When I first came to Princeton, I was nervous about how I would be able to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. During high school, I had always taken the days off from school and attended services with my family. I loved seeing the community and catching up with my friends at the synagogue. But now I was away from home and didn’t know how things operated at Princeton. Were there services? How would professors feel about my missing their class? Would I know anyone else attending services or would I sit alone?

However, despite my fears, I learned very quickly just how special the high holidays are at Princeton. Our Hillel, the Center For Jewish Life (CJL) offers reform, conservative, and orthodox services for all of the holidays. Through posters and emails, they advertise when and where the services are taking place so that even though I was not well acquainted with the CJL community before the holidays, I was still able to receive the information.

Professors are super accommodating about missing classes for Jewish holidays. I have found that if you talk to them ahead of time and explain when you will be missing, they are more than willing to work with you on assignments or class material. Plus, I’ve also had professors videotape or record their lectures so that I can listen to them after the holiday.

As for being nervous about sitting alone, that certainly didn’t happen. At our services we have a special student section, so that I had an easy time finding and meeting other students. The CJL also hosts special holiday meals, so not only was I provided delicious food, I was able to meet other people observing the holiday too. Additionally, since a good number of other students were not attending classes, I spent my afternoons hanging around the CJL talking with others and making friends.

Yet, I think one of the nicest things about celebrating the holidays at Princeton is that you are able to enjoy and observe them however you wish. For example, if your tradition is to just eat a special meal with friends and family, you can do that. If your tradition is to attend all services, you can do that. If your tradition is to attend some classes and go to services when you can, you can also do that. There is the freedom to do whatever you want, and there is no judgment about how little or how much you want to do.

All in all, the holidays at Princeton are wonderful. I look forward to them every year because, for me, they are a break from crazy school life and provide a chance to connect with the other Jewish students on campus. If you observe these holidays and have any questions, feel free to contact me! I’d be happy to talk more about them with you. 

For the past three years, I’ve kept the same slip of paper pinned to the bulletin board in my dorm room. It reads:

“I think guitar groups are becoming passé.” – Record Company Executive in his 1962 rejection letter, one of many sent to the unsigned Liverpool-based band known as The Beatles.

In 1963, The Beatles became the biggest musical group in England.

In 1964, The Beatles became the biggest band in the world.

Each day, I carry these words with me.

At a university like Princeton, rejection is inevitable. Here, I am surrounded by some of the smartest, most talented people I have ever met. And I wouldn’t change that for anything. This is the path I chose, and it is the path I would choose time and again if I had to do it all over. The path is not easy, but I never wanted it to be. I came to Princeton wanting to grow. To push myself, to be inspired—to learn just how much I do not know.

And so, whenever I open an email and see the familiar words: “Thank you for your application. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept you at this time," my mind returns to The Beatles. The words on that little slip of paper have taught me not to fear rejection, but rather to embrace it as a reminder that I am brave. I am resilient. I am here.

Just years before founding Disney World, Walt Disney was fired by a news editor for “lack of imagination.” Growing up, Albert Einstein was oftentimes called “mentally handicapped” by teachers who said that he would amount to nothing. J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” was rejected by publishers 12 times. One rejection letter advised Rowling to “get a day job” because she had “no future in writing children’s novels.” The net worth of these individuals? Sky-high. The look on their critics’ faces as they realized how foolish they'd been? Priceless. As J.K. Rowling states: "It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default."

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default. 

Naysayers are nothing. Live the life you’ve imagined. Audition for your favorite a cappella group. Interview for a position you’re passionate about, even when you know you’re not the most qualified candidate. Apply for that ultra-competitive summer internship in Paris. Whether you wind up munching on a baguette in front of the Eiffel Tower or adding another tier to the tower of rejection letters in your dorm room, you’ll know that you put yourself out there. You lived.

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…” Listen to the boy from Liverpool. You’re in good company, after all.

