Like all Princeton students, I was devastated by the announcement that we would have to leave campus to finish the spring semester. So much of the magic of Princeton involves the engaging conversations in class, the accidental encounters with friends, and the beauty of the campus. Although the transition from an in-person class to Zoom has not been the easiest adjustment, it has made me even more grateful for my Princeton experience.

"Zoom University", as some people jokingly call it, hasn't been without its challenges, but I have been impressed by the ingenuity of some of my professors. In one lecture, we were regularly split into breakout rooms to discuss a proposed question, like we would in person, then representatives from each group would present to the class at large. Zoom made it easy for students in my history class to share their screen for their presentation during precept. The McGraw Center continues to help with my problem sets, and I can meet with professors and preceptors in virtual office hours. Last week I wanted to find a resource online through Firestone Library's collections, so I chatted virtually with a librarian. At the end of the day, I am still learning about the principles of microeconomics, the rise of the Civil Rights movement, and the dangers of climate change, just in a different format than I expected.

Various student groups have done a great job keeping the student community intact. The Office of Wintersession and Campus Engagement has offered regular virtual activities, such as discussion groups and virtual movie screenings. The Princeton Student Events Committee even hosted a fun trivia night. As an editor for The Daily Princetonian, I have continued to write and edit important news articles to keep the campus informed. 

Although I can’t be with my friends in person, I still talk to them pretty much every day. Over the course of the past few months we've planned a virtual meet up to officially declare our concentrations all at the same time. We even had a virtual formal, which was just an excuse for us to dress up and be together. Whether through a casual text or a scheduled FaceTime, I know my friends are always there for me.

In the end, the COVID-19 pandemic has made me even more thankful for the 1.75 years I’ve had on campus. When we do return to an in-person semester, I want to truly take advantage of all that Princeton offers us. This pandemic has reminded me to make sure that I don’t take my opportunity to learn and grow as a student and person for granted. 

It can take some time to learn the Princeton lingo and there is a lot! One of the phrases you will hear with some frequency is the CJL or Center for Jewish Life. The CJL is a hub for student life on campus for Jewish and non-Jewish students alike. Here are some important information to know about the CJL and its role on campus before starting your Princeton experience.

1. The CJL is open to everyone! One of the most common misconceptions about the CJL is that it is only open to Jewish students. While the CJL is an important home for Princeton’s vibrant Jewish community, it is a space open to students of all faiths and backgrounds. Lunch at the CJL is always packed with students there to enjoy the food.
2. The CJL has an amazing, fully kosher dining hall….and the food is delicious! The dining hall is slightly smaller than other dining halls on campus. As a result, it has more opportunities for meals prepared especially for you. Moreover, eating at the CJL feels more intimate and familial, making it a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life at Princeton.
3. The CJL is easy to find! Located right next to the Frist Campus Center, it is centrally located and is especially convenient for students in science and engineering classes. This means, that no matter where you are on campus the CJL isn’t far way.
4. The CJL hosts weekly, highly popular Shabbat dinners on Friday nights and they are incredible and open to everyone. Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath, and dinners on Friday night are an important part of the Shabbat festivities. The dining hall is decorated, the food is very festive and it is an excellent change to enjoy a nice meal with friends while also getting a taste of an important part of Jewish culture.
5. The CJL is a nice space to study. It’s cozy and full of great, often underrated study spots.
6. The CJL hosts weekly study breaks! These are a great chance to enjoy delicious Kosher foods and snacks (think acai bowls) while chatting with friends.
7. The CJL is an important resource for Jewish life on campus. The center works hard to provide Jewish students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives a meaningful connection to their Jewish identity. From daily religious services, holiday programing, leadership opportunities, travel, and various clubs and groups the CJL serves as an important resource for Princeton’s diverse Jewish community.

Image

This is just a quick overview of the CJL and some of the ways that you can interact with the center. On a more personal note, the CJL has been an incredibly valuable resource for me and my Jewish identity. I am beyond grateful for the amazing community that I have been able to build through it. If you have questions about the CJL and its role on campus, please feel free to reach out to me.

