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!"

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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.

I officially committed to Princeton before I even finished Princeton Preview. After learning more about the amazing opportunities and people inside the Orange Bubble, everything just felt right. I’m so glad I made the choice to become a tiger, and I hope you will too.

A lot of the reasons that I chose Princeton hold true for plenty of my classmates. When I was looking for the right college, I knew I wanted a small school that had a close-knit community of students and offered personalized instruction. Princeton has an undergraduate focus and a small student-to-faculty ratio that made it easy to form close relationships with professors. I wanted somewhere that would allow me to explore my diverse interests without expecting me to know exactly what I wanted to do. I realized that Princeton would provide unparalleled academic experiences through a liberal arts lens that encouraged exploration and curiosity. Princeton also offered such fantastic need-based financial aid that made it possible for me to afford this amazing school. Princeton checked every box that I was looking for.

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There were many other reasons I loved Princeton outside of academics. Everyone I interacted with was so friendly and welcoming. I had a lot of great conversations and got a good feel about campus culture. I was impressed by the large number of student groups; it seemed like there was a club for everything! The campus was also one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. If I couldn’t go to Hogwarts, this seemed like a good substitute! I appreciated the ease of getting around the campus due to its small size. I also loved the town of Princeton and the many cute shops and restaurants right outside Fitz-Randolph Gates. The list of positives about Princeton goes on and on.

I also had certain criteria that I had to consider because of my disability. I needed somewhere within driving distance of my home in Maryland to avoid the inconvenience of plane travel. I was looking for a place with moderate weather, because snow and rain are difficult for my wheelchair to handle. I talked to the disability services offices at every college I considered to make sure my needs could be met appropriately. I was blown away by Princeton’s Office of Disability Services and immediately felt like I was in the right place. 

Although this year Preview will operate in an online form, I encourage you to explore the virtual opportunities and learn more about all the amazing aspects of Princeton. Hope to see you on campus next year!

To the newly admitted Class of 2024, congratulations! 

I remember being in your shoes, quite intimidated by the college selection process. I remember asking myself, will I fit in at Princeton? Will there be people like me? Can I handle the academic rigor? Despite my hesitations, choosing Princeton was one of the best decisions of my life. 

What I found appealing was Princeton’s focus on the liberal arts and world-renowned undergraduate education. The University gives you the flexibility of taking classes in a variety of subjects before officially declaring your concentration at the end of sophomore year. For me, this was crucial because I was undecided. I came in as a prospective math major, but after taking classes in different departments, I discovered an interest in archival research and joined the Department of History.

I also knew I wanted to learn from my peers, travel to different countries, and get access to enriching opportunities. From traveling to India with a geology class to interning in Israel at a high-tech startup, Princeton has provided me with memories and experiences that I will cherish for years to come. Best of all, these opportunities are fully covered financially! 

Another important factor was affordability. The financial aid program here is amazing. My parents were worried they wouldn’t be able to afford Princeton, but the financial aid award I received made it all possible. Throughout my years here, the financial aid office has supported me every step of the way. 

Princeton has truly become my home and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

It’s a tradition for Orange Key tour guides at Princeton to end their campus tours highlighting their “Why Princeton” story: a description of what brought them to choose the University for their undergraduate experience. Everyone's story is different, and as my years on campus progress I get more emotional each time I deliver it. Without further ado, here it is:

What drew me first to Princeton was the beauty of the campus. I didn’t go on a lot of college visits, but when my dad and I saw Princeton we both knew nothing was going to top it. But other, perhaps more pragmatic, elements of campus were just as attractive: I felt safe and loved that the campus residential community would mean I’d never need to venture off or live off campus to see my friends. The libraries scattered evenly among campus meant I’d have a different place to study for each day of the month. Having Nassau Street so close meant I’d have access to a bevy of global cuisines within a stone’s throw of campus.

But more than a physical space, I knew Princeton was a community. I was drawn to the residential college system and the idea that I’d have a smaller, built-in support network the moment I stepped on campus. Additionally, the Princeton experience lasts a lifetime: our reunions are a raucous, orange-and-black celebration of everything Princeton that draws nearly 25,000 alumni annually. (Check out this old New York Times article for a description of some of the antics). Local alumni networks like Princeton in Washington (of which I’ve taken advantage through Princeton Internships in Civic Service) host events for current students and alumni. In my experiences through the alumni networks I've had the opportunity to attend events with senators and world leaders. This means that the Princeton learning experience isn’t ever really over after you graduate.