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Most children’s first word is “mama”; mine was “book.” In preschool, as other kids scampered around Toys "R" Us, I devoured the shelves of Barnes & Noble. Some go weak in the knees at the scent of chocolate lava cake, but the new book smell has always been my aroma of choice.

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Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of working in the publishing world. And so, standing in the entryway of Princeton’s Career Services building at last fall's Communications & Media Meetup, I was rendered a child once more. Somewhere in the crowd, I knew, was a representative from the book publisher Simon & Schuster. Straightening my nametag, I navigated my way across the room until I found myself standing before the Simon & Schuster booth.

“Welcome! You’re my first visitor!”

Later that evening, I emailed the Simon & Schuster representative, thanking her for such a fantastic conversation and mentioning that I couldn’t wait to apply to her company’s winter internship program. A few minutes later, my inbox dinged.

“Let me slip a little note along to HR…”

One week later, I was sitting in an office in midtown Manhattan, interviewing for an editorial position with Simon & Schuster.

I didn’t wind up getting the internship that day. Instead, I walked away with something even more valuable. Midway through our conversation, my interviewer cocked her head and asked me, “Have you ever considered becoming a literary agent?”

I hadn’t. In fact, I had never even heard of the job before. And so, later that evening, I typed the words “literary agent” into Google for the first time. With childlike wonder, I watched as my laptop conjured up descriptions of a dream job I hadn't known existed.

Minutes later, I was scouring the web for internships once more.

It’s now been almost a year since my Simon & Schuster interview, and I just completed my third literary agency internship. Like the others before it, this internship provided me with endless inspiration and insight. But—at its completion—it also gave me one more thing.

A job offer.

“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you, but I saw your ‘Princeton Dad’ shirt and I just had to ask, do you currently have a student at Princeton?” This was how I started a conversation with a total stranger last summer when I was working in Key Largo, Florida. I had been living in the Keys all summer and had not seen or heard about any other person related to Princeton in months. Therefore, when I saw this man who was visiting the same beach, I just had to find out if I knew his son or daughter. Well, it turns out his daughter was a graduate student in the MAE (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) Department and I had no idea who she was. Yet, by reaching out to him, we ended up having a great conversation about Princeton and the research his daughter was doing. Although I had just met this father I felt connected to my Princeton family.         

While I do remember the lesson my mother told me about refraining from talking to strangers, there is something about Princeton that encourages me to reach out to other members of our community. I love hearing the stories from alumni about their experiences and how the campus has changed since they graduated. I also love meeting fellow students whom I had not had the chance to meet earlier on in my Princeton career. Sometimes, my attempts at conversation leave me looking silly, but other times, they have helped me tremendously.

For example, when I was recently studying abroad in Panama, I was given the contact information of a family who could help me find Shabbat services and kosher food while I was abroad. I had absolutely no connection to them apart from the fact that one of their sons was a Class of ’06 graduate and that they were Jewish. I sent an email introducing myself, explaining how I would be studying in Panama for a few months and asked tons of questions of what life was like there. Even though they had long since moved away from home, this family took me in and became my adopted Panamanian family. They invited me over for holidays, gave me warm food and let me stay at their house. I am thankful that Princeton provided me with the opportunity to be introduced to this family.

In a slightly different example, when I flew back to campus in January, I was waiting for my luggage at baggage claim when a girl came up to me and asked if I went to Princeton. She had seen the orange Princeton bag tag on my suitcase and figured there was a good chance I was a fellow Princetonian.  She explained that she was a first-year student and had never gone back to campus on her own. She was looking for someone to help her. Of course, I was more than willing to explain the train process and go with her back to campus. We ended up talking the entire ride back and now we are good friends on campus.

I’ve met so many fellow Princetonians out and about. I can’t tell you how many wonderful conversations I have had with total strangers in the airport because of my Princeton sweatshirt. I have met alumni, fellow classmates and even professors from the University. My conversations are always engaging and I learn something new about the University every time I meet someone.

Furthermore, our alumni network is so helpful when searching for jobs and internship opportunities. Alumni are always willing to provide advice and even help with job opportunities. While I personally haven’t taken advantage of this resource yet, I know in the coming years once I graduate, this will be extremely helpful.