Sophomore year has been one of personal and intellectual growth. With the help of the Office of Disability Services, I learned that I have generalized anxiety and it became a goal of mine, this year, to truly get to know myself.

Looking back to high school, my only goal was getting good grades, regardless of what mental strife I went through to get there. Through my time at Princeton, I learned that if you come to campus expecting perfection, you will be humbled very quickly. You’ll learn that grades are important but they aren’t the only thing of value here. At a school like Princeton, learning more about yourself and allowing yourself the space to do so is important, not only for your academic growth, but for  your mental health. 

Princeton is a rigorous academic institution, that’s a given, but something that is unique to the college experience is that by getting to know yourself on a personal level it can also contribute to greater academic success. In learning about yourself, you’ll discover your most effective study habits, what ways you best learn, are you a morning or night person, do you prefer to study in silence or with music, can you study in groups or do you need isolation, are you easily tired when reading large texts, etc.? You get to know which professors and students you work best with, which values you hold that are non-negotiable when working with others, how to approach large volumes of work, how to best study for different types of exams, when to rest and take a break, and whether you prefer to work in sections or work to completion.

At Princeton, you’ll also learn the importance of connecting with others and maintaining your own mental health. . It is necessary to go beyond just memorizing information in college; you will learn how to understand, analyze, and apply knowledge to contribute to a scholarly conversation or to progress thought as it relates to you and your unique perspective.  In your junior and senior year, the department you choose to concentrate in, the professors you work with, and the topics you want to research, relate heavily upon what YOU are interested in!

Ultimately, this year, I learned that in seeking academic success, it is important to get to know myself and put myself first. 

Image

Coming from a small school in Hightstown, NJ, I was worried that I wouldn't bond with my professors at Princeton in the same way I did with my teachers in high school. Having close relationships with my teachers outside of the classroom was such an important part of my high school experience. I was unsure if I'd be able to form the same kind of relationships with professors in an undergraduate population of nearly 5,300 students. But what I realized was that no matter how busy professors are with their own research or how many students they teach, at Princeton, professors truly care about the well-being of their students.

Princeton has 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio, so even though the number of undergraduates seemed like a lot to me at first, there are also so many professors to balance out the students. As an English major, I take a lot of seminar courses, which typically have 10 to 15 students and are focused on a highly specific topic. Some of my best memories at Princeton are from those three-hour seminars, where we discussed topics like the continuities that create the female literary tradition, the authenticity of a ballad or even the use of photographs in graphic memoirs.

In my “Historical Fiction/Fictional History” course, co-taught by two professors, each week, they spend the first 15 minutes of class asking us about how we're feeling and any updates that we want to share. Since moving to Zoom, my professors wanted to do something extra special to cheer us up about leaving campus. They designed super soft fleece sweatshirts with our course name and our team name (we were split up into "teams" to discuss the readings before class: I'm part of Team Platypus!). They even mailed the sweatshirts to us, and I was so excited to receive that package.

Image

Professors also do little things to show that they really know their students. I often receive emails from my professors about cool events on campus that they think I'd like or new books that are coming out that they want to share with me. And if I ever want to discuss potential career interests or graduate school, my English and creative writing professors love to talk about options over coffee at Small World, eager to offer insights and share their experiences. Professors really want to get to know their students, so go to office hours and invite your professors to lunch in the dining halls. Professors are also more than willing to work with you if you're having a tough week and need an extension or just want to talk.

Professors at Princeton are passionate: they love what they teach and they'll convince you to love the topic just as much. But what I've come to learn is that at Princeton, professors go above and beyond the academics to show how much they care about their students. If you're considering Princeton, know that our professors contribute so much to the experience. They are always more than ready to support you in every way.

Before and upon arrival at Princeton there is much discussion of the residential college system into which every first-year student is randomly placed. With this discussion come the rumors about which colleges are “better” or more desirable. For me, this was definitely a cause of stress before arriving at Princeton. I was placed into First College, and when I went to research it online, many of the things I saw were mixed opinions. As someone generally unfamiliar with the residential college system at Princeton, this stuck with me. It was only upon my arrival at Princeton in the fall that my perspective began to change. 

