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. 

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.