Last semester, in the depths of the grey and dark December nights, I was seasonally depressed. Even when I first returned to campus, the winds still had a frosty bite, the days were still short. Fortunately, the fates were on my side when I clicked the class registration button and I finally made it into the creative writing poetry class, and it has been my favorite class since.

Contrary to a lot of Princeton classes, the creative writing department has almost all pass/fail classes, taking the pressure off stressful performances or assignments. After my brief encounter during my freshman writing seminar, New South (home to the Creative Writing department) became a safe space to write straight from the heart, express all my emotions, and learn from my peers and professors’ suggestions through poetry readings and workshops each week.

For me, the highs are really high, and the lows are really low in the Orange Bubble. I used to feel trapped when I hit those plateaued days with no place to escape, but now I just pick up the pen and write. When I am stuck in office hours with an unsolvable bug in my computer science Java program, drenched in the freezing rain after a dreary midterm, covered in smoke after an unsuccessful pad thai cooking session, or just generally sad when the sun crept into the night before classes even ended, I just let the feelings wash over me and wield them into prose, bit by bit. Somehow, the freewriting, proofreading, changing out specific vocabulary only added to my catharsis each time I create a new poem.

I used to have a lot of trouble putting my thoughts onto the page, judging them to be never original or poetic enough. However, being assigned to write each week in a completely freestyle manner, guided only by a general prompt, has allowed me to trust and push myself into opening up. I've also healed my grievances as I see others in the class relating to them. After class, I stay perched in the sixth floor classroom, entranced with the peaceful quiet of the room as the sky gradually dims.

Now, I can’t believe I went through Princeton without ever writing poetry, which marrows all the angsts in my mind and evaporates them as soon as I let them out. Even now, when I am writing this blog, I hope this will be an inspiration for you to find your own outlet: going to the gym, listening to music, or writing a poem, like me. I would like to share one of my poems with you, which summarizes how I feel about my poetry class overall.

Never have I ever             

                           
“Never have I ever
Looked at art in the museum and
Understood what it truly meant.”

Never have I ever
Wished I could be 
Someone else’s             muse

Never have I ever
Gotten used to being perceived
Beyond the confines of my own frame

Never have I ever 
Been certain that I belonged
In a room crammed with gazes, voices

Never have I ever
Not wondered if they 
Meant to hold or hurt             or both

Never have I ever
Been able to tune out
The deep, dark nagging

Never have I ever
    Had the confidence to believe
        I was created for an original purpose

Never have I 
Ever been brave enough
To lay my vulnerabilities on canvas

One down. 
 

Princeton’s architecture is extraordinary. After moving in and getting settled here, I had a hard time fully grasping that I was going to be surrounded by breathtaking collegiate gothic architecture 24/7, especially as a member of Rockefeller College, or Rocky. I had to get used to walking under the arches by Holder Hall anytime I went to the dining hall, giving a shout-out to Blair Arch as I made my way to my Writing Seminar, and greeting Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Henry when entering Frist Campus Center. These are some of the most iconic and picturesque parts of campus, and now they are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from me — and I am extremely grateful to get to see them all the time!

However, one architectural feature that really took some getting used to was having stained-glass windows in my dorm room. Before coming to Princeton, if I ever heard someone say, “Stained-glass windows,” a college dorm room was never the first thing that came to mind. Nonetheless, for the amount of surprise I felt toward having such gorgeous windows in my new little home, there was just as much thrill.

Every now and then, in the early morning and late afternoon, right when there is just enough sunlight to seep through the small glass panels, I find myself just sitting and admiring the windows. Blending with colors of other things behind them, like clouds and nearby buildings, the panels transform into an array of hues, with some of the aquamarine squares projecting shades of yellow and green and the blue circle in the middle reflecting an ombré of violets and pinks. Anytime I see the windows in this state of beautiful transition, I feel like I have to pause and remind myself I am in a college dorm room.

Because I admire these windows so much, for a project in my drawing class this past semester, I decided to draw one. Getting the lines and proportions correct was definitely tough, but the part I enjoyed the most was filling in all the panels with their complex aspects. As I made each mark and sketch, I became more aware of how truly detailed the windows are, as beams of sunlight and outside objects enable them to present a unique variation of colors. I hope my drawing was able to do the windows some justice! 

