Princeton students enjoy joking about the unique language of acronyms and slang that we have developed to communicate about different activities and aspects of life on campus. Whether you are chatting about your Zee group (advisory group), COS (computer science), or D3 (Draft 3 of the freshman writing seminar), for an outsider or anyone new to Princeton it is all quite confusing. 

When I first started Princeton, I was immediately taken by the notion of the “study break.” While the name itself is self-explanatory, the extent to which study breaks are such an integral part of Princeton culture took time to register. Study breaks are organized by clubs, groups and even classes. They represent the chance to put down your work and go eat, chat with friends or do something fun. I was dubious about this notion of “pre-organized,” seemingly artificial fun. If I wanted a break, I could just take a break, right? Why make the effort to go to the various different study breaks I was invited to each week?

After going to my first study break, I changed my mind. In an atmosphere in which everyone can be  busy with academics and activities outside the classroom, it’s great to have a culture that emphasizes taking a break. Once I embraced the idea of the study break, then I became overwhelmed by the sheer number of breaks offered – how was I supposed to choose? Once I came to see study breaks less as a break from studying and more as a social event, I relaxed and enjoyed the options.

One week, I helped to organize two study breaks. On one day, I helped host a wood-fired pizza study break as board member of the Center for Jewish Life. My responsibilities in the CJL during the semester have consisted of organizing weekly study breaks and it has been fun to get creative about what we can organize to help students relax, unwind and snack on delicious treats. Other study breaks have included make your own s’mores, waffles, fancy coffee and gelato. 

The other study break I organized was one through the vegan advocacy organization I am a part of. We served vegan hot chocolate, eggnog, muffins, donuts and more to help interested students learn about delicious vegan options. This study break was particularly enjoyable as it allowed me to both be involved with a cause I care about and share that passion with my community. 

Overall, I am grateful for the unique culture of study breaks at Princeton and know I will take the spirit of them with me wherever I go when I graduate. 

When you start your junior year at Princeton, a new question becomes a part of the classic small-talk lexicon — “Where do you eat?” This strange question is in reference to the abundant dining choices available to upperclass students. In addition to the dining hall, they are presented with a multitude of dining choices, from joining a co-op or an eating club to going independent. Everyone has to figure out their approach to meals. 

Many Princeton students turn to eating clubs. Eating clubs are a concept unique to Princeton and serve as social and culinary hubs on campus. During the second semester of sophomore year, students sign-up or participate in a selection process, called “bicker” to be in a club where they will eat most of their meals. The eating clubs are clustered on Prospect Avenue adjacent to the University. For generations, many Princeton students have had great experiences with eating clubs and relish this unique part of their time at Princeton. That said, eating clubs are not the only options. 

Students who don’t join eating clubs and choose not to eat in the dining halls have several options, one of which is dining co-ops. Co-ops are food-share programs where small groups of Princeton students (usually around 30) come together and cook fresh, tasty meals for one another. As a co-op member, you are expected to cook once a week and the costs are very affordable. There are various types of co-ops on campus that cook foods catering to different cuisine types and preferences. 

This year, I joined the Pink House food share. Pink House is a sustainability-minded community that cooks vegan and vegetarian meals for a community of about 25. As a part of Pink House, I have access to a real kitchen and fresh ingredients when I cook once a week. It is an excellent way to unwind, de-stress and learn some valuable cooking skills. So far this year, I have enjoyed experimenting with hearty stews, zesty salads and delicious baked goods. I have also enjoyed having fun and conversations with my fellow cooks. 

Because I am vegan, I knew it would take me a while to figure out what other options, outside of the dining halls, were available to me, but my experience at Pink House showed me that there really are options for everyone. 

One unique feature of student life at Princeton is that nearly all students at the University live on campus for four years. Unlike many other schools, there’s not an ‘apartment scene’ here, and the residential aspect of campus means that the tight-knit, community feeling among undergraduates lasts for four years and beyond. 

Students are randomly assigned a dorm and roommates their first year, and in future years are allowed to pick their roommates and their rooms through a somewhat complex process known to students as ‘room draw.’ Each April, the University housing office publishes a list of room draw times, which are weighted by class year and randomized within them. In other words (although this is slightly oversimplified), the rising seniors go before the rising juniors, but within graduating classes it’s impossible to predict before the times come out how your time will compare to that of a classmate. Rising sophomores go through a similar process, but draw in a pool of only students in their residential college. 

Room draw  is a fun time on campus: students who know they’ll be drawing into a room together for the following school year go around campus and visit the current residents of rooms into which they’d like to draw, scoping out the terrain and asking questions about the benefits and drawbacks of that particular location. Using floor plans of the dorms provided by the University, students compile a list of their favorite rooms and cross their fingers that it’ll be available on their draw day. 