It is true that not all residential colleges (or “res colleges” as Princeton students call them) are the same. Given their different locations on campus, sizes, amenities and ages, res colleges and the experiences you have in them do differ. Some colleges are older, some are farther away, some are prettier on the outside and some don’t have air conditioning. Still, in the end, they all have positive attributes, regardless of online chatter or overall reputation. 

When I first moved into First College, I quickly fell in love. I found that it was a short walk away from all of my classes and Frist Campus Center given its central location on campus. More important than the aesthetics, the layout of the college and its large number of multi-person suites proved ideal for bonding. I soon became friends with the majority of the people on my floor, and I met my oldest, closest friends at Princeton through my ‘zee’ (advisory) group. The layout of First College helped make that possible.  

Image

After two years at Princeton, I moved from First (it only has housing for first-years and sophomores), but I still feel connected and loyal to the community I built there. I am a First Peer Academic Advisor (PAA) and take pride in hosting study breaks and helping the next generation of students in First College navigate their Princeton experience. So, when you think about or are assigned a res college, there is no need for concern about its reputation and benefits. Each college has something unique and beneficial to offer, and I am personally happy to know that I will be graduating as a member of First College this spring.

Firestone Library underwent a transformation the summer before my sophomore year. As a first-year, I remember seeing entire swathes of the first floor under construction. When I came back last September, I was stunned. Immediately upon entering, on my left there was an entire new wing of the library: the Trustees Reading Room, a wide open space lit up by floor-to-ceiling windows and staircases along one wall of the room with bookshelves on the other wall.

Past the circulation desk, was another huge open space that I had known only as a taped-off construction area a few months before. Much like the Trustees Reading Room, this space is vast and seems to always have the perfect lighting, rain or shine. And beyond this lies the Tiger Team Room, a vibrant, clattery café encased in marble, with smooth stone tables in the sun where you can study with friends or just enjoy a cup of coffee. The tea room is probably the loudest and happiest place in Firestone, and it has become my new place to study.

Firestone’s new additions were a major improvement, but there was plenty to this library already. Although it’s a popular place to study, it’s also worthy of exploration in its own right. Whether you’re looking for small, comfy spaces or large sunlit rooms, there are dozens of cozy places that beg you to lounge and relax. Rumors of hundred-dollar bills discovered in random books. Hidden quirks and surprises waiting to be found. A mazelike lower level with a central atrium.

During one break when I was on campus, I wandered around Firestone for hours, looking for a way into its tower and finding other really wonderful places. These places aren’t quite as secret as I’d hoped, but they won’t reveal themselves to you on their own, you have to go looking for them.   

Image

I often joke that I am completing my “senior year” at Princeton as I come upon my four-year anniversary in my role, at this institution, and within the local community. As I reflect on these past nearly four years, I think about how incredibly grateful I am to have partnered with countless students and committed colleagues in advancing diversity efforts at the University. I am equally appreciative of the community that I have built, as well as the community that has embraced me, during my time here.

I relocated to Princeton from my native home of St. Louis, a community where I have spent most of my life. A place that has reared me up, stretched me wide, and brought me both comfort and challenge. Princeton, as a community, continues to do these for me. It is my belief that we are to spread out and sprout up while navigating the winds along life’s journey. I chose Princeton University because I knew that I would be stretched in my perspective and understanding, and in my assignment. I would have the opportunity to connect with an array of individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, identities, narratives, etc. who would help expand my knowledge.  I chose Princeton because of its commitment to access, inclusion, equity and service. Because WE, as a community, work diligently to create an environment for students that is welcoming and challenging, intentional and engaging, supportive and empowering.

