A special issue for Big Block of Cheese Day

The title of The Daily Princetonian’s last special issue of the 147th board harkens back to a 2000 episode of the TV show The West Wing in which White House staff take meetings with “those people representing organizations who have a difficult time getting [their] attention.”

“The single idea of Big Block of Cheese Day is still more important than ever: who gets heard, and about what?” writes Editor-in-Chief Rohit Narayanan in a Letter from the Editor.

On Big Block of Cheese Day for the ‘Prince,’ the issue is devoted entirely to the daily lives of community members: the normal and the recurrent can sometimes be more interesting than the sensational and extraordinary. Peruse the issue for some of the stories that have missed the pages of the ‘Prince’ in the past year.

We spent 24 hours in a Wawa and wrote it all down

During the autumn of 1974, Wawa, a Philadelphia-based convenience market, opened at 140 University Place. For the Princeton community, Wawa serves as a gathering spot for both facilities workers, administrators, and students. The 'Prince' staff spent 24 hours at Wawa, observing the diverse array of individuals coming and going, as well as delving into the narratives of the workers behind Wawa's counters.
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After barn-raising event on a chilly Saturday, 3 out of 4 remain standing: On Monday, Nov. 27, the School of Architecture hosted “the first-ever barn-raising on Princeton University's campus,” according to fliers sent to residential college listservs. After an unfortunate collapse, the event exceeded the allotted time of one hour.
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New living room sets installed in Rocky-Mathey amid ten year project to update and replace dorm furniture: Part of the ongoing campus construction projects includes updating and replacement of dorm furniture. University spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss wrote that “over 1,000 units casegood furniture sets and in-suite living room furniture” were installed in Rockefeller and Mathey colleges over the summer.
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OPINION | Reactions: The opinions left unsaid

Opinion staff take the time to express, in short form, their most specific and niche opinions relating to aspects of student life that they never got to write a full column on.

• Contributing Columnist Brian Hegarty ‘27 argues that Princeton’s prox scanners’ color system, “shatters every intuitive color sensibility and should, at the University’s nearest convenience, be amended.”
• Contributing Columnist Ava Johnson ‘27 writes about the need for weekend lunches. She remarks, “For students who prefer to eat a later breakfast on the weekend, around 10 or 11 a.m. after sleeping in, there is nowhere on campus to eat lunch a few hours later.”

. . . and more.

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DATA | Despite student complaints, campus water fountains are safe to drink from

The University’s Office of Sustainability boasts “more than 250 filtered water bottle-filling stations.” Students have expressed their dissatisfaction with both water fountain quality and location. The ‘Prince’ tested 38 drinking fountains from around campus using a Walfront multifunction digital water tester for “pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and salinity.”
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Hundreds apply for van certification as clubs plead for drivers: 
Hoagie Mail has disseminated several recent emails indicating a notable demand for student drivers certified for vans. The absence of van certification exams over the past year, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, has posed challenges for student organizations attempting to attend competitions and events.
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FEATURES | Conversations with the community

The Features team team approaches this issue through conversations: talking to new community members about things we otherwise wouldn’t ask about.

A sophomore’s journey from Teton Pass to Tallinn:  For the “Big Block of Cheese Day” issue, the ‘Prince’ had a conversation with a student chosen randomly. Senior Features Writer Anna Salvatore interviewed Will Aepli ’26 over brunch at Forbes.
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Singing for the Queen and voice acting on ‘Dora:’ Two performers’ journeys to Footnotes a cappella: Rupert Peacock ’24 and Koda Gursoy ’26 in the Princeton Footnotes spoke to the ‘Prince’ about how their unconventional childhood performance careers, one as a member of a royally-founded choir and the other as the voice of a world-renowned cartoon monkey, now intersect through campus a cappella.
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Visiting the Forbes College dogs at home: The ‘Prince’ interviewed Head of Forbes College Maria Garlock and Dean of Forbes College Patrick Caddeau to explore how the presence of their dogs in Forbes brings happiness to students on campus.
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THE PROSPECT | The other sides of arts and culture

Writers from The Prospect hightlight stories from groups, performances, and food venues that might not otherwise appear in the section.

Taiko: a community that performs and grows to the beat of their own drums: Joshua Lau ’26, a long-time member of Taiko, describes the group as “Loud. Energetic. Welcoming.” Taiko, an ancient Japanese drum tradition with roots dating back to the sixth century C.E., has a passionate student group devoted to its practice.
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Underrated no more: Late Meal’s astounding meal choices: At The Prospect, writers often review one of the many restaurants in town, from those that students frequent to some of the restaurants farther out, but this time Russell Fan ‘26 is covering late meal on campus, reviewing items such as the Grill Station’s quesadilla and the Pizza Station’s pasta.
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Princeton students found first Fashion Institute of Princeton: Established last spring, FIOP hopes to shift the way we consume fashion by becoming an outlet for exploration, design, and entrepreneurship.
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SPORTS | A focus on club and intramural teams

Sports writers at The Daily Princetonian focus primarily on varsity teams. For this special issue, Sports writers focus on club and intramural teams and the students that play in their leagues and scrimmages.

At your leisure

• PODCAST: Part of what is not covered in the ‘Prince’ is what is hidden on campus. Daybreak writers take a tour of the secret tunnels of lower campus and discover the hidden history of student pranks. Take a listen.
• VISUAL ESSAY: In multiple languages and formats, Art Director Angel Kuo captures people on campus as they talk about what they love about being at Princeton.