Every Princetonian knows that the first few weeks of first-year orientation are defined by two events: Core events and First Year Residential Experience (FYRE) events. Through a densely packed schedule of lectures, discussion series, and crash course seminars, these events are intended to rapidly acquaint first-year students with the culture and resources of Princeton’s residential communities.
Rather than building connections, the inflexible nature of Core and FYRE Events limits opportunities for frosh to build community organically. Princeton should embrace a more loosely regulated orientation programming structure to prioritize first-year engagement.
Orientation events are common requisites of the university experience. Columbia, for example, hosts New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) events during frosh orientation. First-Year Counselor Program (FroCo) Meetings are a nightly staple of Yale’s orientation programming. Yet, Princeton’s Core and FYRE Events are distinct in their quantity, style, and size, making it difficult for first-years to truly engage with their classmates.
One of the most glaring faults of Core and FYRE’s current program is the sheer quantity of scheduled events. Unlike universities like Harvard, which has four mandatory events over an eight-day period, there are well over thirty mandatory Core and FYRE Events in Princeton’s eleven day period. Over the course of the semester, the total sum of FYRE events surpasses forty, and on certain orientation days, there can be as many as five events per day.
At its peak, the overwhelming volume of these events nearly eliminates any downtime that frosh might have otherwise had on campus. Consequently, the lack of free time makes it difficult for first-years to explore campus or independently forge connections among their new peers.
The deeply structured style of Core and FYRE Events also prevents us from engaging with other frosh and the broader campus culture in more informal settings. Traditionally, these events tend to be structured in the style of lectures, where students listen to Princeton faculty and upperclassmen speak about their experiences instead of actively interacting with their peers.
Although students absorb factual information about campus culture, their learning experience is inherently limited by the lack of opportunities for student participation. Ironically, even as they learn about residential life with other first-years, they are unable to truly engage with those them. Arguably, Princeton’s small group experiences — Outdoor Action, Community Action, Dialogue and Difference in Action — do provide a window for more informal connection-building. However, as this only comprises three out of the total 11 days, these efforts are simply not enough.
If Princeton hopes to decrease the burden on the student body and provide opportunities for student-to-student engagement, it should reduce the intensity of event sessions. Consider Yale, for example. Orientation schedules at Yale bear several similarities to Princeton’s programming. For instance, Yale holds 25 mandatory events in an 11-day period whereas Princeton holds around 30 in the same interval. Yet Yale’s orientation schedule feels distinctly less exhaustive due how the University’s orientation programming is more effectively spread out.
Broken down, Yale’s mandatory programming averages out to three events per day, in comparison to Princeton’s average of four events. Furthermore, whereas most of Princeton’s events consist of hour-long lectures, Yale’s mandatory events include brief informal communication workshops and debrief-centered FroCo Meetings. Thus, in scheduling less intensive events, Yale effectively enables students to have more time to build stronger connections.
Furthermore, the present relationship between these orientation events and zee groups confines students to one prescribed group, instead of encouraging them to meet new people organically. Because zee groups are required to attend all Core and FYRE events together, and these events consume a significant amount of time, first-years spend an outsized amount of their time with a small, predetermined group. Because frosh are forced to spend long periods of time with their zee group, they are prevented from fully enjoying one of the greatest perks of college — engaging with the diversity of the college community. Plus, first-years who don’t feel close to their zee group may further face barriers in forming friendships because of how much of their time is spent exclusively with these groups.
There is a clear logic in establishing Core and FYRE as mandatory events. They orient first-years to critical resources and offerings at Princeton for student life, academics, and mental health. Still, even as Princeton seeks to facilitate the transition of its frosh to college life, it is equally important, if not more so, to build the community of each incoming class — at present, Core and FYRE Events directly inhibit this.
To address this issue, Princeton should restructure orientation programming to prioritize building frosh peer-to-peer engagement. In reducing the quantity of academic programming in favor of optional academic panels, Princeton could provide more time for first-years to socialize in organic settings. Additionally, by transitioning Princeton’s orientation programs from lecture-style to more loosely regulated social events, the University would be able to better facilitate more personal conversations, and by extension closer connections, among the frosh class. Finally, rather than mandating that students attend events solely with their zee group, Princeton should expand opportunities for students to engage with the student body more generally.
My personal favorite frosh orientation event, like many others’, was the Ice Cream Social. Why? Because the Ice Cream Social was the antithesis of Core and FYRE Events: optional, loosely regulated, and open to the entire class. In the spirit of the Ice Cream Social, the University should create more opportunities for first-years to connect with each other and relieve the burden of non-stop mandatory events.
Cathleen Balid is a first-year from Queens, N.Y. She can be reached at cb4649@princeton.edu.
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