It may be hard to understand, but once you become a Princeton Tiger, you are able to connect with an entire community of people offering their experience and guidance. These people may provide engaging conversation while you’re stuck on an airplane or they may be a wonderful resource when you are abroad. Whatever the case may be, they’re proud to be a Princetonian, and I am too.

One of my favorite moments every year in high school was receiving my yearbook and flipping through the pages, remembering all of the fun moments from the year. There was the first Friday celebration, Blue and Gold Night (our school’s big spirit night), Track and Field Day, Prom and so many other special memories. I loved having my friends and teachers sign it. I always read what they said and couldn’t help but smile as I reflected upon how fast the year went by.

However, rather than just being a photo collection, the yearbook serves as a reminder of where I was and where I am going. I look back at my preschool yearbooks with amazement, realizing how much I have grown since then (both literally and figuratively). I can see how my hairstyle has changed, how my friend groups have shifted and how the world as a whole has evolved. For example, I look at my yearbooks from middle school in comparison to now, and I recognize how gaucho pants and Juicy Couture track suits are no longer the “in” things. Plus, there is nothing better than a yearbook pick me up on a bad day. Reading back over all the nice things my friends and teachers have said about me over the years instantly puts a smile on my face. If you haven’t tried this yet, the next time life gets you down, I highly suggest trying this.

When I arrived at Princeton, I didn’t realize colleges actually had yearbooks. I should have known better because Princeton loves tradition and recording its history. The Nassau Herald, our yearbook, was first published in 1864. It was originally separated into two books. The first was the Bric-a-Brac, which focused on all aspects of undergraduate life. The second book was the Nassau Herald, which focused on the four-year experience of the senior class. The two books merged a few years ago to become one large Nassau Herald.

Once I learned that Princeton had a yearbook, I applied to the agency seeking a job as the graphic design editor. Once accepted, I had the power to create the very thing that holds the memories of the school. My team and I work to document the year so that future generations of Princetonians can look back and see all that happened. When His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama visited my first year, we recorded it. When former President Jimmy Carter came to speak, we included it as well. Other things such as the first snowfall and the results of athletic seasons are included in the book too. Now that I am co-editor-in-chief of the Nassau Herald, I oversee the entire production of the yearbook. Learning organizational and managerial skills has been very helpful in my time at Princeton, and I’m sure will continue to be beneficial after I graduate.

This year, I am excited to announce there are big changes in store for the Nassau Herald. We are adding 3D effects and links to movies so that the book comes alive as you read it. We hope that this will add to the experience so that current and future Princetonians look fondly upon their yearbook and smile when they reflect upon their Princeton experience. While we all have cameras on our cell phones and can print our photos inexpensively, there is something to be said for having a yearbook on your table at home.  

If you are a prospective student and were involved in yearbook in high school, rest assured, you can still be involved in college too. All it takes is an application, and then you can have one of the best jobs on campus! If you are interested in learning more about the Nassau Herald, please check out our website to see the ways in which we are documenting the Princeton experience. 

Every year in April the Arts Council of Princeton, Princeton undergraduates and the local Princeton community come together to host Communiversity ArtsFest. This event features more than 200 booths in which artists showcase their original artwork and crafts, local businesses sell fun and unique merchandise and chefs prepare delicious culinary treats. There are also six stages of continuous live entertainment highlighting local, as well as student, performers. Communiversity draws more than 40,000 people and is one of Central New Jersey’s largest and longest running cultural events.

This event is something Princeton students look forward to every year. It’s a great way for students to interact with and support the local community. It is also a way in which certain clubs on campus are able to highlight their work to a broader audience. For example, the Rocketry Club for the past few years has demonstrated rocket launches for visitors. Plus, there is always at least one club sponsoring a pie-in-your-face competition, which is always hilarious.

