This is the end. It was the deal since the beginning — nine months at Princeton University. Nine months — the amount of time I stayed in my mother's womb. But what is born in me? As I think about this year, random memories flow through my mind. Most of them are happy. Waiting at Murray-Dodge when I know the Oreo Chunk cookies will be ready soon. Crossing the beautiful lake as the crew trains in the late afternoon. Writing a paper on women in the Gospels at the same time as one on the Lebanon War because here, it is possible to learn about almost anything. I think about going to Thomas Sweet and eating outside for the sake of it, even if I was freezing. Coming back to the library and still having the smell of ice cream on my clothes. Debating in Whig if Borat should be sued by Kazakhstan with a funny Greek boy next to me repeating over and over "great success" and "she's my sister."
When I think about Princeton, I also think of great opportunities. I think about the play "Peter Pan" that made me feel as if I were a little girl again. I was quite jealous of Wendy. I think of attending amazing lectures — "God, Astronomy and The Search for Elegance" to name only the last. I remember seeing "grandmothers" and "frogs" dancing together at the Spring Dance Festival. I remember how I loved seeing my first tap dance show. How I was impressed by the Black Arts Company's creativity. I can still hear the orchestra playing Dvorak, and it sounds beautiful.
This was a year of experiences. I learned to play golf — to be fair, I still hit the grass and not the ball half the time. I experienced my first two proms even though everybody else calls them Houseparties. Since there aren't any at the end of high school in France, the "prom" was something I had only seen in Hollywood movies. And I liked walking all the way back to Forbes with huge flowers after the crazy dinner.
When I think of Princeton, I think about meeting amazing people from Morocco, Mauritius or Australia. I even met some really cool Frenchies here: It is amazing how, when you're far away, you instantly become friends with people from home. I think about holding my country's flag among a bunch of other flags at Communiversity. In front of me, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China were standing together. I think of representing Japan at the Model United Nations conference at Georgetown. Finally eating at Woodrow Wilson, Class of 1879's, house. Rooming with an extraordinary rugby girl from Oxford. Participating in a Lego competition though I hadn't touched a Lego set in some 13 years.
Of course, my memories are not all rose-tinted. I felt lonely during reading period. I had to struggle to get a TigerTracks account, and I didn't find an internship here — well, at least I found one back in France. I spent so much time in Firestone that I know the names of the security people. And I now refer to Firestone as Flamerock because I have the feeling we've become intimate. But overall, this was a year of intense living. I'm already nostalgic, but I'm also excited to go back and see my family, friends and to start a Masters at my home school, which I really like as well.
I think that during these nine months, I have, in a sense, been born anew. It's not only that I have a better idea of where Missouri is because I now have a friend from there, but I've also learned a lot about openness and tolerance; I stepped out of my old mind frame. I've went from studying the EU to studying Asia. A year was just the right amount of time because I have the feeling that during the first semester I compared "here" and "home" a lot, but then, during the second semester, I just let go and enjoyed.
When I first visited the art museum, I mainly stayed in the section on European paintings of the 19th century. But now my favorite part is the Pop Art collection. I want to thank Associate Dean of the College Nancy Kanach and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Students Rachel Baldwin for their help in promoting study abroad. My world is not smaller now — it is bigger. Soleine Leprince, an exchange student, is a history and international and public affairs major from Paris, France. She may be reached at leprince@princeton.edu.
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