I woke up to a canopy of snow. Still falling thick and heavy, it had landed gently on branches one by one till the entire ring of trees in the courtyard was a low-hanging forest cloud. 

Snow was scarce my first two years on campus. My first-year fall, it had come early and enthusiastic - I had snowball fights by lamplight and unexpected attacks leaving class at noon. But since then, the skies had been less forthright, and besides a light dusting that I enjoyed in Prospect Gardens in the January of my sophomore year, I missed the opportunity to see campus asleep and then vibrant in the snow.

This year, though, the snow is generous and constant. Snowmen rise and, imprecisely weighted, topple back to earth, where their redolent domes are hidden under a new skyfall. Steady groups make their way to Whitman hill, holding flattened cardboard and plastic lids and other makeshift sleds. 

Golden lamps and old stone walls married to moss and vine are well-suited to the snow. We take walks, following made footsteps where the snow is too deep. We are showered by snow from familiar branches and roofs. 

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We hope it stays, a little while.

At the start of your first year at Princeton, there will be an amazing Students Activities Fair where you can really get a sense of all the different clubs and organizations available on Princeton’s campus. The social scene, the clubs and organizations will definitely color some of your experiences at Princeton. But with so many options, it is so common to overcommit yourself during your first year. Here are some things I wish I knew as a first-year student about managing commitments!

Pace Yourself

We come to college with so many passions that we may want to explore all of them! However, you don’t have to join everything at once. Take your time. You may find out about new clubs as the year goes on. Leave some space for spontaneous gems.

Less is More

I personally suggest to start with 2-3 clubs with differing commitment levels. Your first semester at Princeton can be very exhausting! The academic pace or workload may be different than what you are accustomed to. I know it was for me. Having spaces that allow you to de-stress is amazing, but too many clubs can lead to stretching yourself thin. Princeton would love to see you shining at your best with a few clubs, rather than feeling overwhelmed by too many.

No is Okay; Not Yet is Okay; Not Now is Okay

If you find yourself overwhelmed, you can always take a semester off of one club to focus on another. You can also choose to no longer be in that club altogether but still show support. Most clubs, if not all, are led by students just like you and they will understand if you need to take a break. Additionally, unless you’re interested in the club's emails or are planning to rejoin, do yourself a favor and unsubscribe from the email list.

Take a Less Active Role 

If you don't want leave or take a semester off, one possibility is to take a less active role in the club or activity. Doing so will reduce the number of hours you have to commit to that one club. That leaves space for you to breathe!

Once You Have the Schedule, Make it Visual!

Scheduling is a huge determinant of what clubs I choose to particpate in. I like to use Google calendar to schedule all my classes, job hours and expected club commitments in one place. If you don’t have time in your schedule to just spontaneously go out for a meal or sit and do something you love, you’re possibly over committed. Learning Consultants, which are students through the McGraw Center, can help you make these schedules or these tough decisions if you're feeling overwhelmed by your commitments.

I hope you found these helpful! Also here is the list of most of the clubs and organizations on campus.

Editor's note: Princeton University invited students back to campus for the spring 2021 semester following a hybrid model consistent with both CDC recommendations and guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health. In this post, our bloggers write about their decision to return to campus.

Grady

As a first-year student, I had a different set of pros and cons to weigh when it came to deciding whether or not I wanted to be on campus. I spent the first semester in Chicago with a few others from my class, and while that was enjoyable, it wasn’t the same as an on-campus semester. Except for my roommates, I rarely interacted with other college students; I didn’t feel like I was a member of a college community. It was easy to feel isolated from the rest of Princeton. This was the main reason I wanted to come to campus. Although the interactions I’ll have with others will be limited by social distancing requirements, there are some things that I’ll be able to do — go to the library, live on a hall with other first years, get to know the campus that will be my home for the next three and a half years — that I wouldn’t be able to replicate at home.

Of course, this doesn’t mean the decision was easy. I’m aware that the social scene won’t be anything like a traditional year, and that I might also feel isolated in my dorm room. But ultimately, I decided to come to campus so that I could feel like I belonged. I wanted to finally feel like a Princeton student, not just someone taking classes at Princeton.