All this talk about windows is to encourage you to never overlook the little things in life — and to show you how BEAUTIFUL Princeton is ;). The “out-of-the-ordinary” are oftentimes sources of genuine beauty, like holding the door open for a stranger, reaching out to a friend you have not spoken to in a while, or appreciating a stained-glass window in a college dorm room. Never take for granted the power of random demonstrations of beauty and goodness — they are more powerful than we know! 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to draw. Whether it was doodling in the margins of my notebooks or sketching landscapes from trips I wanted to remember, art has always been a quiet presence in my life. But despite my enthusiasm, I never had the opportunity to formally learn how to draw—not in the way I wanted to. Technique, composition, the interplay of light and shadow… those were things I admired in other artists’ work but never quite knew how to achieve myself.

That changed when I enrolled in Drawing I.

As an engineering student, my days are usually filled with equations, simulations, and technical problem-solving. My mind is constantly working through numbers and constraints, optimizing, analyzing. But stepping into the Drawing I studio feels like entering another world—one where precision gives way to intuition, where mistakes are embraced, and where time slows down just enough to notice the way light falls on a crumpled piece of fabric.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the class has been learning actual techniques—things I never knew I was missing. I’ve experimented with charcoal, ink washes, and different ways of mark-making that have completely changed how I approach a blank page. Still lifes, in particular, have been a revelation. Before, I might have seen a collection of objects on a table and simply tried to copy what I saw. Now, I look for depth, contrast, texture. I see how negative space shapes the composition, how a single bold stroke of charcoal can bring a drawing to life.

Another unexpected joy has been learning from my peers. Each critique session is like seeing the world through a dozen different perspectives. Someone’s expressive linework, another’s delicate shading—there’s always something to absorb, something to inspire. It’s a reminder that art isn’t just about improving in isolation; it’s about conversation, observation, and growth.

And then there’s the sketchbook.

At the beginning of the semester, we were all given our own sketchbooks—blank, waiting, full of possibility. I’ll admit, at first, I hesitated to put pencil to paper. But soon, it became a space for pure experimentation. Quick gesture drawings, abstract shapes, studies of hands and faces. Some pages are careful and intentional; others are chaotic and filled with half-formed ideas. But that’s the beauty of it. There’s no pressure for perfection, only the freedom to explore.

In many ways, this class has given me something I didn’t even know I needed. It’s not just a break from engineering—it’s a way to engage with creativity in a deeper, more meaningful way. It’s a reminder that, even amid the busiest weeks, there’s always space to step back, observe, and create.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll carry a little bit of that mindset with me beyond the studio—into my engineering work, my problem-solving, and the way I see the world.

Princeton is often collectively referred to as the Orange Bubble — a colloquial term for the cozy, safe, and tiny Princeton neighborhood. Our campus is not always as bustling as our neighboring schools in the city, and although I always feel quite fond of our homey Orange Bubble, sometimes, the Princeton community can feel too small. We, as students, tend to frequent the same local businesses and sites until we've exhausted them; we often see the same people. Thus, our little community can sometime feel a bit stifling — especially in the middle of high-stakes semesters. However, the thing that no one really tells you is that there is indeed a world beyond the Orange Bubble. And that world is always available to you.

Over the last two academic years, I've devoted myself to exploring opportunities outside the Orange Bubble. This was apparent last fall when my friends and I visited Drexel University in Philadelphia for their annual "Nollywood" party. This party celebrates Nigerian cultural heritage and brings together Nigerian students from schools across the tri-state area. This was one of my first times attending a social event outside of the Princeton ecosystem. I got to visit my cousins who attend Drexel and even made new Nigerian friends who were enthusiastic about collaborating with Princeton's many affinity groups. It reminded me that my community is not just limited to Princeton — there are so many nearby academic institutions and like-minded students at my fingertips.

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In addition to visiting other local universities, I often enjoy trips to New York City to see art shows. The Lewis Center for the Arts — Princeton's center for most arts-related academics — frequently provides a bounty of free opportunities to see theatrical performances in the city. This has always been highly beneficial to me, given that theater is one of my greatest passions at Princeton. Most excitingly, I saw a preview show of Princeton alum Brandon Jacob-Jenkins's play Appropriate last winter. One of my professors designed the show's lighting and was thrilled to host us in the city. It was a truly amazing night of theater. Sitting with my theater friends, watching a work made by someone once in our shoes, was a surreal experience.