I knew the students I would go through school with would be exceptional. I was, and still am, truly excited by the idea that I’m going to school with future leaders with whom I will share a crazy, one-of-a-kind four-year experience. I knew the University’s laser focus on undergraduate students, unique among its peer institutions, would exceptionally qualify me to become one of those leaders myself. In that regard, the University has exceeded even my own lofty expectations, funding weeks of in-class travel and summers’ worth of internships to enhance what I’ll take away from my studies.

There are thousands of undergraduate institutions in the United States. It's probably true that I would've been happy at many of them. But, I’m confident that there’s no place I'd be as happy as I am at Princeton.

We telescoped the word “community.” What's telescoping? Basically, we start with a large word count and work our way down to just one word! The first blogger writes close to 250 words; the next around, 200, 150, 100, 75, 50, 25 and 1. If you're considering Princeton as your home for the next four years, we want to make sure that you have a good sense of all the many communities on campus, what community means to students, and how the Princeton community is a vibrant, supportive group of Tigers, from when you begin your Princeton journey to when you join Tiger alumni!

Mia Salas '22

Coming from a small high school that fostered a strong sense of community, I was nervous about joining an undergraduate student body of over 5,000 students. Would I find that same community on campus? And how long would it take for me to do so? Princeton has a pretty robust orientation program – it’s organized so that you can get to know campus, have meaningful experiences, form relationships, develop leadership skills, and feel included, all before the first day of classes even begins! My small group for Community Action (one of Princeton’s Orientation service trips) was my first community, and once I returned to campus, my residential college (go Forbes!), became my second. It was so important for me to have that initial sense of inclusivity and belonging because it reassured me that Princeton would definitely become a home away from home. 

Now, almost two years after my first-year orientation, Princeton is more than just a home. Princeton is where I am a part of so many different communities that have shaped me into who I am today. On Princeton Cheer, I’m surrounded by an incredible group of student athletes who are my closest friends. Princeton’s writing community inspires me every day to pursue my dreams, and Forbes College will always be a place of love and support. Classes, clubs, sports, student groups, residential living, the Princeton area beyond campus – they’ve all become mini communities that remind me of the greater community that I’m a part of.  

Richard Ma '22

Here are some of the things about Princeton that make me happy:

“Late meal” in mid-afternoon, where people go for a between-class snack and run into familiar faces; in the summer, we take our food out to the warm steps of Frist South Lawn to enjoy the sun.

The third-floor theater in Frist Campus Center, packed on a Friday night for the latest student production, which is always a reminder of the talent, passion, and courage swirling all around you.

The Tiger Tea Room in Firestone Library, always alive with sunlight, the smell of coffee and the voices of group projects.

Dillon Gym’s courts, where there is almost always a pickup game to join, especially late at night for hours on end.

Forbes College, where I go after everything, and always has the most peaceful golden lighting.

Underlying all of it is a sense of belonging and this feeling of togetherness – in each of these places there is some moment, quiet or outstated, that makes me feel part of something greater. When I’m with the people I’ve grown and lived with the past two years, I feel part of a community that has come to be one of the most important things in my life.

Naomi Hess '22

I found my Princeton community on my second day on campus. I met my closest friends on my Community Action orientation trip, and ever since then, we’ve been inseparable. I know I can always turn to them for compassion, advice and friendship. 

There are many ways to find your own community. The residential college system fosters a sense of closeness with your neighbors. You can join some of the many student groups to find people who have similar interests. I’ve found communities in my classrooms as well, from passionate professors to engaged peers. 

It’s hard for me to think of another place where I’ve felt so included and supported in every capacity. The best part of Princeton has been the amazing community of students I’ve met throughout my two years here. I’ve found my people, and soon, so will you. Princeton is truly a community like no other.

 Mallory Williamson '21

I wasn’t very sure where I was going to find it. I had it in high school, but I’d known those kids forever. This was a different ball game. I didn’t really know anyone who had gone to Princeton, and I wasn’t sure if people from backgrounds like mine found their niche. 

But, within days, I found it. I found it in my dorm room with my random roommates, in my residential college dining hall, and in my freshman seminars. I found it when I was least looking. It’s probably more appropriate to say it found me. It’s still here.

