Okay, let's do a quick check of the current Princeton University outdoor status. Arctic tundra? No. Subzero temperatures? Nope. Fierce ice and snow conditions that call for top of the line winter weather protection? Not in the least. Jackets and backpacks and gloves plastered with "The North Face" all over campus? Obviously. Why?
Because it's fun to wear them to the Reserve Room where that pocket for an icepick, or rather a Snapple bottle, comes in handy. And it's fun to have the same jacket as everyone else, especially at Tiger Inn, when around 3 a.m., the invisible coat rack demon dumps all of the jackets into a big pile.
Only the lucky kids whose mothers scrawled their initials on the tag in a pre-Outdoor Action – "Do you have everything on the checklist, honey?" – frenzy shall prevail in the dangerous, icy, steep, testing-the-limits-of-man-trek to . . . the Wa Wa Summit, err . . . Market.
The last time I checked, Prospect Garden had trails with black diamond warnings and signs forecasting impending doom. The roof of Prospect House is actually a deadly avalanche waiting to happen. It's something the Orange Key tour script writers have been denying all these years.
Why else would students wear the popular "Mountain Jacket" that North Face claims to be "a standard among alpinists and ice climbers"? It arrives complete with the "unique ergonomic swivel hood, which adjusts with a single hand, so that vision is not impaired." This feature can also be particularly helpful in warding off the post 'Street' beer goggle phenomenon.
How about the "Mountain Guide Jacket" that provides "protection in the fiercest storms, designed with mountaineers in mind"? If you think about it, walking from Butler College to McCosh Hall is basically the same as climbing K2.
And speaking of K2, students daring enough to make the daunting journey to English class can also be seen sporting the North Face "Double Mitt Liners." These are strongly recommended for Denali (a.k.a. Jadwin Gym to Prospect Avenue) and for pursuits in Antarctica (analogous to travels in the Firestone Plaza wind tunnel).
For additional aid in carrying a hot Chai to class, one should always consider the "Windstopper Gloves" – "a terrific benefit for a great many winter pursuits that require manual dexterity." Other scenarios perfect for this product might be lighting a cigarette or opening a bag of chips during the frigid months.
Another handy and popular on-campus gizmo from North Face are travel packs. The "Endless Journey" is designed for "the most adventurous customers and independent travelers." The context clues here indicate that people with such packs are more likely to take the stairs from C-floor to the lobby or perhaps even reshelve their own books!!
Whatever the case, North Face claims that "men and women who use our products are always challenging their limits." In deciding to take five classes, I also carefully weighed the option of the "Renegade" vs. the "Badlands" pack.
I am fully confident that every Princeton student who sports North Face gear has a sincerely legitimate reason. It's a crazy world. Not everyone can be an ice climber. Not everyone can hike in Nepal. But everyone can make a commitment of excellence to themselves. A commitment to never stop exploring.
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