Entering Princeton, Writing Seminar, a frosh-year rite of passage commonly referred to as “Writing Sem.,” was one of my biggest fears. I had never heard any student, past or present, say they had fond memories from the seemingly notorious distribution requirement — some alumni even claimed Writing Sem. was the hardest class they took during their four years. Upon being notified of my placement into one of the fall semester cohorts of WRI 161: Friendship, I was, naturally, a little scared, but also a bit relieved because at least I did not have to wait until spring semester to encounter the disastrous storm. Although my expectations were flooded and formed by horror stories, Writing Seminar, out of all my first-year classes, turned out to be one of my favorites, teaching me skills I will unquestionably use for a lifetime.

Before sharing my Writing Seminar experience, I want to spell out some basics of the class. Every Writing Sem. has a distinctive topic, mine being Friendship, but others include Curiosity, Interpreting Illness, and Educational Equities. Each consists of 12 frosh and one professor, whose area(s) of study largely align(s) with the Seminar’s topic, and meets twice a week for one semester, and each class lasts an hour and twenty minutes. There are four major “Assignments” — known as “A1,” “A2,” “A3,” and “A4” — completed throughout the semester, and nearly all follow the same order of steps: 1) Draft, 2) Workshops, and 3) Revision. The first step, Draft, is exactly what it sounds like: you write a draft responding to the prompt of the Assignment, “A2 draft,” for example. The second step, Workshops, is when you and your entire class, over two class periods, collectively read, analyze, and discuss the drafts of four randomly selected classmates, two drafts per class period. You also meet with your professor to review your individual draft, either one-on-one or alongside another classmate. Prior to each class Workshop, you read and mark the two chance-chosen classmates’ drafts, and during the Workshop you offer the duo feedback and suggestions. The last step, Revision, is the grand finale: you take what you learned from Workshops and conversations with your peers and professor to transform your draft into a revised final paper; this revised version is what is graded, not the draft. Structurally, Writing Seminar is a very small and straightforward class. 

Only a few weeks into Friendship, all my not-so-great Writing Seminar preconceptions were disproved. I quickly realized my classmates were just like I was, trying to navigate all the novelties of college, and my professor wholeheartedly wanted us dozen of frosh to grow and do well. My classmates were not light-years ahead of me, and my professor was not an evil witch who preyed on student suffering. Rather, an unadulterated sense of care and support seemed to pervade every class, helping me feel surrounded by friends in Friendship. As classes progressed, my classmates and I kind of coalesced into this community of thinkers who sought to challenge current ideas and propose new ones. We examined affectionate works of art and heartfelt letters in nineteenth-century friendship albums in Special Collections, questioned the authenticity of a friendship between an A.I. chatbot and a human, debated the views of scholars old and new, engaged in outside-of-class meetings with our professor, and, above all, embraced the power of our voices and the strength of good academic writing. Week by week, Friendship taught us to listen to and express all that our voices had to say, a skill necessary for both the academic world and the real world. 

Our voices roared louder than ever as we dove into our fourth Assignment, or A4: The Final Research Paper. Each little aspect of the A4 revolves around you: you decide what you want to investigate, the sources you want to use, and the route you want to take; you are in the driver’s seat. For our A4, we were required to pick a friendship-related concept, representation, or object and then utilize that “con./rep./or obj.” to expound upon an aspect of friendship that puzzled us, and that was all we were given, no sources or anything else. I will not go too in depth on the con./rep./or obj. and aspect I chose in case someone wants to choose the same con./rep./or obj. and/or aspect as I did but I will vaguely say that the main focus of my A4 revolved around the impacts of smartphones on friendship. Finding various sources to support this theme was fun because at least I was exploring an issue in which I was interested, but no doubt strenuous. I scouted the endless shelves of Firestone to retrieve books, assiduously used Google Scholar to pluck high-quality academic articles and papers, and scoured YouTube for reputable videos and documentaries. In doing so, I felt like a scholar. I had formed my own hypothesis and searched for evidence to aid it; by meticulously inspecting my collected evidence, I converted my hypothesis into a cohesive paper. No one was telling me where to go or what to do; I steered the ship — but I always had a “map,” AKA my professor and peers, to turn to if I ever got off course. When I submitted all 13 pages of my revised A4, I was very proud — and also crazy relieved because I was officially done with Writing Sem.! My A4 embodied not only all the progress I had made throughout the semester but also an early chapter in my career of independent work at Princeton and beyond. 

