Toward the end of my senior year in high school, I skyped my mom from my school in Norway and teasingly said, "I’m going to spend next year in China!" It was a joke, I wanted to scare her a bit and see how she yelled that I was not going to be so far away from home again. Moving away from home when I was just 16 years old and studying in a boarding school in Norway had been a great adventure, yet it had also been hard to leave my family behind when I was so young. It was this distance and fear of forever being away that was making my decision to pick a university so hard. I did not know where to go. I knew my mom was also afraid that we would gradually grow more distant, so going to China was, in all seriousness, a complete joke. Instead, she was ecstatic when she heard my false news. She soon started telling me about all her adventures in China when she had lived there before I was born. She asked me a million questions and grew more excited as I mumbled and tried to satisfy her curiosity by reading the information in the pamphlet I held in my hand.

I had gotten my Princeton acceptance packet a few days earlier. Inside it, I had found a brochure about the University’s Bridge Year Program. At first, I ignored it; taking a gap year was not a thing people did in Spain, and it felt more like something high school students in Hollywood movies would do. And it did sound really movie-like: "a tuition-free program that allows a select number of incoming freshmen to begin their Princeton experience by engaging in nine months of University-sponsored service at one of five international locations." Why would the University want its students to start off their degree by going away? I read over it and glanced at the pictures, never actually thinking that months later it would be me who would be standing on a mountain in Yunnan. The five locations offered that year were India, China, Peru, Senegal and Brazil; China felt both the furthest and coolest.

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After that Skype call, I reread the brochure, I researched the program and read blog entries from current and past participants. Suddenly, spending a year in China seemed more exciting. I also wanted to befriend the taxi drivers of Kunming and learn how to cook Chinese dishes like the past participants said they had done. I wanted to learn Mandarin and hike around Western China, learn more about community-based initiatives and how to appreciate a new culture. So I decided to apply.

In order to start my application and be able to do the program, I first had to be a Princeton student, so I quickly accepted the University offer. Ironically, it was this possibility of a bridge year in China that made my college decision so easy. Looking back now, I find it funny; I could very easily not have selected to participate in the Bridge Year Program. But I think it was more the fact that Princeton was offering that opportunity to its admitted students, that it saw the many benefits of spending time abroad, of experiential learning and highlighted the importance of multicultural understanding that made me pick the University. I had a great high school experience where I had learned to view education as much more than classes and textbooks, and it seemed that Princeton also thought being outside of the classroom could bring many benefits.

That year in China has defined not only my Princeton experience but also my identity in more ways that I could possibly describe. It made me passionate about so many things that are now vital to me, it made me a more adventurous and confident person, it completely altered my worldview and deepened my interest in a whole new region. It even brought me closer to my family, as I was able to share a similar experience to the one that my mom had living in China when she was in her thirties. It was this - a joke about a brochure - that made it possible for me to be writing this blog post from my room on Princeton’s campus, yet I still think that imagining oneself participating in the opportunities that each University offers, and thinking about which ones can make one grow most might be a great way of making this college decision. Good luck, everyone!

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If you have the opportunity to attend Princeton Preview, you will be matched with a current student. This student will be your host during your time on campus. They will eat a meal with you, let you stay in their dorm and show you what life is really like at Princeton.

When I came to Preview during my senior spring, I was nervous about what would happen. Would my host be nice? What if she was involved in activities that I just had no interest in? However, those fears were quickly suppressed once I met my host, Alex. Alex was a senior in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department (the department I was most interested at the time and am currently majoring in) and had recently finished her thesis about African penguins. Considering I am a huge animal lover, I was immediately excited to learn more about her Princeton experience. She told me she spent a summer doing research in South Africa, was involved in musical theater on campus, was an RCA (residential college advisor) and had many friends and wonderful experiences at the University. She took the time to answer all of my questions about the school and give me a sense of why she loves Princeton.