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Most recently, Princeton's Office of Undergraduate Research helped fund an opportunity for my friends and me to attend Howard University's 2025 African Indigenous Knowledge and Languages International Conference. This was a conference my peers and I had longed to attend, given our academic interests in African Studies and indigenous African languages. Howard University is known as a large hub for this kind of research, so participating in this event was a dream come true. After a three-hour Amtrak ride, we found ourselves in the middle of D.C., forming unforgettable memories. Since D.C. is my hometown, I could take my friends to some of the sites and spaces I adored as a child. I also visited local family and friends — which provided a nice break from the mid-semester stress — while engaging in stimulating conversations during the various panels I attended at Howard. At the end of that weekend, I found myself full of gratitude for the opportunities Princeton provides for me to navigate my academic interests beyond the boundaries of our campus. I also felt immensely grateful to be able to share my hometown with my beloved Princeton friends.

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Princeton can feel small, but the world outside of it is big and the university offers many opportunities for students to explore the big world beyond our campus. I look forward to continuing to take advantage of these opportunities as I pursue my studies.

When I was a Freshman, everything at Princeton was exciting. There were always activities to do, places to go, and events being held. But by the time Sophomore year rolled around, the novelty wore off and I found myself constantly escaping to New York City. 

Despite my love for the school, I quickly found that there wasn’t much to do in the immediate area. I would frequent the same three coffee shops, cycle through the same six study spots, and end up back where I started: bored. Three coffee shops expanded to four, and six study spots expanded to eight, but still, there was nothing new, exciting, or anything to look forward to for the weekend.

Spoiler alert: there still isn’t much to do, but in my attempt to combat boredom, I found some not-so-hidden gems that I try to take advantage of whenever I feel that inkling to flee. Here are some of those gems:

1. The Graduate Hotel: Nested next to Sakrid Coffee Roasters, the Graduate Hotel has been a relatively new study spot that I enjoy spending time at whenever I want to feel the quintessential - dare I say - Princeton experience. 
2. Belle Journée: Located across from the Graduate Hotel is a new bakery offering iconic twists on classic pastries. From cookie croissants to coffee buns, the bakery presents exciting options when I’m craving a classic study-break but don’t want to frequent my usual croissant and coffee suppliers.
3. Jazams: Though Jazams has been around for quite some time, I’ve recently found myself obsessed with board games. Every now and then, I’ll host a game night with friends, which not only is a nice reprieve from studying, but also is a relatively easy way to try new activities. We’ll have beverages, snacks, and occasionally play some music in the background and it’s always a fun time.
4. New College West’s ceramics studio: Though only open to students, the ceramics studio is a great way to pass some time. Despite lacking skill in pottery, trying to create new dishes and trinkets in the ceramics studio is a good way to teach myself how to be more creative. Plus, I get to leave with a keepsake. 
5. Hoagie Mail: Though not a place, Hoagie Mail is a gem that has helped me combat the depths of my boredom when I’ve exhausted all else. There are always sales of some kind and it is interesting to see what I can find on rare occasions. From printers to lamps, to sweaters to shoes, you’ll never know what people are selling, and it offers a nice opportunity to find something new. 

Though sometimes it may feel like there might not be much to do, there is always something happening – even if you have to dig for that gem. These are the few that I’ve managed to find, but if you have any others, please feel free to send me an email so I can add them to my list. (Seriously, please).

Touring with the Triangle Club was nothing short of an adventure. The Triangle Club is Princeton's oldest touring musical comedy group, in which students write, compose, and perform an original musical from scratch each year. This year’s show, Pageant Pending, debuted in McCarter Theatre during the fall semester, and as tradition holds, we took it on the road before returning for the spring semester. Over the course of our journey, we brought our show to audiences in Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Millburn, experiencing the thrill of performing in new spaces while also immersing ourselves in cities I had never explored before.