It is because of these reasons that I call Princeton home. Home transcends space and locale. It is a feeling. A sense. An experience. A being. It is my hope that Princeton is home for you over the next several years. In Campus Life and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion-Campus Life, we work to foster the feeling and experience of home for all students. Some ways that we collectively do this is through mentorship programs, such as the Princeton University Mentoring Program and Q’nnections, peer education initiatives, conversation and dialogue circles, community support groups and supporting individuals’ paths to meaning-making. Our team is available to you and here to help make connections throughout the community along your journey.

Why Princeton? Why not?

Welcome home!

In an earlier blog, I wrote about joining a new club here on campus called Our Health Matters. Our Health Matters is devoted to making sure mental and physical health is at the forefront of our daily lives during this time of uncertainty, so we have created a handbook to provide support and resources.

The Healthy Hottie Handbook was handcrafted by the women on the team to help provide guidance and love. I am extremely excited about this because it consolidates a lot of information that is helpful for staying healthy at Princeton and may also be resourceful during the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that it can be a tough time, but we are here to help and support!

OHM’s Mission Statement is to create an environment and support system that encourages self-love and self-confidence within all our members in order to support their mental and professional wellness. And they've done just that! 

The Table of Contents include: 

• SECTION 1. PRACTICAL RESOURCES
• SECTION 2. MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES 
• SECTION 3. PHYSICAL HEALTH RESOURCES
• SECTION 4. PROFESSIONAL HEALTH RESOURCES
• SECTION 5. SELF CARE IDEAS

A note from the team, 

“This book was created in order to continue our commitment in prioritizing and supporting black women’s mental, physical, professional and personal health. Over the past few months, COVID-19 has brought immense anxiety, disruption, and hardship. We have created this handbook to help our healthy hotties live their best lives during this unprecedented time. From mental health apps and fitness routines, to internship opportunities and ideas to pass the time, we hope this handbook provides you with a plethora of ways to take care of yourself amidst all this madness. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay beautiful, queens!

We are here for you! We believe in wellness. We believe in taking the time to nourish our minds, bodies, and spirits. We believe in the power of self-love and self-confidence. We believe in growth. Our goal is to be a part of your journey towards wellness. Follow us on Instagram @OHMprinceton!"

Image

Being low-income and first-generation heavily influenced my decision to attend Princeton, but there is so much more about Princeton that makes me stay. 

Finances were the most important to me because I come from a low-income single parent household. My mother works for everything that my family has. Asking her to provide money for me to experience things like an unpaid internship or study abroad would be a lot for my family to handle, even though such experiences could help my academic, personal and professional growth. Princeton, however, provides many financially friendly opportunities such as Princeternships, study abroad programs, Breakout Princeton trips during breaks and PICS internships. Financial aid at Princeton is need-based, meaning the University awards students financial aid based on their individual needs. I chose Princeton because it afforded me and my family the financial freedom to help me further my academic endeavors. I could not in a million years afford to go to college without heavy loans, but with a generous aid package for undergrad, I can now think about attending graduate school.

Moreover, I also liked Princeton’s commitment to undergraduate education, the medium size of the school along with the student-to-faculty ratio. The resources at Princeton are unmatched. From the faculty who are hands-on in helping students cultivate their ideas and offering additional guidance during office hours, to the McGraw Center or The Writing Center; there is so much assistance, community and guidance tailored to each student’s needs. As a first-generation student, there is so much I do not know in terms of access, opportunities, finances, networking and even basic knowledge about jobs and fellowships. Being in a place with guidance and access to resources is important to me because it makes all the difference when you just don’t know what you don’t know. 

Why I came is important, but why I chose to stay is also of value. I chose to stay at Princeton because of the community, academic rigor and growth I've experienced here were unprecedented. I am very big on community and Princeton has provided me with the spaces where I am able to be myself while exploring different facets of my identity, the ways I learn and my academic interests. I feel like the spirit in the Black community here is truly special. We are all supporting each other and want everyone to win. I’ve met some of the most inspirational and motivating professors and students. I’ve also been able to travel to France and Puerto Rico during my time here even as a low-income student. Being at Princeton with financial freedom allows me to enjoy my college experience without worrying about money. I feel like I am where I'm supposed to be.

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.