Alex quickly picked up on what I was most interested in—Jewish life and animals—and directed me towards the different places on campus that I should visit while I was here, namely the Center for Jewish Life and Guyot Hall (which have become my two favorite buildings since matriculating). Being able to see the school through the eyes of a current student was so helpful in making my decision to attend Princeton.

However, this story doesn’t end here. While many students have limited communication with their host after preview, Alex and I have been good friends ever since. After first meeting, we talked all summer, and she continued to help me prepare for my introduction to Princeton. When I was confused about how to apply for a freshman seminar, she walked me through the process and even proofread my essays for me. When I didn’t know where to buy sheets or other supplies for my room, she told me about the Bed Bath and Beyond college pick-ups where you can purchase the items anywhere and pick them up at the closest store to your school. She also offered to meet up with me when I got here so that I had a friendly face to see amongst thousands of new faces.

Today, Alex is still one of my good friends, and I owe my attendance at Preview to that. She’s truly been a mentor to me over the past four years. She connected me with the penguin place at which she did her thesis research, which is the reason I got to spend my first summer in college in South Africa working with penguins. She’s helped me with job searches, thesis advice, class suggestions and so many other things.

While I can’t say this type of host-pre-frosh friendship happens for everyone at Preview, I can say this is a classic example of the types of friendships you form with other students at Princeton. There is no age gap between friendships here, meaning you have friends older than you who can be mentors, and you have friends younger than you that you can mentor. The frienships you form at Princeton are incredible and special. I am so thankful I attended Preview, and I know that Alex and I will remain friends long after I graduate.

Tuesday, February 21 was a rather special day on campus, not for us current students in particular but rather for those who aren't. It is called Tiger Tuesday, and it is hosted by the University every year with the purpose of allowing those students who applied and were accepted to Princeton under early action to acquire a small taste of what it's like to be a student here.

The day roughly started at 8 a.m. with the check-in session, lasting until 11 a.m. and during this time prospective students were given various packets of information about the University, as well as small bits of Princeton paraphenalia (which doesn't stop when you become a student by the way, I'm still getting free stuff). Afterwards, the prospective students had the opportunity to walk around, visit various open house sessions hosted by different centers on campus or even sit in on any class of their choosing, if they so please. Toward the end of the day, they congregated again in residential colleges, where they chatted with other eager prospective students, admissions staff, as well as current students. While I was there, I asked around if some prospective students knew what they might want to major in or what they enjoyed most about Tiger Tuesday. Needless to say, answers to the question about their possible major varied: English, Economics, Chemistry and many undecided, which makes sense and is totally fine, too. The day wrapped up at about 4:30 p.m., after a few closing remarks from various faculty members. I hope the admitted students has a positive experience on campus during their brief time here.

We hope to see you as a Princeton student in the fall! 

The prefrosh are here, which means the semester's almost over and, in my case, my Princeton experience. It's crazy to think that just four years ago, I was deciding whether Princeton was the place for me. So with the nostalgia kicking in big time, I spent some time thinking about advice I would give to my prefrosh self, and asked my fellow bloggers to contribute their thoughts too. Good luck, future Tigers!

Talk to current students and get to know your fellow prefrosh! Aside from exploring the beautiful campus and consuming all of the free food everywhere during Princeton Preview, what made me most excited about going to Princeton was meeting current students and other prefrosh. They were all so friendly, interesting, and easy to talk to, and I couldn't wait to return to campus and get to know more of them over the next four years!

—Serena Zheng '17

Congratulations! You were really hoping for this, and it happened, so you should really celebrate. Go hiking every week, or read 12 books over the summer, or watch all of Sherlock again. Just remember to spend time with family. It's going to be much much tougher for them than it is going to be for you.

Speaking of which, the next few years are going to be incredibly fun, very stimulating, but also challenging at many times. And when that happens, remember that you are extremely special and talented. And sometimes that may not be reflected in a letter or a number, but you are no less special.

On a more tangible note, take the classes that you are interested in, not the classes that you think you should be taking. Well, except Writing Sem, you have to take that. Explore: what you should be doing most at this point is stimulating yourself. 