Writing Seminar is a unique class. You are put into a room with 11 other frosh and a professor who is supposed to equip you with some of the most imperative tools for service through scholarship. You may absolutely despise your Writing Sem., you may totally relish it, or you may wind up somewhere in the middle. Writing Seminar is not a walk in the park, but I hope my personal experience may give you some hope. If there is anything Friendship taught me, aside from writing and research, it is that helping others, leaning into your voice, contributing as actively as possible, and doing your best are all keys to true growth. You can do it!

*If you want to learn more about Writing Sem., please take a look at Ava’s blog "Braving the Beast of First-Year Writing Seminar" — it is amazing!*

Summer is a busy season for many college students, from study abroad programs to internships to — in the case of Princeton — senior thesis research. During such a season, a little voice can flood students’ minds, irritatingly whispering, “You should be doing more. So-and-so is doing this-and-that; meanwhile, you’re doing such-and-such.” This voice is no stranger to me, but I have realized its powerlessness through emphasizing and enjoying simple blessings in my life, like those that spring from my church family, peach fields, and good books. 

In late June, I volunteered as a junior counselor for Beach Retreat, an annual youth trip my church holds, and doing so made me more appreciative of all the little things that go into making the trip as impactful and memorable as it is. My responsibilities as a junior counselor generally included helping facilitate small-group discussions, set up games, and lead a team. I got to see “behind the scenes” of everything, a side I do not think I ever truly contemplated before elevating up to junior counselor status. There is so much diligent planning that goes into making Beach Retreat what it is, especially in terms of gathering all the materials needed for instruction, game preparation, and meals. After experiencing such planning firsthand as a junior counselor, I see the trip through a better lens, one that does not solely focus on the big focal points but also the minute invaluable details. Without all the efforts and time poured into it, Beach Retreat would not emit the same degree of spiritual insight and influence as it currently does. 

Now, I want to transition to a topic that is a little more peachy than beachy… literally. Where I am from is surrounded by fields and fields of peach trees, and summer is when the sweet stone fruit reaches its ripest state — at Beach Retreat, we actually ate a delicious peach cobbler, a beloved Southern dessert you have to try! One evening a few weeks ago, my dad and I went on a long walk and passed acres and acres of trees bearing the delectable staple of my hometown. As we passed the trees, I thought about the significance they hold to me. I have never seen a peach tree at Princeton before, though I am sure there are some in the vicinity. So when I see the endless rows of peach trees that line my rural Southern town, I am reminded of my appreciation for the little things that make my home so special. Regardless of where I go, I know the peach trees will always be there to welcome me when I return! 

Aside from admiring the peach-adorned landscapes of my hometown, I have also gotten to appreciate some literary works recently. At the moment, I am reading This Side of Paradise by none other than Princeton attendee F. Scott Fitzgerald, which serves as my fourth book this summer. (Now, let me preface that I am not a huge reader. I like reading, but for me to finish a book completely, it has to really interest me. So far, the four I have undertaken have done just that!) The first two I read were Mostly What God Does by co-anchor of NBC News’s Today Savannah Guthrie and Goliath Must Fall by Pastor Louie Giglio. Guthrie’s vulnerable reflections on her faith journey and Giglio’s message of how Jesus has defeated the giants in our lives, drawing from the Biblical narrative of David and Goliath, were very heartening to my faith. The second duo I tackled, and am still working on, was definitely Fitzgerald-based: The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise. This year marked the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, and This Side of Paradise is Fitzgerald’s first novel and largely based on his experiences at Princeton. I, consequently, felt compelled to read the acclaimed — and somewhat historical — novels, whose beautiful passages and Princeton roots did not disappoint! I am very thankful for the ways these four works have challenged and inspired me. 

I write these paragraphs about beaching, peaching, and literary reaching to motivate you to neither compare yourself to others nor discount the little things in life. Over the summer especially, it is easy to fall into the misconception that everybody is everywhere doing everything and you are not doing enough. When that falsehood attempts to take rent in your mind, take time to remind yourself of the things for which you are grateful, and endeavor to make the most of each day. For me — not trying to come across as pious but instead as honest — I try to carry out such through striving to glorify and honor God in all I think, say, and do. When your summer reaches a close, I hope you feel immense amounts of gratitude and satisfaction as you look back on weeks spent not stressing and comparing but rather delighting in the many simplicities of and living out life.

My first year at Princeton has officially concluded. In celebration and appreciation of such an exciting year, I have decided to share a few frosh memories that stick out extra vividly. 

