Bridging the Gap Between Academics and Advocacy: A Panel on “Crimmigration”


Princeton Students for Prison Education, Abolition, and Reform (SPEAR) is a student group focused on educating and advocating against the carceral state of the United States. SPEAR consists of a variety of committees, including Students Against Policing, the Re-Entry Committee, and Project Solidarity. Over time, I had become very passionate about the intersections between the criminal justice and immigration systems, and was excited to learn about, and join, SPEAR’s Immigration Committee.

The Immigration Committee works closely with other organizations in central New Jersey fighting for justice for local immigrant communities. In the past, the Committee has welcomed representatives from these organizations to speak about state-wide initiatives. For example, in the Fall of 2022, we hosted various organizers to raise awareness about the New Jersey Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. SPEAR also partners often with Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA), a non-profit organization just off campus on Witherspoon Street. With ULA, Princeton students teach English as a Second Language (ESL) classes every Tuesday and Saturday, welcoming local residents to join, no matter their current English proficiency.

One of the highlights of my sophomore year was getting the opportunity to organize a panel specifically on the criminalization of immigration, or “crimmigration” as it is often called in the literature. This is the idea that, over time, immigrants in the United States have been increasingly criminalized, both in the media, but also in immigration proceedings. In the fall, I took a class called The Politics of Crime and Punishment, where my final paper had focused on this shift in immigration law and the consequences that it has had on migrant communities particularly through the lens of procedural justice. At the time of this panel, I was also taking another course with Dr. Amelia Frank-Vitale on borders. Particularly, the class explored how borders are not only geographic, but can also be reproduced by systems within a country–in this case policing.

Through our panel, we wanted to raise awareness within the student body by inviting Princeton professors to speak on the topic, as many people often don’t know about this intertwinement of criminal and immigration laws. However, we also knew gaps in knowledge can arise from looking at these sorts of issues through a purely academic lens. Therefore, over the course of two months, we set out to bring together a group of diverse perspectives and organizers, both as academics and as activists. In the end, we welcomed three Princeton professors and three representatives from local organizations, although it’s important to note that all of the professors on our panel also considered themselves to be activists. A few days before the event, we designed our flyer to circulate across campus. As I would be moderating this event, I prepared our list of questions, which ranged from asking our panelists to define “crimmigration,” as well as elaborate on what this looks like within their work, and how it affects the ways in which they carry out ethical research and activism.

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Flyer advertising SPEAR's panel discussion on the criminalization of immigration.

Perhaps one of the reasons this panel had such a big impact on me, besides the obvious ability to share something that I care deeply about with fellow classmates, was the fact that it enabled me to see a tangible connection between the things I have learned and studied during my time at Princeton, and the sort of work that can be done, especially with the help of Princeton’s resources. I believe the ability to take the lead on these sorts of initiatives–whether it be organizing panel discussions, proposing a new volunteering experience or club, or receiving funding to engage in social impact activities–is something that is uniquely possible for Princeton students, and something I look forward to replicating in the future.

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Princeton student speaks at podium next to six seated panelists at the front of a classroom.

The 10 Steps to My First Solar Energy Conference


I just came back from Puerto Rico, where I gave a talk on my junior paper at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Photovoltaic Specialists Conference. It was an incredible experience, and I learned a lot about both the field of solar photovoltaics and the history and culture of Puerto Rico. Here are the steps I took to arrange the trip, as well as the wonderful Princeton people who made it possible (a special thank you to Dr. Barry Rand, Dr. Sigurd Wagner, and Moira Selinka of Princeton's Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment).

Step 1: Find the right conference

How do you choose a suitable conference for your work? The best person to ask is usually your advisor, who is familiar with the scope of different conferences. I asked Drs. Rand and Wagner, my project advisors, and the one that immediately came to mind for them was the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference. Given that my project is about the adoption of rooftop solar panels in the U.S., this sounded like a perfect fit.