Jonathan Haynes '20

Early on, some alumni told me that the Princeton experience only gets better as you get older.  At the time, I found it hard to believe, but now, as I am wrapping up my time at Princeton, I cannot see how this will be anything other than true. This speaks to one of my favorite parts of our small community here: it truly extends beyond our time on campus, beyond careers and beyond generations.

Grace Masback '21

I had a difficult experience finding community in high school and I arrived at Princeton uncertain about how or even if I would find community. Yet, as I near the end of my third year I am so grateful for the incredible diversity of community I have been able to find. 

Fedjine Mitchelle Victor '22

The community at Princeton is irreplaceable. Here you meet some of your best friends, have some of your best laughs, and start your best adventure.

Andrea Reino '20

Family

In the summer before you’re set to begin your Princeton journey, you’ll get an email that will determine much of the social trajectory of your four years on campus. Mine came on July 19, 2017. I knew it was coming — I’d been awaiting this day for weeks. Finally, it pinged my inbox at 11:42 a.m., as I was standing in line at Costco with my sister and mom. I anxiously opened it to find my residential college assignment, dorm room number and the names of my three roommates enclosed.

I didn’t even finish reading through my new roommates’ names before I Google-searched pictures of “Mathey College at Princeton.” Mathey is one of Princeton’s six residential colleges. In my totally objective and not at all biased opinion, it’s the best. Other than its sister Rockefeller College, it’s the furthest north on campus. (That means easy access to Firestone Library and all the delicious snacks on Nassau Street). It’s also designed entirely in the classic Collegiate Gothic style, meaning you’re guaranteed to spend your first two years living in an actual castle. Our color is maroon, and our mascot is Mathey the Moose.

Though I don’t live there anymore — I chose to move into upperclassman housing when I joined my eating club — I cherish the memories of my time in Mathey. More than its location, architecture or adorable mascot, Mathey is a community of interesting, kind people. The professional staff in the residential college is always available to support Mathey students and stays in touch even after you’ve left the walls of your college. Mathey-wide events bring the community together each week, and the communal dining hall means the college quickly becomes a collection of familiar faces. (The gear each college gives out at the beginning of each semester also means you’ve automatically got clothes to match with your best friends). Princeton’s residential colleges are touted as a way to make the over 5,200 member student body feel small, and Mathey certainly did that for me. Even now, when I choose to eat in a residential college dining hall, I almost always pick Mathey’s!

Your residential college is first presented to you as a, well, residential assignment. Even before you arrive on campus, though, you’ll discover it’s more than that. In Mathey, I found a community that I still draw upon today for companionship and inspiration. And, while Mathey is obviously the best, that same sense of home is present in each of the six colleges.

A couple days after my admission to Princeton, I opened my mailbox to find a thick orange envelope. Inside were a series of pamphlets and flyers that would prepare me for my time at Princeton, discussing everything from student life to the Novogratz Bridge Year Program. After poring through those materials, and the University’s corresponding online resources, I came away with two key impressions. The first was that Princetonians really love the color orange (it’s true!). The second was that students really care about research. 

Even after looking online, I couldn’t truly picture what “research” might mean for a student like me. I knew I was interested in social sciences and the humanities, and I’d always imagined “researchers” wearing white coats and goggles at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  It wasn’t until my writing seminar at Princeton — a mandatory class for first-year students that introduces a variety of research methods and principles — that I got a grasp of what academic research outside of the scientific disciplines might look like. Even then, as I was reading through and analyzing academic articles at a new, rigorous level, I wasn’t sure how I was ever going to come up with a topic to research myself. How was I, a public school kid from the suburbs, going to come up with an original research topic with academic merit?

I’ll let you in on a secret: it’s not as hard as you think. Every student at Princeton is required to produce a senior thesis as well as independent work during their junior year. What all that work has in common is that it represents an exploration of something each student is passionate about. As you declare your concentration (our word for major) as a sophomore and delve into your chosen field, you’ll discover with your professors that there are myriad questions left unanswered in your discipline’s literature. There is so much we don’t know! And there’s no way you won’t be curious about it. Many incoming students are under the misguided belief that their independent work has to be revolutionary somehow — that their findings have to be game-changers if they want to get an A or the respect of their professors. What they inevitably find, however, is that academic progress is oftentimes made up of minute contributions to larger questions. It’s bit by bit that many of society’s biggest questions are answered. It’s your job as a researcher to add another piece to the puzzle. 