During Orientation in August, I participated in Outdoor Action, or OA, one of three small-group experiences for incoming freshmen, and let me just say that our small group definitely had an experience! Throughout our trip, the girls slept luxuriously in an actual tent, while we guys slept like sardines on a long tarp — our roof consisted of two more long tarps that overlapped one another as they lay draped over a rope tied between two trees. Well, when an intense thunderstorm greeted us one night, I will let you guess how that went…. I was one of the fortunate guys whose sleeping bag was located under the overlapping part of the two tarps covering us; once the bottom of the thunderstorm fell out, I kind of got a little wet. I just remember lying there, with my sleeping bag gradually getting damper and damper and rolls of thunder echoing throughout the campsite, and thinking, "What is happening?! A few months ago, I didn’t even know where I was going to college, and here I am now lying in a soaking wet sleeping bag under some tarps with guys from all over the world at a random campsite in Pennsylvania for a Princeton University orientation event.” The storm eventually got so rough that our entire group, girls included, had to take refuge in the nearby men’s bathroom. In the end, we survived the night. While hardly any of us slept well or had a sleeping bag that was not drenched, we all felt like we had experienced something special. We were all undoubtedly sleep-deprived and soaked, but the eleven of us will always have the memories from that crazy night!

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Shortly after Orientation, my very first semester at Princeton commenced, which was filled with just as many memorable experiences as OA, especially in terms of the months of October and November. In early October, I got food poisoning. Let me be the first to tell you that getting sick in college is a different ball game. In college, if you live far away from family, like me, you cannot go home and lie down on a couch like Cleopatra as your family pampers you with medicine and good food; if you need medicine or food, you have to go out and get it yourself — or you can always reach out to friends. At the end of the day, you have to learn to care for and rely on yourself, even when you do not feel 100%. Luckily, thanks to great friends and much rest, I recovered and was able to get back in the swing of things. About a month after my food-poisoning attack, at the onset of November, I witnessed a presidential election at Princeton. On election night, all the political aesthetics of Whig-Clio and chatter around campus made me feel like history was unfolding right before me. Outside of Whig Hall, there were spotlights that seemed to shoot endlessly into the November night sky and giant letters that spelled, “VOTE.” I am not super interested in politics, but the energy of that night was so palpable and contagious. From a case of food poisoning to a presidential election, my first semester was certainly one to remember. 

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In the spring semester, one special event that sticks out is visiting Philadelphia for the first time with my family. For spring break, instead of flying home, my whole family actually drove up to Princeton to pick me up. So, on our way back to South Carolina, we decided to spend a night in Philly and sightsee around the city a little bit. We visited the University of Pennsylvania, saw the Liberty Bell, and ran the Rocky steps that lead up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia is gorgeous and so historic! We loved learning more about the city and some of its main attractions. Being so close to Philly, New York, and plenty of other cities is a huge plus of Princeton. If you ever want to get off campus for a little bit or simply explore an interesting place with friends and family, there are definitely various places within reach. 

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My first year of college was unforgettable. The memories chronicled in this blog are only a handful of countless I have made from this past year. I hope they will allow you to see that college is not a place where you just try to choose a career path and take classes for four years; rather, college is a place where memories are made every day, many of which will last a lifetime. 

Usually, I spend Easter with my family. We all go to church, eat lunch at my grandparents’ house, and spend the remainder of the day resting and reflecting on our risen Savior. However, since I live a little over 10 hours away from Princeton — by car — I celebrated Easter this year with my Princeton peeps. As I look back on our Easter extravaganzas, I realize how much we actually did and all the memories we made — and how I still felt like I was surrounded by family. 

After getting all dressed up and eating breakfast at Whitman, the only residential college open before 10:00 a.m. on the weekends, my friends and I made our way to Ecclesia’s 10:00 a.m. church service. Ecclesia, located right in downtown Princeton, is one of many churches Princeton students attend. On this Easter Sunday, some Ecclesia members had hung streams of decorative flowers on the ceiling; we sang songs and heard a great message while the flowers beautifully dangled overhead. I always enjoy Ecclesia’s services, as the pastors are beyond knowledgeable and welcoming and everybody is very kind. Once service ended, we then took a group picture at an Easter-themed photo booth outside of the service/worship area. My friends and I are extremely grateful to have such a wonderful church, whose Easter message reminded us that Jesus’ resurrection marked the start of something new: the free gift of new life, one filled with never-ending grace and mercy and unified with God. 