Step 2: Write and submit your abstract

To submit to a conference, you usually have to write an abstract or extended abstract on your findings. For this conference, they asked for a 3-page extended abstract. Be aware of deadlines, as they are usually far in advance of the conference itself. For PVSC, the abstract was due in January while the conference was in June.

Step 3: Find funding and make travel arrangements

I heard back that my abstract was accepted for a poster presentation in mid-March, and I applied through for funding through the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE) to head to Puerto Rico.

Step 4: Create and print your poster

I designed my poster, and I sent an email to Print Services to have it printed. (I found out later, though, that students can print two free posters per month in the Engineering Library. Now I know.)

Step 5: Learn that you won't actually need your poster

Two weeks before the conference, I found out that my abstract was selected for an oral presentation instead! I put together a set of Powerpoint slides, which I presented to Professors Rand and Wagner. They helped me revise and refine my presentation so that I felt well-prepared to deliver my talk.

Step 6: Travel, arrive, and check-in

Come mid-June, it was time to fly to Puerto Rico! I arrived late Monday night, and Tuesday morning I went to the convention center to familiarize myself with the presentation room and equipment before my session.

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White stone and glass exterior of the Puerto Rico Convention Center
The Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan

Step 7: Present!

My presentation was the last one scheduled for my session, so I listened to several other presentations before it was time for mine. It was interesting to hear about related solar research. I was slightly nervous before my talk, but I think it went well. The audience seemed engaged, and they asked questions that showed that had followed along and absorbed the key points.

Step 8: Explore the surrounding area

After the conference, I explored the island. I visited the citadel, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, and the only tropical rainforest in the U.S., El Yunque. I also saw incredible flora and fauna, like a three-foot iguana that crossed the sidewalk while I was out for a run.

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Parking lot with broken school bus and low-rise building in the El Yunque rainfores
A view of the parking lot before entering the El Yunque rainforest

Step 9: Submit receipts 

When I got back home, I submitted the receipts of my various expenses for the conference (flight, airport taxi, registration fee) in order to be reimbursed.

Step 10: Reflect

Stepping outside the Orange Bubble and contiguous U.S. immersed me in a completely different culture. I learned about solar research from scholars in other states and countries, and I explored the landscape and history of a place to which I had never been, which gave me a more global perspective on both research and lifestyle culture. The experience was truly amazing, and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity.


Lions and Tigers: My Study Abroad Experience


This semester, I had the incredible opportunity to spend seven weeks in Kenya with the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department’s Semester in the Field program. 

The program involves taking four courses, each for three weeks, in subjects ranging from Biology of African Animals and Ecosystems to Terrestrial Paleoecology (basically trying to understand what ancient ecosystems looked like). Since I went abroad as a senior (most EEB students go abroad during their junior spring), I was there for the first two classes and returned to campus after spring break to finish my thesis. 

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three students and a professor in a classroom
Bone taphonomy lecture with Professor Kevin Uno. This was one of only a handful of classroom lectures during the program –– the rest were outside, in the field! 

Nothing I could have imagined compared to the feeling of waking up to the sound of birds chirping and monkeys calling to one another right outside my tent every morning. To be so immersed in nature was indescribable. We saw endangered Grevy’s zebras and African wild dogs, of which there are only a few thousand remaining in the world, as well as lions, hyenas, rhinos, and elephants. In the first week alone, we saw 35 different species of mammals! 

The classes I took provided amazing opportunities for hands-on fieldwork. During the first course, we planned, executed, and analyzed data for four complete research projects — in just three weeks! It was definitely fast-paced, but I came out of it with a much greater understanding of the scientific process, and I’m so grateful for the experience. 

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group photo of 13 smiling people in a savannah landscape
The 11 of us, on a hike with the professor and TA of our first course. 

One of the best parts of going to Kenya was the people - the 10 fellow Princeton and Columbia students I traveled with, our professors and TAs, and the Kenyan researchers, staff, and community members we got to know during our stay there. We bonded over trips to overlooks to watch the sunset after a game drive, games of soccer and darts at the research center (which we often lost), and most of all, our climb of Mount Kenya during spring break (I credit the bond between us as the reason we somehow all made it to the summit!). 