The range of dorm rooms at Princeton is pretty broad: there are rooms ranging from singles to an 11-man suite (known affectionately as “the Zoo”). Accordingly, there’s a room size, layout and location that works for pretty much everyone. A quick Google search of ‘Princeton dorm room’ reveals some of the many über-cool floor plans available to undergraduates. You feel a mix of stress and exhilaration as you watch the list of available rooms whittle further down until it’s your turn to draw. 

Friends of mine at other universities across the country always ask me if I mind living in the dorms for four years, as I watch them all move into apartments off-campus. Each time, I answer a resounding no: the rooms available to Princeton students are usually a lot cooler than the typical ‘first year dorm,’ and I can visit any of my friends at school by foot in less than ten minutes!

Whether your time is at the top of the senior list, or at the bottom of your class, there’s a room waiting on campus for you to call home. 

When I first arrived on campus, I was apprehensive. There was only one other student from Honduras, and I was afraid of not adapting to American culture. Fortunately, during orientation, I attended one of the events organized by Princeton Latinos y Amigos. I was surprised by how welcoming the Latinx community was.

Back home, everyone was Honduran in my high school. I also went from speaking Spanish on a daily basis to only English. With the friends I made on campus, I was able to share why Honduras is an amazing country. I told them how much I missed the delicious food, great people and lively music.

Whenever I attended an event by Princeton Latinos y Amigos, I felt like I was back home. This is why I decided to be part of the board for the organization. As the current social media co-chair, I help organize events like Latinx Heritage Month, Posadas and the Fall Gala. There are many nationalities represented on the board, and we all bond over good food and Hispanic music. The board has become a second family to me, especially the upperclassmen who share advice on how to navigate academics at Princeton. They are people who I can count on and approach with any questions or concerns. I am always inspired by their achievements.

I am very grateful to the Latinx community for making me feel like I belong. There are several organizations, just like Princeton Latinos y Amigos that celebrate different ethnicities like the Black Student Union and the Chinese Students Association. My message to prospective students is that, no matter your race or nationality, you will find a home at Princeton.

On a winter afternoon, I set out with my friends, Hannah and Jake, for an impromptu visit to New York City. Our primary objective was to attend the 2019 New York Jewish Film Festival, though our chosen film, “Autonomies,” was already sold out. So, as we boarded the train, our excitement for the trip was tempered by the knowledge that our plan to try for standby tickets might not work, and we’d have to find something else to do in the Big Apple. Our excursion was funded by Princeton's Center for Jewish Life (CJL), which is always looking for ways to give students new opportunities to connect to their Jewish identities. 

Our train ride featured plenty of laughter, including each person telling the story of their first concert (mine was Taylor Swift, Jake’s was Zusha and Hannah’s was A Great Big World). Before we knew it, we’d reached the city and Jake, the native New Yorker, expertly guided us to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where the movie was set to take place. 

As we waited, we marveled over the beauty of the Lincoln Center at night, popped into the Metropolitan Opera for a look, and talked about our next adventure. After scoring the standby seats, we went inside. The mini-series was directed by Yehonatan Indursky, producer of the show “Shtisel,” which I had recently binge-watched with my little brother over winter break. Indursky was in New York for a Q&A session after the movie, so we settled in for what was sure to be an exciting night.

“Autonomies” has a plot so incredibly complex, nuanced and dramatic that no summary can do it justice. It tells the story of an alternate reality in Israel, which is depicted as a country literally divided in two by a barrier. We left the theater energized, drained and full of questions. We marveled over the plot and its complexities and lamented the ways in which we saw connections between this terrifying dystopian reality and current events. It made us realize how much division and violence have become an expected part of our reality today.

Although initially exhilarated by the excitement of the night, we were all soon taking turns dosing off on our train ride back to campus, dreaming about New York adventures and dystopian worlds. 

Our adventure was in the middle of finals week at a time that we absolutely could have been spending every waking moment studying. That said, the fact that a Princeton group (the CJL) gave us the funding and means to take a break and try something new shows that despite Princeton’s intensity, there are more than enough opportunities (and resources) to live life and make friends. 

One of the most common questions I get asked is, "What made you choose Princeton?" and the answer isn't as simple for me as it is for some.

“Where have you found your community this year?”

Princeton's student housing organization sent out a survey posing this question. I answered in the typical fashion: activities, my co-op, my classes, the friends in my major, etc. Oh, and the bathroom.

For the first two years at Princeton, I enjoyed a private bathroom with my roommate. We reveled in our privacy and often boasted about our private bathroom status. We didn’t want to even think about fighting over showers or wearing shower sandals. At the end of sophomore year, I was accepted into the Edwards Collective, a residential community on campus for those interested in the arts and humanities. I was ecstatic and was only concerned about one thing: a public bathroom. To my surprise, shower sandals aren’t so bad. And I only rarely had to wait to hop in the shower. The horror stories my other friends told didn’t match my experience at all. In fact, some of the best parts of my day were spent there.

