous to go to office hours at first, but they are there to help you learn and succeed. If the regularly scheduled office hours don’t work for you, sometimes you can find a different time to meet and go over your questions. Even for classes without psets, office hours are a great way to talk to and learn from the amazing professors we have here at Princeton.
3. A final strategy involves working on the psets with friends and classmates. I have several friends in my classes with psets, so we formed a study group. We work on homework together, check answers and just act as a support system for each other in these difficult classes. Working with friends is definitely more enjoyable than working alone.

While classes can be challenging, I’m glad that I have found some of the many ways Princeton supports students in difficult classes. Everyone has their own strategy about how to get through their work, so I’m sure you’ll find even more resources to help you along the way.