Going to Kenya was the best experience of my life so far, and I can’t recommend studying abroad enough. As sad as I was to leave Princeton’s beautiful campus and all my friends there, it was so worth it to get the chance to experience new places, cultures, and ecosystems with such an amazing group of people. If I had one piece of advice for anyone considering studying abroad, it would be to just go! You never know where it can take you. 

 


Top 5 Study Spots From a Graduating Senior


1. Firestone Library: The Trustee Reading Room

Firestone Library, opened in 1948, is the largest of eleven libraries on Princeton’s campus. It was designed as an open-stack lending library, meaning users can browse all library materials (outside Rare Books and Special Collections) at their leisure. With over 70 miles of shelving and countless desks, tables, and cubicles, Firestone is the ideal place for a serious study session! The Trustee Room, located just to the left of the main lobby, opened in 2020 and is the perfect place to study on a sunny afternoon. I love it because it’s open, bright, and silent, so I can really focus on my work with minimal distractions– and because I submitted my senior thesis here!

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Exterior image of Firestone Library, blue sky with clouds
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Glass wall with doorway entering a room with tables, letters reading "the trustee reading room" above the door

2. Firestone Library: The Solarium

Also located in Firestone, the solarium is another great place for work! It was designed as part of renovation efforts to increase natural lighting in the library, and, rain or shine, it has a lovely atmosphere. Perks include comfy chairs for reading, a great table with lamps and outlets, and proximity to the Tiger Tea Room (Firestone’s café) for coffee, tea, snacks, and study breaks with friends!

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room with reading tables, arm chairs, large windows and sky lights and chandelier


3. East Pyne: Chancellor Green Rotunda

This is one of the most beautiful rooms at Princeton. Originally Pyne Library, East Pyne was built in 1897 and was the main library on campus until Firestone opened. A student center from 1948-1965, Chancellor Green is now once again a study space, crowned with a stained glass ceiling. On sunny afternoons, the octagonal rotunda is glazed with beautiful colors, and at any time of day, it is a breathtakingly beautiful place to study.

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rotunda with ornate ceiling and stained glass windows, filled with arm chairs and coffee tables
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ornate ceiling of rotunda with stained glasses windows

4. Tiger Inn Library

On busy days, I love working at my eating club’s library! The Tiger Inn, my club, was established in 1890 and is one of Princeton’s eleven eating clubs located on Prospect Avenue. In addition to being where over 70% of students eat all their meals, the eating clubs are important social centers for undergraduate students of all years. When I study at TI, I know I’ll be surrounded by friends!

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tudor style room with large study table, fireplace flanked by windows with taxidermy bull above it

5. Home: My Couch!

Boring, but honest– we all need to work at home sometimes. Most nights, I do at least a little bit of reading on my couch. After a busy day, it feels great to relax at home.

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grey couch with three pillows, one with a Princeton design

Taking a Ride in the Mobile Lab


On a recent Tuesday, the usual lecture for the course CEE311, Global Air Pollution, was replaced with an atypical data collection session. Each student signed up for a different time slot throughout the day, and small groups met at the parking lot by the E-Quad in order to be driven by Professor Zondlo in the Princeton Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Mobile Lab.

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body of white car with metal measurement instruments on top
The Princeton Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Mobile Lab

This car is equipped with various sensors for measuring wind speed, methane, and other greenhouse gasses in the ambient air. It's fully electric, so there are no emissions from the car that could influence the measurements. Inside the car, there's a GPS sensor so that we can pair the measurements to their exact latitude and longitude coordinates. 

Professor Zondlo drove us by a nearby wastewater treatment plant, and we recorded the methane levels coming from the plant. Gas plume measurements are highly variable, so to get a better estimate, we drove past the plant ten times (making U-turns in a nearby parking lot) in order to get more data. Once we had this data, we analyzed it and were able to use the Gaussian plume model we'd learned about in class to get an estimate of the methane emission rate from the plant. 