Princeton is a community of student researchers. That really does include every student — no student has ever graduated without turning in a research project. And don’t worry, there’s no chance you’ll be the first. Research can seem daunting, especially to students in disciplines not typically associated with “research.” But it’s nowhere near as nerve-wracking as you think, and the curiosity you’ll develop as a Princeton student will leave you with many more leads than you could ever research. 

I’m a tour guide with Orange Key, Princeton’s student tour guide service. Other than “What is your most commonly asked question?” the question I am most frequently asked is about the different kinds of classes required for Princeton students. It makes sense: coming from high school, where courses for students are mostly pre-determined, many students are itching for the opportunity to take courses in subjects they’re passionate about. Oftentimes, students aren’t excited about a potential new slate of mandatory classes. 

My answer is always the same: there’s only one required class at Princeton, but even that is largely up to you. Every student has to take a Writing Seminar, a semester-long course that teaches students to formulate researchable questions in preparation for junior and senior independent work. Not every writing seminar is the same, however. After being assigned to either the fall or spring semester, students are sent a list of the different seminar options to choose from. Usually, these fall into clear interest areas: seminars offered this semester include “The Future of Food” and “Justice Beyond Borders.” The customizable nature of the writing seminar tailors even this required class to student interests.

Princeton’s set of distribution requirements also affects students’ course choices. These are different for students in the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) and Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) programs. Students enrolled in A.B. programs — which I describe to my tour groups as “(A)nything (B)ut” Engineering — must take ten courses of their choosing across seven different broad ‘distributions,’ in addition to achieving proficiency in a foreign language. These distributions include categories like “Social Analysis,” which covers everything from psychology to politics to journalism. For B.S.E. students — our engineers — the situation is a bit different. In addition to general math and science courses relevant to their chosen disciplines, engineering students must take four classes among the non-quantitative distribution areas.

I tell my tour groups that I think Princeton’s distribution requirement system captures the best of both worlds. On one hand, it clearly frees you from the monotony of high school classes: with the exception of the customizable Writing Seminar, there’s nothing you have to take. I didn’t want to see math in college, and aside from a Politics-y statistics course, I haven’t! But the distribution requirements also push you out of your comfort zone: I’ve taken classes on everything from bridges to audio journalism (complete with an expenses-paid trip to Alabama and Mississippi) in fulfillment of my distribution requirements, and they’ve allowed me to enjoy disciplines I never dreamed I would.

My teachers in high school used to say that “college would be different.” Usually, they were referencing the idea that expectations of college students are higher than they are of high school students. For most of my high school career, I didn’t think much of those warnings. When I learned of my admission to Princeton, and felt my future beginning to roll out in front of me, I panicked. How right were they? Was I going to be able to handle the rigor of my college coursework? Was I going to be well prepared?

Three years later, and I’d tell my high school senior year self to take a deep breath. In some ways, college is certainly more demanding than high school. Your professors are going to expect that you genuinely engage with the course material — not just regurgitate memorized facts for a test. They’re going to expect that you care about what you’re learning, because you’ll find most professors have dedicated their lives to studying that very subject.  Balancing coursework in college is something some people also find tricky — class schedules are less structured in college than in high school and can make it difficult for first year students especially to properly budget their study time. You’ll be surrounded by tempting opportunities to ditch the books for time with friends, extracurricular groups and campus events.

But, in my experience, it’s not that college is more difficult than high school. The best way to describe it is merely to say that it’s different. You’re studying what you love, so you’re going to care about all your classes. You’re going to want to prepare for your classes, because you’ll grow to know and care for your professors on a personal level. They’ll care about you, too, and the vast majority are very understanding if you’re unable to meet a particular deadline or need special assistance in class. You have more resources available than ever before to make sure you succeed — everyone from residential college deans and Peer Academic Advisers to the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning has your back. And, you’ll be surrounded and motivated by other passionate learners every day. You’ll see a substantial reduction in the amount of “busy work” you’re assigned, and you’ll spend your time on more meaningful projects.

Believe me, your academic preparation is good enough. Nothing can really prepare you for the totality of your Princeton experience. But, relax: you’ve got this!