As a member of the pit orchestra, I quickly learned the art of adaptation. Every venue posed a new challenge—sometimes we played on stage, other times we were fully backstage, and occasionally we were in an entirely separate room, relying on monitors and headsets to stay in sync with the performers. It was exhilarating to adjust on the fly, knowing that each night would bring a slightly different performance experience.

Beyond the music, what made this tour truly unforgettable was the camaraderie. Spending time with people from all sides of Triangle—cast, crew, pit, and tech—allowed me to form friendships I never would have made otherwise. Whether we were unloading and reloading the truck with all of our sets, costumes, and equipment before and after every show, or simply passing time on the bus, the teamwork and support among us made the long days fun and exciting.

Another highlight of the tour was staying with Princeton alumni overnight in different cities. Not only did it provide a great opportunity to connect with past Tigers and hear about their experiences, but it also brought our group closer together as we shared stories and late-night conversations in unfamiliar yet welcoming homes.

Of course, no tour is without its challenges. One particularly memorable moment was being stuck in traffic for three hours—a test of patience that turned into an impromptu bonding session filled with music, snacks, and ridiculous conversations. And speaking of snacks, the discovery of Buc-ee’s was a game-changer. I had heard about the legendary Texas-based travel stop before, but stepping inside for the first time was like entering a world of endless road trip fuel, from brisket sandwiches to walls of snacks and souvenirs.

This tour wasn’t just about performing; it was about experiencing new places, overcoming unexpected obstacles, and forging friendships that will last far beyond our final curtain call. From the excitement of stepping onto a new stage each night to the simple joy of exploring a new city with friends, the Triangle Club tour was an experience I’ll always cherish.

With the holidays approaching, I've been thinking a lot about home. As a first-year student immensely new to campus, the holidays and the breaks that came with them were a refuge from the Princeton chaos and unfamiliarity — I could go home and escape campus-related stress. Now, as a sophomore, much more acclimated to campus, I approach the holidays with much gratitude for all the ways in which Princeton has become my home. And leaving it during breaks can even be a bit difficult.

Thus, in honor of the holidays, I devoted this blog to expressing my gratitude toward everything at Princeton that makes my life feel warm even as the weather becomes frosty with the holiday air.

1. Friends!

I'm grateful to finally balance academic life, extracurricular activities, and socializing this semester. When I get stressed, I tend to retreat into my own bubble. However, recently, I've found that I make better, more thoughtful contributions to my classes and activities after spending time with friends. Taking time to decompress from the chaos of campus life — laughing, going out, and even just chatting — has become as important to me as writing essays and attending meetings. This time with friends is often the thing that powers me through my busy weeks, and it's the place I come back to when academic stress gets too much. As excited as I am to leave campus and see my family this holiday season, I'm a little sad about the weeks I'll spend away from my friends here. It's a bittersweet feeling, but more than anything, I'm grateful to have something that makes saying goodbye hard. 

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   2. Art!

As a creative writer and theater maker, I'm grateful to live on a campus with many artistic opportunities. And the last few weeks on campus have exemplified this fount of creativity. I write and read gorgeous poems for my Advanced Poetry class every week. I even represented my poetry class at the Creative Writing department's Fall semester reading. I've spent the last couple of months assistant-directing a musical for the Lewis Center of the Arts (the home of Theater, Creative Writing, Dance, and Visual Arts at Princeton), which opened and closed in the previous couple of weekends. Saying goodbye to that production was hard, but the creative opportunities that came with it brought a lifetime's worth of fulfillment. I've attended friends' art exhibition openings, dance expositions, and play performances when I'm not in class. The artist in me feels so full of gratitude for all the creative engagement that the past weeks and months have fostered.

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  3. Supportive Professors

This portion of the semester can feel dizzying. In the coming weeks, before I can return home for the holidays, I'll have to navigate the chaos of writing several term papers and completing final exams. Fortunately, I have kind professors who make this process more comforting. I enjoy using Office Hours to talk to my African American history preceptor about which class readings can best inform my final paper. My French cinema professor always leaves thoughtful comments on my grammar assignments and encourages me to explore my West African heritage throughout my creative projects in class. My poetry professor always creates time to discuss and workshop my poems and recommend poems that speak to my lived experience — a nice break from my other academic work! My art history professor is always willing to help me look through dense scholarly sources so that I can craft a well-argued and engaging term paper. Even as the stress of the final weeks on campus set in, I'm grateful to know that these resources are available to me.