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Plot of the methane data measurements with the Gaussian plume model overlaid
Fitting the Gaussian plume model to the data

This experience was both a welcome change of pace to the usual routine (How often do you get to be driven around by your professor in a decked-out electric car?) and an opportunity to see how an atmospheric chemistry scientist collects and analyzes data. Professor Zondlo uses the mobile lab in his own research, and his group recently published a paper where they performed a similar exercise at a variety of wastewater treatment plants throughout the United States. In being exposed to the real-world methods my professors use in their own research, I've been able to experience what working in different areas of environmental engineering would be like. This has made me feel more prepared to choose my own niche field (water, air, soil, etc.) for graduate school and my future career. I've been consistently impressed with how dedicated my professors are to creating courses that allow me experience what working as an environmental engineer will truly be like. 

If you see a car with some strange metal instruments on top driving by, and then see it turn around and drive by you again, don't be alarmed. You might be witnessing the mobile lab in action, collecting data to help understand and combat climate change.


Good Days and Bad Days


As a campus blogger I find myself often highlighting my favorite parts about campus. I have enjoyed my experience as a student and an individual within this community, and am always excited to share more about all of the amazing things that have happened during my time here. Surely there are a million things to love about Princeton, but there are things that are difficult, too.

Admittedly, I chose Princeton because I wanted to be surrounded by courses and classmates that would challenge me every day, but there are days where everything is just outright overwhelming. In the past, I have had to read well over 500 cumulative pages in a week; there have been weeks where I have had two papers due in addition to having to prepare a presentation and study for an exam the following week; and there have been countless lectures where I leave feeling clueless about what was discussed. Also, sometimes life is just life, and things happen in my personal life that I have to balance on top of my constant schoolwork.

It can be a lot.

I know this may sound like a somewhat of a grim portrayal of life on campus, but transparency is an important part of getting to know a school. Princeton is hard, but there is always room for a bad day to turn into a good one (or, at least a slightly less bad one?).

Maybe one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned during my time here has been finding peace in the simplest of moments and gestures. Last week was especially hard for me, but there were many things that occurred alongside the difficult bits that helped make my workload feel more bearable. 

After a long day of classes and extracurriculars, seeing my lit-up dorm window is always a welcoming sign that my roommate is home, as I always look forward to unwinding and catching up with her. The comforting reality is that we are all struggling together, and sometimes getting things off my chest is all it takes to make them feel more manageable.

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Two women sit on a radiator in front on windows with blinds down, one smiles while the other laughs

I try to be very intentional about taking breaks, sometimes on my own, or sometimes with some of my friends. My favorite place to go when I want a small snack is The Bread Boutique on Witherspoon Street to pick up a delicious pistachio croissant. When I want a drink to power me through the rest of a paper-writing session, I love using my DiningPoints to buy something from Junbi, also on Witherspoon. Of course, calling home when things feel too overwhelming always helps me feel more grounded, too.

On campus, there are also a plethora of supportive resources specifically set in place to help students navigate the difficulty of campus life. There are more academic resources like the Writing Center and the McGraw Center, which can help manage the stress associated with academic tasks and routines. But there are other resources, too. Residential College Advisors (RCAs) and Peer Academic Advisors (PAAs) are some of the first two points of contact that any incoming Princeton student is introduced to. A resource that I, along with some of my friends, have found useful has been Princeton’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). Located in McCosh Health Center, students can consult with campus psychologists. These can be scattered visits, or CPS can connect you with a more long-term alternative off campus. As a student on the school’s health insurance plan, this has been extremely helpful in making mental health care accessible to me.

Finally, there is community everywhere, whether that looks like reaching out to close friends, sitting in a crowded library while everyone struggles to write essays and code together, or looking forward to your favorite extracurricular meeting at the end of the week. No matter how hard things may feel sometimes, I know that I will get through it eventually and that an ice cold matcha will be waiting for me on the other end of it, as well as a wonderful community happy to support each other through it all.


