Many narratives comprise the “Princeton experience,” but perhaps what is most often cited is the idea of the Orange Bubble. It’s hard to deny it as an entity or to ignore the logic that underwrites its existence. In an environment in which students flit about from one activity to another, it stands to reason that this insular focus becomes exaggerated due to time constrictions. That’s not to say, however, that the logic of it all explains away the detriment caused by becoming isolated from the outside world.
The Orange Bubble’s harm as an entity, though, extends beyond this relative ignorance of current events to a relative ignorance of oneself. All of the people I’ve met here are incredibly thoughtful, and I’ve had countless conversations in which jokes have given way to comments that belie deep introspective tendencies. Many of my friends cite a desire to begin to care for and understand themselves as a way to further their academic and personal goals. They reason that one cannot provide for others without first doing so for oneself and that acknowledging limitations and overcoming them is necessary in all areas but particularly within the context of academia.
Such conversations, however, seem to wane as time passes, as midterms, finals and deadlines bear down on all of us, and in my experience, I have often stopped prioritizing this type of goal in favor of grades, extracurriculars or interpersonal relationships. Again, such a shift makes sense. When traveling at warp speed and sometimes feeling as if you’re still not moving fast enough, stopping to “check in” with yourself can feel impossible, simply impractical or, to go to an extreme, a waste of time.
This, to me, is the value of fall break and why I didn’t make any explicit plans. In addition to the work that I either procrastinated on or decided to do early (aka start and procrastinate on), I needed to spend some time reflecting upon my actions and decisions. Some of them naturally configured with the person I hope to be, but, equally as naturally, some of them deviated sharply. Removed from the hotbed of emotions that is often cultivated when you have so many people living together in a high-stress environment, I could take the time to consider my decisions —both from my own point of view, taking care to comprehend the “why” behind every misstep, as well as from the perspectives of the other people involved. I don’t pretend to know how to rectify many of the mistakes that I’ve made even after my attempts to analyze them, nor how to alter my general life trends without enforcing radical changes. However, in taking the time to honor myself and my choices, faulty or not, I also gain a greater appreciation for those around me and am able to honor my relationships with them in a way I cannot when the only time for reflection comes on the walks between Frist Campus Center and Rockefeller College. I’m able to recognize all that the people in my life do for me and for others, their unique points of view and places in which communication and other important aspects of our relationship can still be improved.
I wish that I took this time more frequently. I don’t pretend to know how to make time for this introspection on a regular basis during the school year, in a similar way to the manner in which I don’t know how to make time for the recommended eight to nine hours of sleep every night. All I can advocate for is the concerted effort on breaks or three-day weekends or even a Friday afternoon to check in with oneself and to value that type of information just as much, if not more, than the configuration of a specific carbon compound or a series of vocabulary words in a foreign language. Without a doubt, physical distance from the University is helpful, but even just venturing to a part of campus that is relatively unfamiliar or walking down Nassau Street can be enough emotional distance to begin to pop the Orange Bubble in this way. It’s a difficult task, but it's as crucial to future success as any singular grade.
Kelly Hatfield is a sophomore from Medford, Mass. She can be reached at kellych@princeton.edu.
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