Just as service ended around 11:30 a.m., we headed toward Sakrid Coffee Roasters, or Sakrid, a coffee shop near the Graduate Hotel, because our fantastic Residential College Adviser, or RCA, was hosting a zee-group study break there. We have zee-group study breaks very often, and they are always such a great way to catch up with everybody. Since course selection for the fall-2025 semester was the week prior, we discussed how things went — my course selection went well, but that was unfortunately not the case for some of my fellow zees. After our RCA offered us some guidance on courses, she reminded us of the sad fact that we only have a few more study breaks left. Our zee group is really close, so the thought of having a final study break is crazy to consider. (We have all decided, though, that we will still try to have some get-togethers/study breaks throughout sophomore year as well.) Although the study break at Sakrid is one of our lasts as freshmen, it was a nice time to just relax and enjoy off-campus Princeton with good friends. 

We made another trip to the town area of Princeton that night. After a much-needed nap and a good dinner at RoMa, some of my friends mentioned going out for ice cream at Halo Pub. As someone who loves all types of desserts, I was down for some ice cream! At Halo Pub, the flavor I chose was so good it was an alliteration: chocolate chocolate chip. We then walked back to our dorm hall and enjoyed our ice cream outside together. I have such a bad sweet tooth, though, so after finishing our ice cream, I suggested that we stop by Murray-Dodge Café to delight in some delicious cookies as well! At the time we went to Murray-Dodge Café, there was not a large variety of cookies, but the ones we got were still really good! Getting some sweets was definitely a solid end to a fun-filled day. 

Although I was not with my family on Easter, I would still say I was with my family – just a different kind. In my Writing Seminar, Friendship, one of the concepts I discussed in my final research paper was how friends can be family. When you are in college, away from your actual family, you notice that your friendships naturally start to feel familial, as you and your friends spend time with, support, and share love and appreciation for one another. For me, this Easter was a great reminder of both the new life we have in Jesus and the beautiful ways that friends can simultaneously be family. 

The school year is officially coming to an end. Reading Period is underway, finals are approaching, and most importantly, summer is right around the corner. Although classes and lots of activities seem to be winding down, I have found that opportunities for me to try something new definitely have not! Over the past several weeks, just from trying new things, I have gained a better appreciation particularly for trivia, my residential college, and the arts at Princeton. 

One Wednesday near the beginning of April, I tagged along with a friend to PSEC, or Princeton Student Events Committee, Trivia Night at Frist Campus Center, and let me just say, we did not leave empty-handed. Upon arriving, we spontaneously ran into a few other friends and created a team with them. Our team name was the definition of intimidating: Tra La La. As each round passed, we “Tra La Laud” our way to victory, finishing in 3rd place overall. Such meant that we not only earned bragging rights but also got to select from a range of prizes, from a heated blanket to a box of cupcakes to an edible arrangement — I got a dope beach towel! PSEC Trivia Night was honestly so much fun, but the fun did not stop there. 

Every Wednesday at 9:30 p.m., Rocky College holds its own Trivia Night — all students are always welcome, regardless of whether they are affiliated with Rocky — and since PSEC Trivia finished just as Rocky Trivia was about to start, we victoriously made our way toward the Holder arches to keep the trivia fun going. Now, I do have to confess: I am a proud Rockyite, but I had never actually gone to Trivia Night before. I had always wanted to go but just never gotten around to going. Thus, I was grateful for the chance to finally try out a long-held weekly tradition of my residential college with some good friends.

After the first round, though, I quickly learned that PSEC Trivia Night was child’s play compared to Rocky Trivia Night. At Rocky Trivia, if a team gets more than three questions of each ten-or-so-question round correct, then they are doing really well. Nonetheless, that is what trivia nights are all about: you and your friends can be completely clueless together and still have a great time. At the end of Rocky Trivia, Tra La La was far from 3rd place, but nothing will ever stop the Tra-La-La trivia spirit! Besides, the winners of that night’s Rocky Trivia did not get a beach towel or an edible arrangement; so, I think we are the real winners here ;). 

Nevertheless, I have not just become more appreciative of trivia and Rocky, but by attending various performing arts events, I have also gotten to celebrate the beauty of dance and music at Princeton. Before Princeton, I could probably count on one hand the number of dance shows I had been to, but over the past few weeks, as many campus dance groups have their annual or semester show in either March or April, I feel like I have danced the night away! I know many Princetonians who like to bust a move: my Residential College Adviser, or RCA, is the President of Más Flow (Latin dance), one of my closest friends is a part of the Black Arts Company (BAC, hip-hop), and a number of my Christian Union Nova peeps are members of Six14 (Christian/liturgical dance, contemporary to hip-hop). Throughout March and April, I went to performances for each of these groups, and they are all beyond talented — if you ever want to join a dance group, there are definitely plenty to choose from that will be glad to have you. Just like with dance shows, however, I could also count on one hand the number of musical performances I had seen before coming to Princeton. The other week, I went to the senior piano performance of my Peer Academic Adviser, or PAA, who is majoring in music. Saying that she is “good” is an extreme understatement. She has such a love for music, which radiated during her entire performance. I was simply blown away by all the events I went to, ultimately gaining a stronger appreciation for the performing arts in general, not just those at Princeton. 