Ecology is Everywhere: An Adventure in Summer Thesis Research


You might have heard that seniors at Princeton have to write a (dundundunnn!) thesis before we graduate, and to some that can seem like an overwhelming prospect; crafting a culminating piece of original work is no small feat! But I’m here to tell you that, thanks to Princeton’s incredible support, it’s really not as scary as it sounds. And the process can even be – dare I say it – fun! 

This summer, I spent seven weeks in Irvine, California studying the impact of wildfire on large mammal community ecology for my thesis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB). Due to the COVID pandemic, I hadn’t yet been able to do ecological field work, so diving into it for the first time was exciting. I loved being able to apply the theoretical concepts I had learned in my EEB classes on campus to the dynamic, real-world landscape I found myself in. Being out in the field was incomparable – everywhere I looked there was something new to see and learn about. 

Seniors at Princeton can apply for funding to cover research (on- or off-campus) during the summer before their senior year. I received funding from the Office of Undergraduate Research, EEB Department, and High Meadows Environmental Institute. Thanks to their generosity, I was able to travel across the country to study something I’m interested in for my thesis, and didn’t have to worry about whether I could afford it. 

Living on my own far from the Orange Bubble was at first a bit overwhelming, but I was grateful for the support I found once I got there. Each senior at Princeton is matched with a faculty advisor before beginning their thesis work, and my advisor, one of the leading experts on wildlife conservation, connected me with the director of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, a nonprofit land management organization in Southern California where I did my research. Having that network of support was helpful and I knew that if I ever had a question on aspects of my research I had several people I could turn to. 

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Image of a mountain lion walking towards the left
A mountain lion, one of several species of mammals I studied for my thesis

As with any research project, I encountered obstacles while out in the field; malfunctioning cameras, waking up at 5am every day, and even an encounter with a rattlesnake! But it was all worth it when my data collection started and I began seeing footage of mountain lions and other elusive mammals, getting to think more deeply about their interactions and how human influences are changing the way that they relate with their habitat. It’s exciting to me that my research could possibly have larger implications for land management and wildlife protection as the climate changes, and this motivated me to continue despite the setbacks I faced. This is one of the reasons that, in my mind, the Princeton thesis is so special; you get the chance to take a topic that’s excited you academically during your time here and bring it to the next level, contributing your own original research to the field. 

My experience this summer was one I won’t forget, and I’ll take with me everything I learned as I venture into the field of ecology going forward. Though being back on campus this fall had me missing the sunny California weather, I’m (actually) excited to dive into analyzing my data and finishing writing my thesis. The senior thesis truly is the capstone of your college experience here, and I’m grateful that Princeton has given me this opportunity for learning and discovery. 

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Though this summer was a busy one, I still had time to enjoy some beautiful California sunsets.

Let's Choose Courses


A ray of sunlight peeks through the window and your alarm clock rings for the fifth time. You wouldn’t be caught dead waking up this early in the morning normally, but it’s fall course selection time and it's an inevitable part of the process. Slowly, you rise up from bed and anxiously open your laptop to TigerHub. You remind yourself that today you are waking up this early so you have the luxury of sleeping in next year. Hours spent perfecting and curating the best schedule can all turn to dust if you don’t press enroll right at 7:30 a.m. I’ll take the story back a few weeks so you can have a clearer picture of my course planning process. 

Princeton usually releases courses for the fall semester a few weeks before course selection (this year course selection runs April 18-20). Depending on your year, you may go about course selection in a variety of ways but I’ll be speaking from the perspective of a rising junior who plans to major in psychology. So far, I’ve completed all my distribution requirements and pre-requisite courses for my major. As an A.B. concentrator, I had to take 11 general education courses to fulfill all of the distribution areas (not including the writing seminar and the foreign language requirement). All of the courses I’ve taken so far have been genuinely interesting; some I may not have anticipated taking before entering college, but nonetheless I’m glad I was able to expose myself to different areas of study. Meanwhile other courses, I can’t imagine a life without: LAO347: "Latinx Literature and Film", ANT308: "Empires of Debt" and AAS201: "African American Studies and the Philosophy of Race."