Another fun event that occurs in spring is TruckFest. The University brings in ten to twenty different food trucks for students to try. From gourmet hot dogs to cheesecake on a stick, TruckFest seems to have it all. Though the dining hall food here is delicious, there is nothing quite like trying fried mac and cheese or a nutella infused waffle. 

Lastly, the annual dodgeball tournament is a campus favorite. From 8 p.m. until whenever the last man standing is hit, student groups compete against one another in epic dodgeball games. There is pizza, music and lots of camaraderie as students try to win games for their team. Games are divided into large, medium and small groups, with a winner in each category. Residential colleges, eating clubs, sports teams and other student groups compete to assert their dominance in the grand game of dodgeball. Since most students are involved in many clubs and organizations, it is not uncommon to see someone running from one side of the gym to go play for another group he or she is a part of. It's a really fun event that most students look forward to each year. 

Sin duda, el Día de Acción de Gracias es mi fiesta favorita. Implica calabazas, otoño, hojas crujientes, y tiempo con la familia. Además de todo esto, me encanta este día porque es el mejor momento para dar gracias por todas las cosas maravillosas de la vida. Este año, el equipo que escribe este blog quisiera expresar su gratitud, así que aquí están nuestras respuestas a una pregunta muy relacionada con el Día de Acción de Gracias: como un(a) estudiante de Princeton, ¿qué te hace sentir agradecido/a este año?

Comienzo por decir que estoy muy agradecida por la comunidad comprensiva que he encontrado aquí en Princeton – realmente siento que es mi segundo hogar. Este año, voy a pasar el Día de la Acción de Gracias en casa por primera vez desde que empecé mis estudios en la universidad. Como estudiante de último año, he tenido que hacer malabarismos con todas mis clases, mi tesis y varias decisiones importantes de la vida. Doy gracias por mis amigas y la comunidad aquí que me apoya y motiva. Me hace sentir muy agradecida darme cuenta de que, a lo largo de los cuatro años que he pasado aquí, he creado buenas relaciones con muchos profesores, miembros de la comunidad y tutores que me han aconsejado y motivado. También tengo muchos amigos muy queridos que me apoyan y me hacen sonreír--aún después de nuestra graduación. Cambiando de tema, también agradezco el vivir en el campus hermoso de Princeton, ¡especialmente dado a la belleza de este otoño – con hojas que cambian de color y un clima maravilloso!

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Avaneesh Narla ‘17: “Estoy muy agradecido por el asesor de mi tesis, Ned Wingreen, un profesor de biología molecular del Instituto Lewis-Sigler para Genómica Integrante, con quien escribí un ensayo el año pasado y llevé a cabo investigaciones durante el verano. He estado disfrutando mucho mi tesis, y he aprendido mucho sobre cómo realizar investigaciones científicas y crear preguntas e ideas interesantes. Ned ha sido extremadamente alentador y me da realimentación continua, ¡y no sé cuán tranquilo sería el proceso sin él!”

Jordan Brown ‘19: “Estoy muy agradecido por la gran cantidad de oportunidades que Princeton ofrece, especialmente con respecto a oportunidades en el extranjero. Princeton pagó toda la matrícula de la clase de español que tomé en Toledo, España, tanto como mi pasantía en Abomey-Calavi en Benin, en el oeste de África. Es fantástico tener la oportunidad de aprovechar de todos estos lugares, con clases y pasantías que están disponibles a nosotros como estudiantes.

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Briana Pagano ‘18: “Yo doy gracias por el cielo eternamente cambiante de Princeton: por las nubes de algodón de azúcar, por las siluetas del atardecer y por las agujas góticas que guían mi mirada hacia el mapa de constelaciones de medianoche. Doy gracias por el hecho de que, aún como estudiante de tercer año, no puedo evitar mirar hacia arriba, y perderme en mis alrededores.”

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Kevin McElwee ‘17: “¡Doy gracias por los viajes que he hecho con el Glee Club (un grupo de canto), y por los amigos que he hecho a través de él! Gracias a la generosidad de nuestros antiguos alumnos, podemos cantar música bella por todo el mundo.”