Let this be an encouragement for you to try something new! Anything from trivia to performing arts to taking a class outside of your academic comfort zone to dabbling in a new hobby can be a great avenue for discovery, and honestly, some good fun — as long as whatever you are trying is legal, ethical, and wise… be smart, and make good choices ;)! Trying something new does not have to be scary, as taking risks is oftentimes what helps us grow the most. 

When I first heard that Princeton requires all A.B. students, or those who plan to earn a Bachelor of Arts, to obtain — at minimum — a 107/108-level proficiency in a foreign language, I just felt bummed out and a little frustrated. Up to that point, I had already taken three years of elementary Spanish and thought my foreign-language time had peacefully come to an end. Well… I was wrong. So, after taking Princeton’s Spanish placement test during my pre-frosh summer, I grudgingly signed up for Spanish 101 and sighed at the thought of the three long semesters ahead of me — side note: I actually placed into Spanish 102, but that was just because of my lucky guessing skills! ;) 

Spanish 101 was my very first class at Princeton. As I walked into that McCosh Hall classroom, I honestly felt like Dorothy experiencing the Land of Oz for the first time, not just because I was entering my first class on my first day of college, but mainly due to the daunting narrative I had created in my head: “This is Princeton-level Spanish; this is not rural high-school Spanish where you may spend a whole month or two trying to master a set of vocabulary or reviewing one verb tense.” Needless to say, I was hesitant of “Princeton Spanish,” having no earthly idea of what to expect and not really knowing if I wanted to find out.

Upon meeting and getting to know my professors and classmates, though, all my fears were thrown out the window. My Spanish 101 class consisted of two professors, with one in charge of teaching the first month of class and the other one leading from then on. Both of my professors were from Spain and did a phenomenal job at teaching us beginners the foundations of Spanish, like the alphabet, common verbs, and common cultural customs. They were well aware of our toddler-like level of comprehension and were always very encouraging of us, helping us to not only notice our mistakes but to also genuinely learn from them. Thus, as my classmates and I grew to embrace our imperfections, we simultaneously grew closer to one another. In Spanish 101, most conversations revolve around personal interests and day-to-day routines, so as classes went by, my classmates and I gained a stronger understanding and appreciation of both Spanish and each other. By the end of the semester, I had developed a real desire to know Spanish, not just seeing the language as a “requirement” but rather as a radiant world of growth, and I know that is largely thanks to the wonderful professors and classmates who continually challenged and supported me. 

Now, as freshman year comes to a close, so does my time in Spanish 102. Spanish 102 has been just as impactful and family-like as Spanish 101 and more! Because we are now no longer toddlers, our Spanish 102 classes are taught solely in Spanish. I can gladly say that my ability to both comprehend and speak Spanish have substantially improved through the immersive environment of Spanish 102. Every week, we take part in an “improvisational exercise” where each of us is assigned a role and has a one-on-one 10-minute conversation in Spanish with another classmate who has an opposing role — role A with role B. The role-A students do not know the situation of the role-B students — and vice versa — so there never fails to be lots of laughs! I always enjoy these exercises because they enable us to practice recently-covered vocabulary and grammar in a fun yet instructive manner. As a result, just like Spanish 101, I have so much love and gratitude for my Spanish 102 peeps! My outstanding professor is from Mexico, and my classmates are from diverse backgrounds and are involved in a range of activities across campus. I am beyond grateful for the progress and memories I have made through my Spanish 102 class. 

So, if you cannot tell, my perception of Spanish has changed drastically since arriving at Princeton. What I once saw as “three painful semesters,” I now see as “three transformative semesters.” I have enjoyed my Spanish classes so much that I am even considering studying abroad next year in a Spanish-speaking country or possibly minoring in Spanish! Who would have thought that a language requirement of all things would open up a whole new avenue of interest?

Learning a new language, as my professors say, is a “productive struggle.” I still have a great deal to learn, and regardless of where I end up in my Spanish journey, I will always be thankful that Princeton helped me reconsider an area of interest I was ready to leave behind. 