  4. A Warm Place to Come Back to at the End of the Day

At the end of long days, I'm grateful that my warm dorm awaits me. I've made my dorm a place where I can decompress from academics. So, when I come back to my dorm, I can rest, call home, hang out with friends, watch movies, eat, and watch the seasons change right outside my window.

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The holidays always bring bittersweet feelings, especially when you're far from home. This holiday season, however, I'm enjoying taking time to reflect and express gratitude for life and all its simple wonders.

As I approach my second to last year at Princeton, I find myself astonished at how quickly time passes; days blur into weeks, weeks into months, and then eventually, a whole year has gone by and I find myself looking back at where I was previously and where I am today. Two years is a lot — three is even more. Three years is the right amount of time to self-proclaim myself as an expert on all things Princeton, yet also, a decent duration that leaves me time to humbly realize there is still a lot I have (probably) yet to learn. 

For now, here are some lessons, experiences, and findings I wish a 17 year old me knew when I was applying to Princeton. 

1. Princeton has a lot of resources — a TON. For example, Lewis Library has the Makerspace, which rents out plenty of portable gadgets, devices, and tools for both personal and academic use. The Career Center has frequent drop-in hours for advising sessions alongside numerous networking opportunities. Dillon Gym has a wide breadth of unique classes that one can explore when choosing to work out. Truly — every building here has its own subsection of departmental resources that help to enrich your life at Princeton. 
2. There is plenty of free food on campus. Aside from the dining halls, eating clubs, and numerous cafes at Princeton, one can find food through the FreeFood listserv. The listserv frequently promotes uneaten (and fresh) food that can be found across campus. It redirects leftover food from clubs, halls, and departments, preventing it from going to the landfill by circulating it to anyone interested in grabbing a small bite to eat or a larger meal for the day. It is simultaneously sustainable and convenient for those who find themselves wanting a snack.
3. The Residential Colleges (ResCo) at Princeton host plenty of social activities . Aside from the weekly socials that each ResCo hosts for their members, quite often, there will be opportunities to sign up for excursions with the members of your college. Some examples include going to a baseball game or a musical in Broadway.
4. Princeton has lots of fairs — career fairs, academic fairs, ResCo fairs, etc. From professional networking opportunities to extracurricular and study abroad exploration, these fairs are rich sources of snacks, merch, and information for those on the hunt for opportunities.
5. Orange grows on you — there’s something slightly obnoxious about the color that screams pride. Whether you find yourself intentionally sporting the color on a game day or just hastily slapping on the abundance of merch you find yourself accumulating, you begin to grow a deep found appreciation for orange.

These aren’t the most innovative or extraordinary findings but they are things I assume my younger self would greatly appreciate (or at least find amusing). Perhaps as you embark on your own college journey, you’ll find yourself creating your own list of musings that one day you can look back at with profound gratitude and nostalgia. 

I never viewed myself as a writer. In fact, I remember I was quite opposed to the idea growing up. At the age of 6, I gave myself a headstart by struggling to read. In elementary school, the pattern continued as English was consistently my worst subject. Grammar and spelling never quite clicked in my brain—the latter of the two still has not improved with time (thank god for spell check). Thus, in middle school, I finally waved the white flag. I remember thinking to myself, “I’m good at many things, and I acknowledge that writing will never be on that list.” I never once thought I was good at writing, or had any interest in writing for myself.

I believe part of this misconception about writing came with its elusive nature. Growing up, it frustrated me that there was never a formula to follow. Unlike the math problems I could easily solve, writing left me uneasy on how to approach it, and even worse, how do you know when a piece is done? How do you know if it's good?

I didn’t like these aspects of writing for a long time. The only writing I did throughout my life was in a journal. I’m not sure what drew me to it, but initially I journaled to process things around me and to remember my life. Either way, I’ve been doing it consistently for the past seven years.