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Mallory

When Princeton announced in November that all undergraduates would be invited back to campus, I knew immediately I’d be back. Since March, I’d sorely missed both the opportunity to spend time in person with my Princeton friends and the ability to live independently. It’s possible my calculus would have been different, or more complicated, if I’d been nearer to the beginning of my Princeton career, but as a second-semester senior I knew I would treasure my last semester physically at the University.

 I knew before arriving that campus would look different when I got here. As a senior, I finally got a big, beautiful room through Princeton’s room assignment process, but I can’t share the space with classmates with the freedom I’d treasured in past years. The University’s 11 Eating Clubs made the decision to close for the semester, meaning I’m back to eating Campus Dining food as I did when I was an underclass student. But the most important things are still the same: my friends are as happy to see me as they were back in March, and if anything, I’ve had more time to walk the campus and appreciate the otherworldly architecture. If getting to treasure my last few months on campus means I have to space out a little more from my friends on our regular walks, I’ll take it in a heartbeat.

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Naomi

Ever since that fateful March day when I had to leave campus, I have been yearning for the chance to go back. In November, I found out that dream would now be possible. I first consulted with my doctors because I have underlying medical conditions that could make me more vulnerable to the virus. We felt comfortable with me returning because of Princeton’s extremely thorough COVID-19 response plan, including a strict quarantine period and testing all students for the virus twice a week.

Once I got medical approval, my decision was easy. I wanted to be back in the amazing Butler College dorms where I would have more privacy and independence. I wanted to be able to take advantage of the beautiful libraries and study spaces where I felt more productive than I did at the desk in my childhood bedroom. Most of all, I wanted to be able to see my friends again, in person and not just in a small box on my computer screen. I have now been on campus for a week and I feel happier than I’ve been in a long time now that I’m back at Princeton, my true “home.”

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Rob

For the spring semester, I decided to rent an apartment within walking distance from campus. I have already lived off campus and I enjoy cooking for myself, so that’s why I opted not to stay in a dorm. I recommend living off campus to those wanting to gain some sense of independence while still being close to campus and the Princeton community. I will be living with a friend of mine and I look forward to baking together and ordering food from our favorite restaurants on Nassau Street!

 As an international student, staying home wasn’t ideal because of the time difference and because I prefer to be in a productive environment, which Princeton offers. Coming to Princeton for my last semester is a chance for me to reconnect with my friends before we all graduate and move to different places around the world. In addition, I will be able to continue working part-time at Marquand Library as a front desk student manager and hope that I will be able to take one class with an in-person component. 

Before the pandemic started, it was always easy to get a workout in at Stephens Fitness Center or play a round of basketball in Dillon Gym. However, with statewide restrictions limiting the capacity of these facilities and the encouragement of public officials to stay indoors, most of us have succumbed to a sedentary lifestyle. Since almost every aspect of school and work transitions into a virtual format, there is little motivation to detach ourselves from our cushioned office chairs. I only realized the severity of my declining fitness levels when I opened the health app on my phone, in which a disapproving message informed me that my average of 9,000+ steps a day during the academic year has now dropped tenfold to only a pitiful average of 900.

Despite all of these challenges, it is of utmost importance that we continue to exercise to reduce our risk of diseases down the line and improve our mental health. Now with students back on campus under social distancing conditions, here is a guide for what you can do at Princeton to maintain your physical wellness.

Dillon Gym

Although Dillon Gym is open by reservation only and available only for students on campus, it still serves as one of the best recreational facilities suitable for anyone’s workout plans. The main gym floor has been retrofitted with strength and cardio equipment in order to create more breathing room in the Stephens Fitness Center, which still offers a wide variety of free weights, benches, dumbbells, and racks. Dillon Pool is also open for any swimmers. Reservations are only 45 minutes long and will only permit users who are enrolled in the asymptomatic testing protocol.

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Poe/Pardee Fields

Located right behind Butler College, these two fields housed Campus Recreation intramural sports pre-pandemic. The vast grassy surfaces are ideal for soccer, softball, lacrosse and other outdoor activities, which are subject to fewer restrictions.

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Towpath Loops

The Princeton Running Club has published a few of their recommended routes on their website. Those who enjoy running can take advantage of the towpaths to see the natural beauties that Princeton has to offer beyond the boundaries of the university, while improving cardiovascular health.