My four years at Princeton are flying by, and there are so many classes I would love to take if I had more time. If I listed them all, it would probably be the length of a senior thesis, so here’s a selection of my top 7:

1. Making an Exoneree (Department: School of Public and International Affairs)

   Making an Exoneree is one of the most unique courses I have ever come across. The course was started by a professor at Georgetown University who helped to exonerate a childhood friend who spent almost 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. An intensive, hands-on course, students have contributed to freeing three wrongfully convicted individuals since its inception at Princeton in 2018. Students describe the course as "life-changing... If you want a real look into the criminal legal system and care deeply about justice, then this course is something you absolutely should take during your time at Princeton."

   

2. International Organizations (Department: Politics)

   Taught by Professor Vreeland, an expert in international political economy, International Organizations has quickly become one of the most popular courses at Princeton, with enrollment exceeding the 400-person cap every semester it is offered. The course examines the origins, effectiveness, and future of institutions from the UN and WHO to the European Union and African Development Bank. I had to see what the buzz was about and sat in on a lecture during shopping period last spring, and I would have given an arm and a leg to take the class. Professor Vreeland was an extremely engaging lecturer, making memorable references to popular songs and movies, and keeping students on their toes by asking for participation using a random name selector. He also cares deeply about students inside and outside of the classroom and regularly publicizes and attends students’ performances. This course review says it all: "Professor Vreeland teaches you how to read, how to think, and how to learn at a fundamental level. He's the quintessential educator: a professor who wants his students to learn for the sake of learning and knows exactly how to motivate them and work with them. You should not leave Princeton without taking this course." What a shame I’ll have to do so!

   

3. Poverty, by America (Departments: Sociology and African American Studies): 

   I still remember reading Evicted on a sunny afternoon during a summer in junior high and the impression it left on me of the challenges of facing housing insecurity. I was impressed to discover that the author, Matthew Desmond, had spent a year living among the eight families featured in order to write the book. When a friend told me that she worked with Professor Desmond in the Eviction Lab at Princeton and was taking a class taught by him, I knew it would be among the top on my wishlist.

4. The Great Russian Novel and Beyond (Department: Slavic Languages and Literatures)

   I love to read (send me an email if you have any book recommendations!). Last fall, I was looking for a literature course to fulfill my remaining literature and the arts distribution requirement and a good friend of mine (who was actually my Community Action orientation leader) recommended this introduction to Russian literature. I enrolled in the course and discovered that it was a hidden gem tucked away among the many interesting literature classes available at Princeton. Professor Chances clearly loves the books, and I was eager to learn about famous and lesser known works of Russian literature in a small class setting. The weekly precept (small group discussion) was led by Professor Chances and only had four students! Unfortunately, I had never read any of the books before so I was having trouble keeping up with the reading. I made the difficult decision to drop the course at the end of the second week, known as add/drop or shopping period. I was able to borrow the books for the semester through the University library, so I hope to finish Fathers and Children and read Anna Karenina once classes end.

5. Beginner’s American Sign Language (Department: Linguistics)

   Princeton began offering for-credit ASL courses in 2018 which could be used to fulfill the foreign language requirement starting in 2021. I would love to learn a language which uses a completely different part of my brain, gain a better understanding of deaf culture, and think about how we can increase accessibility for individuals who are hard of hearing. Former blogger Naomi wrote a wonderful post about learning ASL three years ago which makes me want to at least shop ASL101 in the fall.

6. Princeton University Steel Band (Department: Music)

   Steel Band is another popular course in which students learn how to play the steelpan, an instrument originating from Trinidad and Tobago with a beautifully resonant sound. The course is P/D/F only, which means students receive a “pass”, “D”, or “fail” for the course, removing the stress of receiving a good grade (read more in Jocelyne’s blog post about P/D/F classes). Almost every review reads, “Take this course!” and one student commented that they’ll be talking about it for many years after Princeton. Although I won’t be able to fit it into my schedule, I plan on attending the class performance at the end of April which will also feature the student steelpan ensemble TigerChunes, led by one of my friends!

   

   

7. Practical Ethics (Departments: Center for Human Values and Philosophy)

   Last but not least, I wish I could have taken Practical Ethics, which discusses topics ranging from abortion to the ethics of what we eat, and actually made my Outdoor Action co-leader become vegetarian. Taught by Professor Peter Singer, author of a number of fascinating books including Animal Liberation and The Life You Can Save, students praised the application of different ethical theories to real-world issues and Professor Singer as an “excellent lecturer, speaker, and arguer.” Unfortunately, the course is no longer offered following Professor Singer’s retirement in 2023, but I hope he will return to give an occasional lecture!