When I got to Princeton, my conception of writing didn’t change immediately. I took the infamous freshman writing seminar and felt further convinced that writing was not for me—academic writing at least. Slowly though, my journal evolved. Here and there I would write an entry that sounded pretty enough to share out loud with my sister. Looking back, I think my journaling slowly morphed into a sort of expressive art form. I was journaling to process my emotions, but also to portray my life in a poetic way. 

Even as I grew to love journaling, I did not formalize my love for writing until I found myself here, blogging for Princeton’s Admission Office. This job has helped me formalize my journal-like rants into completed pieces that I can share. And through these blogs, I realized a new inkling for that elusive yet expressive process we call creative writing. 

All of this is to say that being fluent in an art form doesn’t come naturally for everyone. For me, I believe years of journaling evolved a weakness of mine into a strength. It has been an unexpected turn of events to say the least. I don’t know if I’ve earned myself the title of a writer, but I can admit that I now view myself as one. 

Somehow senior year is already coming upon me, so here is a list of a few things I want to do before I leave Princeton:

1. See the stars at Peyton Observatory. I actually wrote about wanting to learn how to identify constellations at the Peyton Observatory in my application to Princeton and even made it to a public observing a while back, but just as I was making my way up the steps to the telescope, it became cloudy. It looks like the next public observing is in a few weeks, so maybe I can cross this off the list this summer! Another event I hope to attend is a Stargazing Night, held every semester in the Forbes backyard by the Princeton Astronomy Club.

2. Climb up the Grad College Tower. The Grad College is across the golf course behind Forbes, about a 10-minute walk from the rest of campus. You can see the beautiful tower, which I just learned is called Cleveland Tower, from a distance and hear the bells every Sunday. The Grad College, in my opinion, is by far the best dining hall on campus, and I think most undergraduate students have never gone! I have been wanting to climb the tower since freshman year and even spontaneously joined some senior friends who wanted to climb it before they left in May, but it sounds like you need to go when the Porter’s Lodge (the main office) is open to get a key. It looks like you can even request songs to be played on the carillon and get a free carillon lesson if you go on a Sunday afternoon!

3. Swim at DeNunzio Pool. This one isn’t anything too special, but I brought a swimsuit freshman year and still haven’t gotten around to using it. We have two pools: Dillon Pool, which is in Dillon Gym and reopened this past semester, and DeNunzio, which is further from the center of campus but a really nice facility used by the Swimming & Diving and Water Polo teams. Hopefully I can make it to a recreational swim or two!

4. Try aerial silks with Princeton Aerial Arts. The theme of this list seems to be things I’ve been wanting to do since freshman year. I got really excited when I found out about the Aerial Arts Club when looking through the clubs at Princeton but I wasn’t sure how to join. Hopefully I can try it out next year but if not, I’d love to attend one of their performances!

5. Walk across the Swinging Bridge in the Institute Woods. I often run down Mercer St which leads to the Institute for Advanced Study (where much of Oppenheimer was filmed) and the Institute Woods (which even have their own Lonely Planet page!). I haven’t yet made it to the Swinging Bridge because the woods are sometimes muddy and I’ve been too lazy to figure out precisely how to get there, but this is another one I could try to cross off the list this summer.

6. Run the Princeton half marathon. If you told me freshman year that in two years, I would be running half marathons, I probably would’ve laughed in disbelief. I plan on writing a blog about starting to run recreationally (and celebrating my birthday this past May by running the Brooklyn Half Marathon in New York City!) but long story short, now I’m the one trying to convince my friends to run the Princeton half with me. I just registered for the race in November and I’m excited to run some familiar routes and celebrate with my friends afterward!

7. Visit illy Coffee At Earth’s End. I’ve seen this little cafe a couple of times but haven’t gone in yet. After hearing good reviews from my friend who met a woman from church there and reading Odette’s blog, I’m inspired to check it out when I’m looking for a warm drink or a pastry.

8. Sled down the Whitman hill. Elementary schools back home in Alberta, Canada have stores of carpet sleds that we used every recess in the winter. I was surprised when my friends here couldn’t relate, but I guess that makes sense in a place that doesn’t see much snow. Hopefully this winter we’ll get enough to sled down the hill by Whitman College, whether it be on carpet sleds or cardboard boxes.

I look forward to reporting back on how many of these I’m able to finish by the end of senior year!