Princeton University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Art History
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: White Queer Non-Binary
Summary
I’m in an acapella group, I’m in the Princeton Glee Club, the Chamber Choir, and I’m also in the Student Advisory Board for the art museum.
Background
Gender Identity: Non-Binary
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Queer
High School Experience: Public school in St. Paul, MN with a graduating class of about 300 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Art History
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I’m in an acapella group, I’m in the Princeton Glee Club, the Chamber Choir, and I’m also in the Student Advisory Board for the art museum.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
My acapella group had a huge impact in socializing me into the cultural scene at Princeton because it provided me with a foundational friend group.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
It’s usually reading essays from different artists and short readings from textbooks. We have to go into the art museum every week and analyze art on the spot, or we’ll have a group discussion in a smaller group from the lecture. There are usually a couple of essays per semester in Art History. There’s a shorter one, a longer one, and usually a final where we analyze art.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department has done especially well or poorly academically?
Depending on the lecture you have, they can either be super valuable or convoluted. They tend to move quite quickly. I think the precept aspects of the Art History courses I‘ve taken have been the most valuable because you actually have a place to discuss the artwork and develop ideas.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
We have an honor code that prevents a super collaborative environment in a lot of cases. I’ve found myself doing everything on my own, although you’re able to go to the writing center and other places to get help. Between students, there’s a more competitive rather than collaborative environment. Because I take mostly humanities courses, I don’t find myself competing with others.
How accessible are your professors?
It really depends on the professor. Generally, professors try to make themselves as accessible as possible.
Do you feel that people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
Yes. There’s always room for multiple ideas and debate. I haven’t experienced a situation where one idea or school of thought has been put down as wrong or extinguished by other people.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
When I originally came to Princeton, I was either going to major in Music, Art History, Architecture, or Sociology. I planned accordingly and during my first three semesters, I took the prerequisites for most of my majors so I could choose right at the end. I found that I really enjoyed the Art History classes the most.
Reasons to Attend
1) You’ll find people that engage with you critically, which is great for personal growth.
2) There’s a lot of value to be had in taking classes that you’re interested in. There’s a lot of room for exploring since it’s a liberal arts college. The exploration won’t be wasted because so many of the classes and professors here are so high quality and teach valuable information.
3) One thing I really like about the nightlife is how it feels regulated. It’s quite predictable and you get to know which days which clubs are open, so you can plan ahead if need be.
4) There’s a big culture of helping people if they drink too much, and holding people accountable for their actions.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) It’s fundamentally elitist. It’s a microcosm of explicitly expressed class distinctions and can produce a person that is greedy. [Socioeconomically, about 3% of students come from the top 0.1% and 17% come from the top 1% while only about 2% come from the bottom 20%.]
2) It’s so small that if you’re interested in something that’s really niche, it’s possible that you’ll be in a department with six people. It can be kind of hard to get a comprehensive education in a department that small.
3) The competitiveness could be a factor that might deter some people.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Forbes Residential College with one roommate
Sophomore: Forbes Residential College with one roommate
How was transitioning from St. Paul, MN to Princeton, NJ in terms of location?
In terms of location, the weather in early fall and spring is a lot hotter and humid here, which is kind of unbearable especially if you’re in one of the dorms without air conditioning. Culturally, it’s different because you’re in [the community of] Princeton where it’s very international and there are people from everywhere. [About 11% of the Class of 2023 are international students.]
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I generally feel completely safe.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I generally go to the eating clubs every weekend, although I haven’t recently. Thursdays are a big night to go out. You can look it up and see online which eating clubs are open on certain nights, but also you hear through word of mouth and people you know in the club. People generally go out on Fridays, and Saturdays are a big night as well. On Sundays, during the day people will sometimes have day parties.
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
There’s a lot of performances going on at all times. There will be dance groups, plays, musicals, and recitals. Almost every weekend there’s something someone could go to.
How has identifying as LGBT influenced your nightlife experience? Are there any LGBT nightlife options that you like to go to?
Being Queer on Princeton’s campus, there are eating clubs I elect to not go to. There may be Queer people there, but they’re largely heteronormative environments. I generally avoid those because I don’t have a good time at them. In terms of queer nightlife, there are places and eating clubs for that. In general, people don’t need to be super conscious about where they go. From my experience, no one is going to be explicitly or even implicitly Queer-phobic. It’s safe to go out. It also may depend on your identity because I’m White and can present myself as a heteronormative male.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Princeton? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
I’d change the exclusivity of the eating clubs. I think there are certain clubs where you have to be in a circle of friends or on a team to go. That can be restrictive if you have friends that are in but you’re not able to. I feel like it often splits up groups of people in terms of where they go out, and maybe deters some people from going out altogether.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
I met them at the Dialogue & Difference in Action pre-Princeton orientation. You talk about social issues and get to know a group of 50 people. This is where I met most of my friends because they were concerned with the same social issues I was, and were willing to engage in conversations and dialogue.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Princeton?
It’s team-driven and group-driven. I think if you don’t make friends early on or at your pre-Princeton excursion, it’s hard to form a solid group of people without forming a group or club that you can actively participate in. It can also be cliquey.
How has joining an eating house impacted your social experience?
Since I just joined I don’t think it has explicitly impacted it yet. Seeing as I was the only person in my entire friend group that didn’t bicker one of the more exclusive eating clubs and opted to sign-in instead because of personal preference. I think that will probably in some ways divide me from many of my friends, but I don’t think that’s a huge deal. If you have a stable group of friends it shouldn’t matter that much where you end up going. I’m hoping the eating club I joined will foster a new community of people.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
You can look at the eating clubs to see this. There are some that are primarily White, Asian, or some have a wide variety of people with different races, sexual orientations, and genders. I think it depends on what groups you want to associate yourself with. If diversity in identity is important to you then I don’t think it’s hard to find communities that feel the same way. The same goes for if you desire a community that is homogeneous. [The undergraduate population is 44% White, 12% Hispanic, 9% Black, 25% Asian, and 5% multiracial.]
How would you describe the Queer community on campus? How strong is it?
For me, it doesn’t feel quite as united as I expected and wanted. I do have many Queer friends, but not necessary Queer presenting friends. That also could be that I don’t involve myself in the LGBTQ+ Center activates. If you’re concerned about cultivating a community of Queer people, inserting yourself into the LGBTQ+ Center is an option. I’ve done it more organically, but it’s not bad.
How do you like the size of Princeton in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 5,300 students at Princeton.]
For me, it might be a little too small. You end up seeing the same people over and over again. That can be good, but it also can be hard to avoid people. The whole feeling of having met everyone and thinking you’ve run out of options to make friends isn’t necessarily true because there are a lot more people than you think. Once you’ve developed a routine, you tend to see the same groups of people over and over again.
Careers
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
In my architecture class, I learned how to use Rhino for modeling.
What has Princeton done to prepare you for the real world?
I’m assuming my real-world will involve doing things with art history. I think that knowledge-wise it’s prepared me fairly well and I have gained a range of understanding that’s acceptable to work in that industry. I don’t think I’ve acquired any functional skills working in that field.