   Honorable mentions include: 

8. Analog Photography, or any course in the Visual Arts department
9. The Glass Class, a freshman seminar on the science and art of glass which travels to Venice over the break!

Clearly, I could go on. Princeton offers a wide array of unique courses which stretch students in different ways, whether by learning a new language on campus or abroad, engaging with community members and organizations, or simply discussing topics and authors you had never heard of before. As my time at Princeton comes to a close next semester, I am grateful to have had access to scholars, professors, and students who continue to stimulate my intellectual curiosity and teach me something new every day.

“I just got into Princeton,” a sentence I repeatedly uttered aloud in pure astonishment and bewilderment the night decisions were released — and those feelings still have not worn off! Opening my Princeton-acceptance letter will always be one of my most cherished memories, but I cannot gloss over the many uncertainties and ambivalent emotions that led up to and followed that letter. 

All throughout the second half of my senior year — and even while I put together my application — I had kind of convinced myself that there was no way I would get into a school like Princeton, often thinking, “Tens of thousands of amazing people apply every year. The acceptance rates are very low. Once in a blue moon does anyone from my high school go to an Ivy League school.” In spite of my doubts, though, there was always a slimmer of hope. I prayed about my college decisions, and I knew that wherever I ended up would be where the Lord called me to be, ultimately resting assured that I had done my best and He would do the rest. I applied to a few top schools just to see what would happen, and I had confidence that everything was going to work out according to His perfect plan. 

Well, after decision day and internalizing the fact that this whole Princeton thing was actually happening, my family and I signed up to attend Princeton Preview, which is a full day dedicated to introducing admitted students and their families to the beauty of Princeton. I remember the first time I set foot on Princeton’s campus was the evening before Preview. As my family and I walked through FitzRandolph Gate — NOT through the one big gate in the dead center! — and took in ol’ Nassau Hall, I looked to my parents and aunt, who spontaneously tagged along with us because she was off from work for a few days, and said, “I cannot believe I got into this school….” 

Overall, Preview was fun and really helped me envision what my life at Princeton would look like, but there was still one important question that needed answering before I could seal the deal on Princeton: How much is this school going to cost? About a week after Preview, my family and I received my financial-aid package from Princeton. Well, let me just say that when we saw the amount, we were so grateful that we could have probably done backflips off of each other. Words cannot express how generous Princeton is — do not let finances keep you from applying! In the following days, I officially committed to Princeton. 

Amid all the excitement surrounding my acceptance and enrollment into Princeton, though, there was just as much fear and nervousness. I was fearful of the unknown and nervous about what was to come and how people might engage with me, especially as a small-town Southerner going to an Ivy League school more than 10 hours from home and all the worries that entails. During this time, my faith definitely played a crucial role in dealing with all the thoughts, emotions, and decisions with which I was wrestling. The Lord never leaves us and is always there for us throughout the good, the bad, and all that is in-between. As Carrie Underwood would say, I just had to let Jesus take the wheel, realizing that He has a plan and a purpose for me attending Princeton. Although I was undoubtedly scared and completely clueless of what to expect, I knew I could find security in His everlasting peace and presence.

This blog is kind of a general summary of my “Princeton process” —  I will probably go more in depth on individual parts in future blogs — but I tell it to you in hopes that you may be able to relate to some of my experiences and can find some clarity despite all the chaos you may currently be facing. I said this in a previous blog and will say it again because it is so important to remember: everything is going to be okay. Your college decisions may or may not have turned out as you liked, but I hope you can find some solace in the fact that God has a plan and a purpose for your life — you just have to choose to give Him control and to trust Him. I know it is not easy, and disappointment definitely stings. Nonetheless, never forget that you are loved and will be able to overcome any obstacle that comes your way.

You may not share the same beliefs as me, but I would like to leave you with a Bible verse that has always brought and continues to bring me comfort and reassurance:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

• Jeremiah 29:11

   

Wishing you nothing but the best with your college decisions!

One of my favorite pastimes is going for a walk around campus. Regardless of whatever is going on, I have found that a stroll through campus is always nice, never failing to present me with an opportunity to notice features I never had before and to take some time to reflect. 

As I go on each walk, I get to appreciate all of my surroundings. Outside Henry Hall, which sits along Blair Walk, there is a stone engraving of George Washington crossing the Delaware — it may seem kind of random but is very cool and intricate! I discovered this engraving pretty early on in the school year, so anytime I made my Blair Walk trek to my Writing Seminar in New South last semester, I tried to remember to give Washington a shout-out :). You may have also noticed there are two tigers forming the frame of Washington’s Crossing, so I cannot forget to mention all the engraved tigers across campus. Certain entrance doors to McCosh Hall and 1879 Hall have engravings of tigers that are engaging in a variety of activities, from roaring and prowling around to sleeping, and there are 100+-year-old tigers that welcome those who walk under the archway of Campbell Hall. However, tigers continue to dominate their architectural presence apart from engravings, as there is also a tiger weathervane at the top of each corner of Holder Tower. These are only a few of many small details I have observed from my walks, but I will leave it to you to find other little hidden gems! 

