Opinion

The ‘Princeton Plague’ and its harmful effects on first-years

The ‘Princeton Plague’ and its harmful effects on first-years

Laya Reddy and Tara Shukla

“The University should normalize providing open and unrestricted access to alternative learning channels to students of all abilities. Needing access to remote learning is nothing to be ashamed of.” 

“The University should normalize providing open and unrestricted access to alternative learning channels to students of all abilities. Needing access to remote learning is nothing to be ashamed of.” 

OPINION | 11/04/2021

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Tough introductory courses discourage academic exploration

Tough introductory courses discourage academic exploration

Allen Liu

“Rigorous classes enrich academic life at Princeton. However, having seen how the difficulty of classes impacts students’ choices about what classes to take, what to major in, and the post-graduation plans they pursue, I believe we should prioritize exploration as much as we prioritize rigor. Let’s make academic risk-taking less risky.”

“Rigorous classes enrich academic life at Princeton. However, having seen how the difficulty of classes impacts students’ choices about what classes to take, what to major in, and the post-graduation plans they pursue, I believe we should prioritize exploration as much as we prioritize rigor. Let’s make academic risk-taking less risky.”

OPINION | 11/03/2021

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Princeton needs to make more space for failure amid the abundance of success

Princeton needs to make more space for failure amid the abundance of success

Audrey Chau

"The Princetonians I have met during my short time here are nothing short of extraordinary. Yet, Princeton needs to create a safe environment where students know that they cannot be extraordinary without first learning to embrace their ordinary, fallible selves."

"The Princetonians I have met during my short time here are nothing short of extraordinary. Yet, Princeton needs to create a safe environment where students know that they cannot be extraordinary without first learning to embrace their ordinary, fallible selves."

OPINION | 11/02/2021

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Reactions: Princeton’s endowment grows by nearly 50 percent

Reactions: Princeton’s endowment grows by nearly 50 percent

Hannah Reynolds, Rohit Narayanan , Abigail Rabieh, and Windsor Nguyễn

For the Reactions series, columnists opine on the recent news regarding the endowment’s almost 50 percent growth, with responses ranging from the necessity for fossil fuel divestment to whether Princeton should abolish tuition. 

For the Reactions series, columnists opine on the recent news regarding the endowment’s almost 50% growth, with responses ranging from the necessity for fossil fuel divestment to whether Princeton should abolish tuition. 

OPINION | 11/01/2021

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Eisgruber’s justification for Princeton is based on a myth

Eisgruber’s justification for Princeton is based on a myth

Rohit Narayanan

In light of a recent interview with President Eisgruber in The Atlantic, columnist Rohit Narayanan writes: “If Princeton is going to segregate a talented few, it has to prove its value every single day.” 

In light of a recent interview with President Eisgruber in The Atlantic, columnist Rohit Narayanan writes: “If Princeton is going to segregate a talented few, it has to prove its value every single day.” 

OPINION | 10/31/2021

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What I’ve learned about midterms

What I’ve learned about midterms

Claudia Frykberg

“As a senior, I feel like my time at Princeton has flown by, which may be partly due to the fact that I wasn’t physically on campus for 18 months of ‘the college experience.’ But I also think it is because we here at Princeton don’t focus so much on coming full circle, but instead on riding the nebulous grading curve.” 

“As a senior, I feel like my time at Princeton has flown by, which may be partly due to the fact that I wasn’t physically on campus for 18 months of ‘the college experience.’ But I also think it is because we here at Princeton don’t focus so much on coming full circle, but instead on riding the nebulous grading curve.”  

OPINION | 10/28/2021

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Princeton, feed us: Why Princeton should serve late meal on weekends

Princeton, feed us: Why Princeton should serve late meal on weekends

Ndeye Thioubou

“Although late meal is only offered on weekdays, the need for late meal doesn’t disappear once Friday evening hits. In fact, students arguably need it even more on the weekends.”

“Although late meal is only offered on weekdays, the need for late meal doesn’t disappear once Friday evening hits. In fact, students arguably need it even more on the weekends.” 

OPINION | 10/27/2021

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Princeton’s divestment plan: Saying plenty, doing little

Princeton’s divestment plan: Saying plenty, doing little

Lucia Wetherill

“As those who stand to inherit a rapidly heating Earth, we cannot allow Princeton to favor promises and committees over decisive action like divestment, especially when our own divestment could push other universities or even states to do the same.”

“As those who stand to inherit a rapidly heating Earth, we cannot allow Princeton to favor promises and committees over decisive action like divestment, especially when our own divestment could push other universities or even states to do the same.”

OPINION | 10/26/2021

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Addressing the plague within the pandemic

Addressing the plague within the pandemic

Ana Blanco

“We should not be risking our own well being and that of our peers because of decentralized policies that fail to acknowledge the toll of non-COVID illnesses on our academic presence and productivity.”

“We should not be risking our own well being and that of our peers because of decentralized policies that fail to acknowledge the toll of non-COVID illnesses on our academic presence and productivity.”

OPINION | 10/26/2021

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Princeton Athletics needs to make every game a Hometown Heroes game

Princeton Athletics needs to make every game a Hometown Heroes game

Sally Jane Ruybàlid

“These essential workers, emergency responders, ‘hometown heroes,’ – they are colleagues, friends, and neighbors who have gone above and beyond in the most critical of times to care for and help us. They deserve to not have to sacrifice half a day’s wages to take their family to a game. ”

“These essential workers, emergency responders, ‘hometown heroes,’ – they are colleagues, friends, and neighbors who have gone above and beyond in the most critical of times to care for and help us. They deserve to not have to sacrifice half a day’s wages to take their family to a game.” 