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Your Own Room

I have to admit that during the winter, it can sometimes be too chilly to play an outdoor sport with some friends or make the dreaded walk to Dillon Gym. Especially because of the social distancing and quarantine guidelines in place, it might be wisest to stay within the confinements of your own room. Although you can’t install pull-up bars in dormitory doorways, you can buy a set of dumbbells, a yoga mat, a weighted vest or resistance bands (along with any other equipment) to assemble your own makeshift home gym. If you aren’t sure which exercises to perform, there are plenty of YouTube videos and fitness websites that can give you plenty of ideas to achieve your individualized goals. You could even just turn the music up and jam out at your own private dance party.

Even if you don’t have a specific workout plan, you can include little things in your daily life, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or renting a Zagster bike instead of taking the bus. Fitness doesn’t need to be overly complicated or time-consuming: just take a break from your computer screen and move your body!

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

Start Small:

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

Accountability:

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

Adjust as Needed:

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

Appreciate Progress:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zoom isolation is real, especially for the other first-year students and I who haven’t yet had the chance to live on campus because of Princeton’s fully virtual instruction during the fall semester. Oftentimes, during classes or clubs I feel as though I’m the odd one out. Everyone who has been on campus has a shared vocabulary of buildings, Princeton traditions, courses, professors and dining halls. It’s been hard for me to feel a connection to Princeton — or with anyone save the people I've been living with, for that matter — when everything has been filtered through a screen. So, the little pockets of community I found throughout my first fall semester became especially meaningful to me, like the introductory poetry workshop I was able to take.

This year, the Program in Creative Writing offered workshops only for first-year students. I knew that I wanted to pursue creative writing at Princeton, so I applied and was accepted, and every Tuesday for the fall semester I met with eight other first years and our professor for two hours to discuss poetry. This was a completely new world for me, and one I was keen to experience. I’ve been writing creatively for most of my life — and writing poetry since high school — but had never before had the chance to devote so much time to it at a high level. At my high school, poetry was taught but rarely written, and I didn’t have a chance to spend more than a sporadic few weeks on it in a class. Being able to spend a whole semester writing, reading and editing poetry was something new and did wonders for my writing.

More often than not, we spent our time discussing things completely unrelated to poetry: how we were doing with midterms, what we were looking forward to doing over the weekend, one of our classmate’s new dogs. It was wonderful to be in such a small class and to all be first-years, all interested in poetry, meeting every week for the whole semester. Though, it wasn’t the same as being in the same classroom, but for a while each week, I was happy to join a Zoom call where I knew everyone and everyone knew my name, the type of poetry I liked to write and where I was living for the semester. 

This isn’t to knock larger classes — I took an introductory metaphysics course in the philosophy department which I loved — but a recommendation to try out a smaller class. Especially for your first semester of college, it helps to have a little pocket of the undergraduate community that you can feel at home in, even if it’s only in a Zoom call.

One of the coolest parts about going to Princeton is the surrounding area. Princeton (the town, not the school), Lawrence Township, and West Windsor—which comprise the campus’s immediate surroundings—are absolutely beautiful, and while not as bustling as a city still offer a lot for undergraduates to do. 

Perhaps my favorite place to visit in the surrounding town is Terhune Orchards, an apple orchard and farm located about ten minutes from the University. There are a ton of different ways to get there—see my blog post about navigating the campus and the surrounding area—but the last time I visited was on a weekend visit I received from my dad last November.

When we got there, we quickly realized that there’d be even more to do there than normal—it was pie tasting day! Once a year, Terhune organizes a pie sampling event before Thanksgiving, where for a small flat fee you’re entitled to unlimited samples of all their different pie flavors. We’d eaten lunch before we arrived, but we need not have bothered—I crammed so many different flavors of pie into my stomach that I was sick.

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Afterward, we went and visited the different animals roaming the farm. My favorite animal to visit there is a cat living in the farm store named Honeycrisp, who greets me warmly every time I go. But there are other animals too—I’ve seen goats, turkeys, donkeys, and dogs, and since I care deeply about animal welfare (see another of my previous posts about my Princeton-funded animal welfare internship!) it’s always heartening to see them being treated so well.

Terhune is also a fixture in campus life. ‘Study breaks,’ which in non-pandemic times are opportunities organized by residential colleges and student clubs to hang out with friends and enjoy free food, frequently feature fresh apple cider and cider donuts from Terhune. (Whenever I visit Terhune, I buy a gallon of that apple cider to cram in my dorm room fridge). This isn’t specific to Terhune, either—Princeton students frequently patronize local businesses and restaurants for study breaks and for fun nights out, creating a tight bond between students and the community.