You need to have a game plan when you go into course selection. First, you should identify which courses you need to take for the semester. This usually includes prerequisites for your major or certificate. I need to take PSY300: "Research Methods in Psychology" because it is advised that I complete it before the end of my junior year and it's only available in the fall. I add that to my course planner on TigerHub; some students use ReCal (a course planner website made by Princeton students) but TigerHub is easy enough for me. Once I have that time sectioned off, I can begin to work my other courses around it. I use the Princeton course offerings advanced search feature to look for days and times that are convenient for me and browse through courses that I might be interested in. If I’m being honest, there’s no perfect way to find your courses. Sometimes I’ll search through all the subjects hoping that something interesting might pop up but usually I look under areas I’m interested in. My go-to subjects are Psychology, Latino Studies and Gender and Sexuality Studies

While this is not a required step, I like to ask my friends about any courses they might be taking next semester. There’s nothing better than entering a lecture hall and having someone already saving a seat for you. I also think it's helpful to have someone to bounce scheduling ideas off of and get a second opinion, so definitely make it a group effort, it’ll make the whole process seem less stressful. Since I am trying to complete a Latino Studies certificate, I look for classes that fit my time frame and that I think would be interesting. I found SPA250: "Identity in the Spanish-Speaking World" which has a really cool description. Then, I check out the requirements and grading system. I see that there are no exams and that I’ll be mainly graded on participation, papers and presentations. I tend to steer towards classes like this because I’d rather write papers than take exams. Other people prefer the opposite so there’s definitely a variety of classes that can fit either preference. One cool thing about this course is that there is a mandatory travel component where we would travel to Puerto Rico during fall break. 

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Students sitting on a picnic blanket in the park eating food.
I recently went on a field trip for a different Latino Studies seminar. We went to El Museo del Barrio and toured East Harlem, we ended our trip with a picnic in Central Park. I love classes that have exciting outside the classroom opportunities.

Once I have planned a first-choice list of courses, I also search for backups. This is especially important for small class sizes like seminars, which tend to fill quickly. I also keep in mind the following tips:

  1. Timing: Think realistically about when you will wake up in the morning. Don’t register for an 8 a.m. if you’re more likely to be up late. If you’re a morning person, then go for it! 
  2. Lunch: Make sure to give yourself breaks for meals. Dining halls are only open for lunch between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., but you can always grab a late meal at Frist. 
  3. Reviews: Look at course reviews on Princeton Courses, these are all student reviews that really help put classes into perspective. 

With course selection coming next week, I am well prepared to pick quickly. Once I'm done, I'll be right back under my covers until the alarm for my 11 a.m. lecture!


A Thousand Paths to Princeton


It goes without saying that every student currently enrolled at Princeton has a unique journey that led them here, but when I was still a prospective student, this is something that was especially important for me to remember. So allow me to say it again: there is no “normal” path to Princeton, and there is no “normal” Princeton student.

Like many other nervous prospective applicants, I spent countless hours during my senior year of high school searching the Internet for answers–for anything that would tell me whether or not Princeton was even remotely attainable for me. Sure, I’d always gotten good grades, but what if that wasn’t enough? I’d been a public school student all my life, and although I greatly valued that education, I knew there would be other applicants that would have gone to different schools that had likely better prepared and exposed them to the rigor of ideas and extracurriculars that Princeton was looking for. In the weeks leading up to the January 1st deadline, my head swarmed with self-doubt.