OPINION | 10/25/2021

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We must maintain Princeton’s values in Venture Forward

We must maintain Princeton’s values in Venture Forward

Mohan Setty-Charity

“ Princeton needs to make sure that any contributions that come in actually are to advance the University’s values. But beyond that, it is important that the fundamental values continue to evolve, and that we continue to support our ever-changing student body; now, and in the future.”

“ Princeton needs to make sure that any contributions that come in actually are to advance the University’s values. But beyond that, it is important that the fundamental values continue to evolve, and that we continue to support our ever-changing student body; now, and in the future.”

OPINION | 10/25/2021

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Caught the Princeton Plague? Good luck.

Caught the Princeton Plague? Good luck.

Brittani Telfair

“The way McCosh is functioning is inexcusable: it’s doing the bare minimum.”

“The way McCosh is functioning is inexcusable: it’s doing the bare minimum.”

OPINION | 10/24/2021

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We’re not supposed to like the Supreme Court

We’re not supposed to like the Supreme Court

Abigail Rabieh

“Congress is where laws get passed. The Supreme Court decides whether those laws are constitutional. And this is not always what we want, but it is — or should be — what the laws dictate.”

“Congress is where laws get passed. The Supreme Court decides whether those laws are constitutional. And this is not always what we want, but it is — or should be — what the laws dictate.” 

OPINION | 10/24/2021

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Popping the Orange Bubble: How stories encourage people to take an active stance in favor of divestment

Popping the Orange Bubble: How stories encourage people to take an active stance in favor of divestment

Isabella Checa

“What is the best way to actually inspire others to act for divestment? By doing exactly what students at the sit-in did: sharing why climate action is important to you.”

“What is the best way to actually inspire others to act for divestment? By doing exactly what students at the sit-in did: sharing why climate action is important to you.”

OPINION | 10/14/2021

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Why we should un-theme Lawnparties

Why we should un-theme Lawnparties

Andi Grene

“This preppy Lawnparties groupthink resulted in a homogeneity that limited students’ embrace of authenticity on the day. In order to counteract the effects of the restrictive environment Lawnparties creates, we must reject the theming of all future Lawnparties.”  

“This preppy Lawnparties groupthink resulted in a homogeneity that limited students’ embrace of authenticity on the day. In order to counteract the effects of the restrictive environment Lawnparties creates, we must reject the theming of all future Lawnparties.”   

OPINION | 10/14/2021

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Princeton must change its midterm system

Princeton must change its midterm system

Won-Jae Chang

“Ultimately, having midterms during regular class times has an immense toll on our mental, social, and even physical health (especially given the ongoing illnesses).”

“Ultimately, having midterms during regular class times has an immense toll on our mental, social, and even physical health (especially given the ongoing illnesses).”

OPINION | 10/12/2021

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Abolition washing and the origins of Princeton’s divestment delay tactics

Abolition washing and the origins of Princeton’s divestment delay tactics

Lynne Archibald

“As Bill McKibben says, ‘the plural of ‘privilege’ is ‘establishment,” and this is how change is always blocked — from 1792 right through to today.”

“As Bill McKibben says, ‘the plural of ‘privilege’ is ‘establishment,” and this is how change is always blocked — from 1792 right through to today.”

OPINION | 10/10/2021

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Competitive clubs: how Princeton’s selective extracurriculars favor the wealthy

Competitive clubs: how Princeton’s selective extracurriculars favor the wealthy

Genrietta Churbanova

“There is an element of the club application process that requires our attention: much like the college admissions process itself, the club application process at Princeton favors high-income individuals.”

“There is an element of the club application process that requires our attention: much like the college admissions process itself, the club application process at Princeton favors high-income individuals.”

OPINION | 10/10/2021

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BSE courses need to match the tech revolution

BSE courses need to match the tech revolution

Rohit Narayanan

“While our first-year curriculum covers a lot of important content, it seems to lack the fundamental ethos of engineering, spurning core engineering skills like modularity, teamwork, love for failure, creativity, concision and adaptability.”

“While our first-year curriculum covers a lot of important content, it seems to lack the fundamental ethos of engineering, spurning core engineering skills like modularity, teamwork, love for failure, creativity, concision and adaptability.”

OPINION | 10/10/2021

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When in doubt — McCosh!

When in doubt — McCosh!

Ashley Olenkiewicz

“Despite residential college directors making it clear to first-years that McCosh is a confidential, free, and safe resource, many first-years I’ve interacted with appear to be hesitant in McCoshing their friends (sending a student to McCosh for alcohol-related reasons), or being McCoshed themselves. Yet the reasons often cited for such hesitation, including fears of social stigmatization or punitive disciplinary measures, are based on misconceptions that needlessly deter students from receiving necessary medical care.”

“Despite residential college directors making it clear to first-years that McCosh is a confidential, free, and safe resource, many first-years I’ve interacted with appear to be hesitant in McCoshing their friends (sending a student to McCosh for alcohol-related reasons), or being McCoshed themselves. Yet the reasons often cited for such hesitation, including fears of social stigmatization or punitive disciplinary measures, are based on misconceptions that needlessly deter students from receiving necessary medical care.” 

OPINION | 10/07/2021

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