The secret? My hallmates were chatty in the bathroom. As we brushed our teeth or washed our faces, we’d swap stories about our days. I looked forward to hearing more about the progression of someone’s senior thesis or seeing new videos of a dance routine. With a few of my hallmates, it was a time to practice my German and discuss deep ecology. With everyone, it was a time of encouragement and sympathy. During finals, every exchange ended with wishes of good luck and gentle admonishments to get some more sleep and to take care of oneself.

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Many first-year students want singles and private bathrooms. In my opinion, this mentality reflects how some students first think about success. Upon arrival, you may want to isolate yourself and only focus on your studies. Over time, you start to realize that your success isn’t dependent on others’ failures. In fact, connecting with other people and hearing about their passions is a great way to deepen your education.

So, even those late night talks in robes and sweatpants have value. They’re an integral part of the Princeton experience, and a pleasant reminder that you belong.

During the semester I had the privilege and opportunity to work as a veterinary intern at the Princeton Animal Hospital (PAH). PAH is only about ten minutes from the University and handles various medical cases for dogs and cats.

At the clinic, I see a wide range of medical cases, since you truly never know what is going to walk through the door. While at first I was mostly observing and learning the ropes, now that I’ve been there for a few months, I’m able to do much more in the lab. I help with blood samples, prepare injections, pull medications, as well as assist during physical examinations. I have learned so much from the time I have spent in the hospital. The vets are incredible and always try to explain the case to me.

While I’m not in a lecture learning material as with traditional university classes, this internship is teaching me the practical skills that will prepare me for veterinary school. I am learning by doing, which is exactly the type of preparation I need. I am verifying this is the field I want to go into, and I am so thankful that I was able to coordinate the internship with my class schedule to make it happen.

Plus, I have to admit, it’s nice being able to get off of campus twice a week and pretend I am in the real world. Oftentimes, I find myself caught up in the Orange Bubble (how we fondly refer to campus), unable to get off campus and explore the surrounding area. Though I am only traveling ten minutes from campus, it is still a nice way for me to engage with the local community.  

This internship is just one of the many examples of ways in which Princeton students are engaging with the local community. I have friends who tutor off campus, work for the hospice at the nearby hospital, babysit for professors and other townspeople, and intern at other local companies. It is definitely feasible to have an off-campus job if you are willing to put the work into it. For some, that may not be of interest, but if there is an organization or company that you really want to work with, it is possible and 100% worth it.

Last semester, I spent the semester abroad in Panama. I was part of a unique program run through the ecology and evolutionary biology department. When I first started thinking about going abroad, one of my biggest concens was "FOMO": fear of missing out. Would I miss out on fun events with my friends? Would I be sad that I wouldn’t attend spring events such as the annual dodgeball tournament or Communiversity (arts festival)? Would I be upset when I saw Facebook photos of my friends all having a great time without me?

However, once I went to Pamana, I quickly realized that none of those fears mattered. Sure, my friends were having a good time without me, and yes, I was missing out on events, but I was also doing incredible things. When my friends were having a movie night, I was busy celebrating Carnival (a celebration with parades, floats, music and dancing) and going hiking in a rainforest. When they were going out to dinner on Nassau Street, I was busy snorkeling and going to karaoke parties. I was having unique and special experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to have anywhere else. Plus, I was making new friends and getting to explore a new country.

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Another thing that really helped was that I had WiFi and could stay in touch with my friends and family. I didn’t get to talk to them everyday, as I might have back at school, but I was able to Skype when I had free time. I think in some ways it may have even been more special because I had the designated time to catch up with them rather than constantly seeing them in passing at school and remaking how we wanted to get a meal and catch up. Also, for any of you with significant others, rest assured that your relationship can remain and potentially even become stronger while you are abroad.

Upon arrival back at campus, I was also a little frightened about what it would be like. Would people remember me? Would people even have noticed that I was gone? Yet, as soon as I stepped back on campus in May and visited the clubs and organizations where I spent the majority of my time, my fears vanished. I was immediately welcomed back and people constantly came up to me asking how my semester was. It was such a great feeling knowing that my friends did miss me and that they wanted to hear all about my experiences.

All in all, I would honestly say that my social life was not affected by my semester abroad, and if anything, it improved. I met a new group of friends whom with I was able to share a crazy and meaningful experience. Now that I’ve experienced the first half of a real semester back at Princeton, it feels like nothing has changed. I don’t feel out of touch with any aspect of campus life. Things feel normal, despite having been away for a semester.