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Peyton Lawrenz ‘19: “Aunque no podré viajar a casa para el Día de Acción de Gracias (no hay ningún vuelo directo a Nuevo México), pienso mucho en no poder estar con mi familia durante una fiesta tan valiosa, pero igualmente estoy felizmente sorprendida por el sentido increíble de “hogar” que he encontrado aquí en Princeton. Habiendo recibido varias invitaciones de amigos a pasar el Día de Acción de Gracias con ellos y sus familias durante esta temporada de gratitud, me acuerdo de cuánto valoro la bondad y la generosidad de las comunidades que he descubierto en Princeton.

Serena Zheng ‘17: “Este año, ¡doy gracias por mis amigos! Después de casi nueve meses lejos del campus (entre estudiar en el extranjero y vacaciones de verano), sobre todo, estoy tan, tan alegre de ver a mis amigos. Antes de graduarnos y dispersarnos por el mundo “real”, me emociona pasar un año más con ellos, riéndonos, llorando juntos, y aprendiendo y aventurando con la gente que ha hecho que Princeton sea un hogar para mí.

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Michelle Greenfield ‘18: “Estoy muy agradecida por la comunidad del Centro para la Vida Judía de la cual he sido una parte durante los últimos tres años. Cada vez que entro en el edificio, caras conocidas me dan la bienvenida instantáneamente, y siempre sé que si necesito un amigo o necesito ayuda con mi tarea, alguien va a estar allí para mí. El Centro me ha ofrecido oportunidades de liderazgo, experiencias de aprendizaje, conversación genuina y sobre todo, amistades duraderas que aprecio todos los días.”

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Kevin Wong ‘17: “Como estudiante de último año, estoy particularmente agradecido por todas las maneras en las que Princeton me ha cambiado. Cuatro años aquí han hecho que mi pensamiento sea más agudo, que mi mundo sea más amplio, y que mi vida sea más rica. Estoy agradecido por las experiencias extraordinarias que Princeton me ha ofrecido como un escritor, un académico incipiente, y un legislador aspirante. La generosidad de la universidad, tanto con respeto a sus recursos financieros como a sus recursos humanos, no tiene equivalente, y cuando sea hora de irme, voy a extrañar profundamente este lugar.”

Traducido por PULP, Princeton University Language Project. 

View the post in English.

Often times on my Orange Key tours, visitors question me about what Princeton students do for fun. “You don’t study all day, do you?” they ask. To this I laugh and respond that while we do study, we also know how to relax and have fun.

One of the ways my friends and I socialize is through the events hosted by the Princeton Student Events Committee (PSEC). Nearly every week, PSEC hosts an event to bring the community together. Over the past year, I’ve attended bingo, a fall carnival, a painting class, open ice night at Baker Rink, stuffed animal making (one of the biggest events of the semester) and so many other fun events. For instance, at Winterfest, I had the opportunity to stuff my own penguin, nosh on hot chocolate and tasty cookies, take photos in a photo booth with my friends, and even make my own snow globe. PSEC events are great because all of the supplies are free, and it’s a chance to take a fun study break and relax with my friends.

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In addition to PSEC events, the undergraduate student government hosts free movies at the Garden Theater every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. The movie changes every week, but it’s always completely free and includes popcorn and a soda. When the movie was “La La Land,” more than 200 students attended each showing.

There are also multiple student productions occurring every week. Between attending my friends’ a cappella arch sings, theater performances and dance recitals, I am kept quite busy.

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Eating clubs and student groups also host activities and other events for their members. This past year, Quad, (my eating club) hosted a trip to Six Flags, had a Nerf gun battle, went to the local apple orchard and even brought a ball pit into the club.

If all of these events and performances aren’t enough, the class governments will also host study breaks occasionally with fancy food and giveaways. There is also the annual dodgeball tournament, Truckfest (where we have lots of food trucks come to campus), visiting lecturers, Broadway trips, improv shows, 5k runs, fashion shows, dances and so much more!

Needless to say, there are always lots of things happening on campus to relax and have fun.