The buildings of Princeton have not just challenged my observational skills but also enabled me to appreciate the different seasons I have had here so far. When my family and I first set foot on campus — around the time of Preview — one of the first parts we saw was the area of New South, which neighbors Whitman College and is, as mentioned earlier, where my Writing Seminar was. If you have not been near New South before, there is a circle of animal-head sculptures right outside of the building. This art piece is really impressive and fascinating, but it definitely caught me off guard when I first saw it. I remember thinking to myself, “Where am I? Why are there just random statues of animal heads on a college campus?” So, when I walk by this art piece now, I cannot help but think back to this funny yet skeptical first impression of Princeton’s campus I had. Additionally, as I pass by the buildings I had my fall-semester classes in, I often reflect on the emotions I felt at the time and some of the lessons each class taught me: somewhat anxiously walking into New South for Writing-Seminar conferences, learning Spanish vocabulary in a classroom of McCosh Hall, getting to know other freshmen and more about literature in my freshman seminar in Blair Arch, to name a few. I laugh at how frequently I find myself falling into nostalgic episodes as I go on my walks — I am only a freshman, so there is really no tellin’ how much nostalgia I will be feelin’ when I am a senior!

With final college decisions being released, I am sure many of you are going to be walking around different college campuses, trying to see which one feels most like home. Whether you are here for Preview or not, I know that the campus of whatever school you go to is going to be even more beautiful because you are a part of it. The buildings and surroundings we walk by on a college campus may strike our attention and leave impressions on us, but what truly makes a campus great is its people. So, as you tour different schools, try to appreciate their architectural surroundings, but also remember that the people are what make the places special — and that you will end up where you are meant to be!

To put it plainly, any type of midterm week can get hectic. I have experienced two midterm weeks at Princeton so far, and these two specific weeks have taught me some valuable lessons that apply to not just academics but life in general. 

Lesson #1: Time management is key. At Princeton, midterm week differs from finals week in that classes are still operating as usual. When finals week rolls around, classes are already done and over, and you have an entire week dedicated to preparing for your final assessments, which is called “Reading Period.” However, classes are in full-swing during midterm week, so you have to balance your regular day-to-day classwork with midterm preparation.​​ This balance can undoubtedly get tricky at times. One helpful hack I have learned, though, is to start midterm preparation early AND finish classwork early. Doing so not only gives you a head start on midterm studying but also provides more room in your schedule for you to focus directly on your midterms. Believe me, not having classwork looming over you is always a plus, especially during midterm week! So, starting early and finishing assignments early is very important!

Lesson #2: Surround yourself with supportive people, and be one of those supportive people. If your midterms are ever making you stressed, the good news is that everyone else around you is likely feeling the same way. Reach out to your friends if you feel overwhelmed, and likewise, encourage your friends. I have found that study sessions with friends are great refreshers, as surrounding yourself with friends who are also doing work is not just motivating but also gives way to some fun conversations and laughs! Midterm week can feel crazy, but surrounding yourself with friends and being a friend can always help keep you grounded and uplifted. 

Lesson #3: Take breaks, and know that everything is going to be okay. For me, I cannot do good work when I am tired. If I feel sleepy or just simply unmotivated, I know there is no point in me trying to complete something complicated because I will likely lose focus and have a harder time understanding whatever it is. Thus, I love taking a rejuvenating break! Whether I am taking a nap, going for a walk/jog around campus, or chatting with friends, I always enjoy a break that helps me “refuel” and stay motivated. Additionally, I have learned to not obsess over midterms or exams. Yes, it is important to prepare and to do your best, but at the end of the day, do not sacrifice your health or well-being for a good grade on an exam — you are a person before you are a student. It is much easier said than done, but as long as you put in your best work, that is all you can do. Just know that you are still amazing regardless of what a grade on an exam says. 

Although it can seem frantic, midterm week is a great way for you to see and to show off what you have learned so far in your classes. They are meant to be “check-ups” on how well you are understanding your class's content and growing as a learner. They are not meant to stress you out, but even if they do, always remember to manage your time well, surround yourself with good people, and rest assured that your best is enough.