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First-years hit Prospect Avenue for the first time

terrace f club Candace Do (5).jpg
The façade of Terrace F. Club, one of 11 eating clubs at Princeton. 
Candace Do / The Daily Princetonian

From Colonial to Cloister, the Class of 2026 were found roaming Prospect Avenue on Thursday, Sept. 15, the first night that eating clubs officially invited the first-year class to attend parties on “the Street.”

Despite the Class of 2026 being the largest class ever at the University, “[t]he number of students visiting University Health Services for alcohol-related reasons last weekend was not significantly different from the comparable period in recent years,” according to Deputy University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss. 

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Many first-years told The Daily Princetonian, however, that their first weekend on the Street was anything but tame, with many emphasizing wild weekend nights. 

It was the first night that first-years were sanctioned by the University to attend eating club events, but the ‘Prince’ verified that Cloister Inn allowed first-years into the club the weekend prior. 

The Interclub Council (ICC), Cloister Inn, Colonial Club, Quadrangle Club, and Charter Club did not respond to a request for comment by the time of the publication.

Ashinedu Obi ’26 explained that they witnessed a hostile and packed environment while waiting to get into eating clubs.

“I went to this party where I was in this huge line and people were pushing and shoving — to the point where one girl had a panic attack and had to get out of the line. It was really bad,” she told the ‘Prince’ in an interview.

Soccer player Jack Hunt ’26 said that he “had a great time” with his teammates, “and being part of a team helped.”

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David Fischer ’26 said he felt that going out could be confusing for some first-years.

“I don’t think there was that much [organization] to it,” he said. “It was just the students figuring out what to do ourselves, like talking to people, going out on your own, finding groups to go with, and [figuring out] which eating clubs were open.” 

Hotchkiss emphasized that there are available resources for students to ensure they stay safe when going out. 

He referred to the University Health Services (UHS) website, and noted that there, students can find “more information on care provided to intoxicated students and how students can support their classmates in such situations.”

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Lia Opperman is an Assistant News Editor who often covers University affairs, student life, and local news. She can be reached at liaopperman@princeton.edu, on Instagram @liamariaaaa, or on Twitter @oppermanlia.

Jocelyne Wijaya is a News Contributor at the ‘Prince.’ She can be reached at jw3141@princeton.edu, on Instagram and Twitter @jocelyneewijaya.