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Exploring the town of Princeton is one of the things I’ve missed most when studying away from home. And, given that all students are invited back to campus for the spring, I can’t wait to (safely) frequent some of my favorite local spots in my final semester.

I was never a fan of sports. I dabbled in tennis and dribbled some ball, but I wasn’t someone who tracked sports schedules or flaunted my loyalty to any team. So when my friends asked me if I wanted to attend the Princeton-Harvard football game at Powers Field last October, I didn’t offer much enthusiasm. I had little desire to sit on the aluminum bleachers in the midst of a freezing drizzle for two hours on a Saturday afternoon just to watch a game I didn’t know about until the morning of. However, despite my complaints, my friends dragged me to the football stadium where I ended up truly feeling like a Princetonian for the first time.

I think what first surprised me was the sheer number of fans who were there. A vast sea of orange and black crowded the bleachers, in which current undergraduates, alumni and their families all unified together that day to watch this anticipated game. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but this was one of the most pivotal games of the season due to the long-standing football rivalry between Harvard and Princeton which began with the first collegiate meeting in 1877. And not to mention, Princeton has a tradition of holding a huge bonfire on Cannon Green at the end of the football season if we defeated both Harvard and Yale that year. A lot was riding on this game, and the excitement and tension that surrounded the stadium was almost tangible at that moment, as the players on both teams streamed out onto the turf and the cheerleaders fluffed their pom-poms.

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When Princeton scored the first touchdown, putting us in the lead, a rush of pride surged through me that could not compare to any inkling of sentiment I may have felt for any other team. My friends and I leaped to our feet, unabashedly rooting for the football team that represented the strength and endurance of the University. It was like a wave of emotion that swept through the stadium, and that was the defining moment that confirmed my sense of belonging at Princeton. We ended up squeaking by with a win against Harvard, 30 - 24, right after one of our defensive backs intercepted the ball, initiating the team to ring a golden bell on the sidelines to signify our victory. I had absolutely no regrets spending half of my day watching a football game instead of working on a problem set, and I encourage others to join me at a home game when the season starts once again!

Every semester, Princeton holds its own music festival called Lawnparties. In years past, we’ve hosted everyone from Rihanna and Maroon 5 (back when their careers were just starting) to A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Cupcakke more recently. This semester was no different: even with students scattered around the world, Princeton still hosted a virtual Jason Derulo concert that brought us together as a student community.

Lawnparties is one of the most beloved Princeton traditions. Usually, students dress up in the preppiest clothes possible, only to get these clothes soaking wet after taking pictures with friends in the fountain outside of the School of Public and International Affairs. The streets are lined with delicious food trucks, music is blaring, and the whole campus is alive with energy and excitement.

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This year, Lawnparties took place as a split-screen video on my laptop, with the YouTube stream on the left and a Zoom call with my friends on the right. A talented senior named Glenna Jane ‘21 opened for Jason Derulo, and then student representatives from Vote100 discussed the upcoming election. Derulo performed all of his many hits from over the years, from “Whatcha Say” to “Trumpets” to “Savage Love.” This was the first Lawnparties I’ve been to where I actually knew most of the music! Listening to Derulo’s songs brought me back to memories of middle school dances and high school homecomings. Derulo appeared to be performing in his living room, which was funny to see. He had talented backup dancers, but he certainly had excellent dance moves himself. I’m glad to have been able to watch the concert with friends to simulate the feeling of the in-person Lawnparties experience.

The Undergraduate Student Government Social Committee, the group that plans Lawnparties, ran social media contests throughout the week, with students earning entries by posting pictures of Lawnparties outfits and videos of them dancing to Derulo’s songs. The winners of the contests got to virtually meet Derulo after the show! The Social Committee also conducted giveaways of cool gear to support Tigers for Nassau, a student organization that supports local businesses in Princeton impacted by COVID-19. It must have been difficult to plan and host a virtual concert during a pandemic, but I think the Social Committee did the best they could to make Lawnparties as interactive and fun as possible. Of course, this Lawnparties wasn’t the same as the in-person experience, but it made me even more excited for the next time we can all gather in the backyard of Quadrangle Club (one of our eating clubs, which hosts the headline act every semester) to enjoy good music together.