Columns

What I learned after three years at Princeton

“GPAs, class standings, median incomes — they are all just arbitrary tidbits that only divide the masses. You don’t owe anyone anything.”

“GPAs, class standings, median incomes — they are all just arbitrary tidbits that only divide the masses. You don’t owe anyone anything.”

F*ck cancel culture

“Cancel culture is not a substitute for accountability, mainly because it doesn’t carry any weight for those supposedly being held accountable. The reputations we build with and among our peers, friends, and colleagues are our first real contribution to Princeton.”

“Cancel culture is not a substitute for accountability, mainly because it doesn’t carry any weight for those supposedly being held accountable. The reputations we build with and among our peers, friends, and colleagues are our first real contribution to Princeton.”

Princeton must invest in more resources for trans*, queer, and femme students

“The Pride Alliance demands that the University immediately begin prioritizing the mental health and well-being of its queer and trans* students, women and femme students, and Black and Indigenous students of color.”

“The Pride Alliance demands that the University immediately begin prioritizing the mental health and well-being of its queer and trans* students, women and femme students, and Black and Indigenous students of color.”

Should we hope this ‘normal’ lasts?

“So what does our future hold? Will this ‘normal’ last? We cannot know. We can, however, hope. We can accept uncertainties and still dare to influence the future.”

“So what does our future hold? Will this “normal” last? We cannot know. We can, however, hope. We can accept uncertainties and still dare to influence the future.”

Introducing Reactions: Opinion’s snappy and succinct mini-columns

After major scoops and stories on campus, Reactions will host a series of snappy, prompt, roughly 250-word pieces, staking out different points of view. These mini-columns can engage with each other directly, explore different sides of the issue at hand, and — importantly — prioritize timeliness.

After major scoops and stories on campus, Reactions will host a series of snappy, prompt, roughly 250-word pieces, staking out different points of view. These mini-columns can engage with each other directly, explore different sides of the issue at hand, and — importantly — prioritize timeliness.

Doing enough: what high-risk individuals can teach us about COVID-19 safety

Tenna’s perspective on the danger that large social events pose to high-risk students illuminates two substantial shortcomings in the way COVID-19 safety is typically discussed at Princeton.

Tenna’s perspective on the danger that large social events pose to high-risk students illuminates two substantial shortcomings in the way COVID-19 safety is typically discussed at Princeton.

Afghanistan and the decline of American reliability

“The United States might not be the Land of the Free, but relative to other comparable powers, it is indeed the Land of the Freer. Now, during the 20th anniversary of the heinous terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, it is critical for all Americans to reflect whether Washington has really kept the promises it made when it vowed to fight terrorism, both domestic and foreign.”

“The United States might not be the Land of the Free, but relative to other comparable powers, it is indeed the Land of the Freer. Now, during the 20th anniversary of the heinous terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, it is critical for all Americans to reflect whether Washington has really kept the promises it made when it vowed to fight terrorism, both domestic and foreign.”

Stop treating Princeton like a bucket list

“It’s easy to feel apathetic or detached from campus because of the experiences we missed. Instead of focusing on what we could next check off our bucket list, we should focus on something even more important: each other.”  

“It’s easy to feel apathetic or detached from campus because of the experiences we missed. Instead of focusing on what we could next check off our bucket list, we should focus on something even more important: each other.”  

Stop sexualizing women-loving women: Drake’s ‘Girls Want Girls’ and artistic responsibility

“When making art, artists have a responsibility to be considerate of their subjects and refrain from using, abusing, and co-opting the stories of communities they have no sincere interest in understanding.”

“When making art, artists have a responsibility to be considerate of their subjects and refrain from using, abusing, and co-opting the stories of communities they have no sincere interest in understanding.” 

The privilege of indifference: Commonalities between national forest management and Divest Princeton

“Our leaders, whether USDA officials, or legislators, or Trustees at Princeton, must listen to those most affected. Our leaders must listen to those in frontline communities where severe and disproportionate impacts of climate change are already being felt.”

“Our leaders, whether USDA officials or legislators or Trustees at Princeton, must listen to those most affected. Our leaders must listen to those in frontline communities where severe and disproportionate impacts of climate change are already being felt.”

As we return to in-person instruction, let’s not take it for granted

“Fortunately, in-person school is no longer ‘gone,‘ but for quite some time it was. Only after losing the ability to go to school and all of the enjoyments that come with it was I able to truly develop gratitude for it.”

“Fortunately, in-person school is no longer ‘gone,‘ but for quite some time it was. Only after losing the ability to go to school and all of the enjoyments that come with it was I able to truly develop gratitude for it.”

Hurricane Ida made clear that the Orange Bubble is not invincible. Now what?

“It’s easy to feel protected by the Orange Bubble. But if Hurricane Ida showed us anything, it is that the climate crisis is at our doorstep and time is a luxury we no longer have.”

“It’s easy to feel protected by the Orange Bubble. But if Hurricane Ida showed us anything, it is that the climate crisis is at our doorstep and time is a luxury we no longer have.”

Save the PAW’s editorial independence

Recognizing the privileges we have in our independence, student journalists must join in fighting for the PAW's privilege as well.

Princeton isn’t fundamentally changing classics. It’s keeping it alive.

“With a more diverse set of students around the table, whether that diversity be in background or in subfield, the classics community will continue to thrive.”

“With a more diverse set of students around the table, whether that diversity be in background or in subfield, the classics community will continue to thrive.”

Sitting with strangers: Community and closure for the Class of 2021

“As we venture into the world beyond Princeton, let us always remember the unbelievable strength and resilience of the community we’ve built together. And let us always remember how communities like this are made.”

“As we venture into the world beyond Princeton, let us always remember the unbelievable strength and resilience of the community we’ve built together. And let us always remember how communities like this are made.”

It’s not just a student debt crisis: America’s higher ed system is breaking professors too

“The College for All Act recognizes that restoring the quality of American public higher education means ensuring that America’s educators earn a living wage. Sadly, for the majority of college educators, that simply isn’t the case.”

“The College for All Act recognizes that restoring the quality of American public higher education means ensuring that America’s educators earn a living wage. Sadly, for the majority of college educators, that simply isn’t the case.”

What local reparations programs must consider

“A reparations program is difficult to manage, but smaller scale projects can help individuals and hopefully be the first part of a broader movement of paying back for problems of the past. With proper understanding of the problems involved, we can continue to work towards economic and racial parity and justice in the future.”

“A reparations program is difficult to manage, but smaller scale projects can help individuals and hopefully be the first part of a broader movement of paying back for problems of the past. With proper understanding of the problems involved, we can continue to work towards economic and racial parity and justice in the future.”

Mental health is not a product of one’s volition

“The path that Princeton is on is not sustainable. If the University does not start treating mental illness like the illness that it is, they will continue to leave students dejected, unsupported, and alone.”

“The path that Princeton is on is not sustainable. If the University does not start treating mental illness like the illness that it is, they will continue to leave students dejected, unsupported, and alone.”

PART III | Confronting Gerrymandering: An interdisciplinary fight

The fight against gerrymandering is expansive. It is endlessly interdisciplinary. The process of redrawing fair, just voting maps does not work without a confluence of diverse disciplines. 

Why Matt Gaetz proves that college-age women should be wary of sugar dating

“Sugar relationships are not inherently non-consensual, but they possess the foundational qualities necessary to empower and enable men like Gaetz to pursue minors — many of them resembling the young women of Princeton’s campus — and think they can get away with it.”