I almost didn’t apply, but on December 31st, I submitted my application. To avoid getting my hopes up, I told myself that even if I got in, I probably wouldn’t go because it was more than a thousand miles away, and it’d be too hard, and I didn’t want to live in New Jersey anyway, and… 

I believe my first words were, “Oh my God I got in,” and I believe after that (as well as after refreshing the page dozens of times to make sure it hadn’t been a mistake) they were, “What am I going to do?”

Up until that point, I had been ready to submit my acceptance to one of the state schools near my hometown. Maybe the fact I hadn’t yet was a testament in itself that I was hoping for my admission at Princeton, but that didn’t change the fact that I was scared of leaving Florida: all of my friends would be staying close to home; I had never gone so far on my own; and my family–my sister and my parents–and I were all extremely close since my parents had immigrated from Mexico and raised us far from any true support system. Princeton, with its Gothic architecture and ivy-covered walls, did not feel like the place for me–I did not think it was a space made for people like me, even after being accepted.

I won’t lie to you that Princeton was immediately, or even now, all sunshine and rainbows. As I look forward to declaring Politics as my major, as well as applying to law school in the future, I still struggle with these sorts of thoughts. But this is home now, and I’ve learned to embrace the rigor and explore the endless opportunities at my disposal here. If I had given in to the fear and the uncertainty, there is so much that I would have missed out on:

  • Every beautiful seasonal transition on campus, including experiencing my first snowfall;
  • Amazing friends, including my roommate of two years that I genuinely could not live without;
  • Meeting Nobel Prize winners in the middle of class or watching movies get filmed on campus;
  • My upcoming internship with an amazing organization in Trenton through the Princeton Internships in Civic Service (PICS) program;
  • Engaging in all of Princeton’s quirky traditions;
  • And above all, tremendous self-growth.

Maybe this is a letter to my past self, or maybe it’s a love letter to Princeton. But to you, future applicant, or to you, future student–if there is anything that you get out of this one of thousands of stories, it is this:

You belong here, and sometimes the scariest choice turns out to be the right choice after all.

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Photo of Blair Arch with a pink and blue sky in the background.

For the Love of ReCal, One of Many Student-created Apps


It’s that time of year again! That’s right, course selection – when Princeton students pick out their classes and build their schedules for the upcoming semester. In the spring, this happens around mid-April (with the exception of incoming first-years), while in the fall it takes place at the beginning of December. 

Personally, I’m one of those people that eagerly awaits the day that they post the new course options because I absolutely LOVE course selection! Coming up with the perfect schedule satisfies my over-organizational tendencies, and it’s always fun to peruse the interesting classes and see what courses your favorite professors are teaching next semester. But with the hundreds and hundreds of classes to pick from, it can definitely be overwhelming to sort through your options. You’ll probably wish that there was a way to visualize your course schedules. Fortunately, there is a TigerApp just for that! 

TigerApps are a series of apps/websites created and run by our very own Princeton students, and they’re “designed to improve your campus experience.” If you can name it, they probably have an app for it! There’s TigerDraw for looking at dorm reviews in preparation for the infamous room draw, TigerStudy if you're trying to find a study group for a certain class, and my favorite one, by far: ReCal

On ReCal, students can plan that perfect course schedule based on the updated list of classes for each semester. It automatically color-codes everything for you, and it’s super easy to add and remove courses. You can also select multiple classes for a certain time slot to see all your options side-by-side, and hovering over each class also lets you see the number of people currently enrolled in the course. It’ll even sync with your Google calendar!

What I love about ReCal is that it really encourages students to play around with their schedules and make sure they’re finding a balance for themselves. One semester, my first attempt at trying out a course combination on the website immediately made it obvious to me that my schedule was looking really “chunky” and blocked out. There wasn’t even a space for lunch! I knew that would be really overwhelming for myself, so I hit the remove button on ReCal, did some more searching, and found an alternative. Now, I always make sure that my ReCal schedule is looking spaced out with enough time to get to my classes without a rush, as few early mornings as possible, and, of course most importantly, some time carved out for lunch!

Check out ReCal now, and the many other wonderful TigerApps used by Princeton students!