And apply for the Bridge Year Program; there is no reason not to.

—Avaneesh Narla '17

My best advice to my prerosh self? Well, my best advice would probably be what I have learned about extracurriculars and balance here: that I can realistically engage in three things that I love at Princeton. You'll be bombarded (in the most fun and wonderful way!) with so many clubs and opportunities to try at first—and I definitely enjoyed trying a bit of everything during my first few months at Princeton. But I've found that it's ultimately most meaningful to engage fully with my schoolwork and two more major activities each semester. This, for me, has been most rewarding and has helped me define my priorities - and also leaves some free time for relaxation and friends! I would also say that taking a full day off and leaving campus to spend a fun day in New York City or Philadelphia with friends is sometimes the very best thing, even when you have a heavy work load and it feels irresponsible. I've realized the importance of taking a true break and have found that a day off is often just what I need to reset and to be committed to working hard again for the rest of the week. On a more practical and immediate level, definitely buy a (very) warm winter coat and quality rain coat—sooner than later! Take a lot of pictures—you (and your friends) will be very happy later. And while it's always important to think about the future, don't spend so much time planning for the next thing that you're not fully present here at Princeton. You'll get the most out of your Princeton experience if you see your time here as more than just a stepping stone. Lastly, don't wait as long as I did to realize how delicious the ice cream in the dining halls is! Congratulations, and welcome to Princeton!

—Makenna May '17

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One of the things I wish I had focused more on during my college process was researching some of the specific programs that the school offered that interested me. While some people come into college pretty undecided (which is totally fine!), I came in knowing I wanted a biology degree and to probably go to veterinary school. Of course my path can change, but I wish I had taken some time to see what types of biology classes the school offered, and if there was any animal care experience available for me to pursue while taking classes. Even if I didn’t actually do anything I had intended, it would have been helpful for me to do a bit of research, just so I could have a better idea of what opportunities were available to me before stepping foot on campus. Therefore, I highly suggest looking into any and all departments that sound interesting, just to get a sense of what opportunities you might have when you get to Princeton. Plus, it gives you a list of things to get excited about for when you get to campus.

—Michelle Greenfield '18

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They say hindsight is 20/20. Fitting, I think. (Haha. 2020, get it? Ignore my bad puns; I'm still mid-thesis.) Anyway, it's safe to say that after almost four years here, I'm starting to see things pretty clearly.

I didn't really have a prefrosh experience at Princeton, but I do remember that when I first set foot on this campus freshman year, I thought I had a very clear sense of who I was and the things I would enjoy doing. While there's nothing wrong with that  (it's mostly a good thing, in my opinion) I think it led me to inadvertently limit myself to certain experiences. I did what I knew myself to be good at and didn't jump at the chance to venture into new activities. But college is a perfect opportunity to explore all the things you're even remotely passionate about or interested in, and that's something I realize more and more with each passing day. Soon, I won't have all these options available to me in one place. 

So, dear prefrosh, my advice to you is the same that I give myself every day now: go for it. Even if you find out it's not your thing or you fail spectacularly at it, embrace the chance to learn something new about yourself. 

I didn't try out for the dance group that is now such a huge part of my Princeton experience until the spring of my sophomore year. I went to auditions to support a friend and ended up having so much fun that I came back twice to really try it out. My "prefrosh self" liked to dance, but had never done it seriously and didn't think she could be a dancer. I was so nervous about failing that I almost never went for it. Now, I can barely remember my life here without BAC.

So, to recap, I'm going to hit you with all the clichés: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." "You never know until you try." "Just do it." They're all true and all very useful. Consider holding on to them for at least your four years here.

—Tomi Johnson '16

Many of you reading this have probably recently gone through the college application process or are currently going through it (in which case, stay strong! You're great!).

About half of Princeton’s undergraduates work part-time jobs for a variety of reasons: to help contribute to their financial aid package, to save up for personal/future expenditures, or simply to do something they enjoy outside of their schoolwork.

Hey prospective students! I'll keep this one short and sweet. 

Come to Princeton.