The 25th anniversary of Dean’s Date also marked its end. Beginning in Spring 2025, deadlines for final written assignments will be staggered throughout the final exam period.
Dean’s Date has been the universal deadline for all final papers, projects, and problem sets since 1999, and it is typically celebrated with late-night breakfasts and midnight screaming on the eve of Dean’s Date, as well as performances from the University band throughout the day.
The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is currently communicating with different departments, the Office of the Dean of the College, and faculty to determine the logistics of the change, including ensuring exams and paper deadlines are appropriately spaced.
“The goal for this change is that it would ultimately improve students’ wellbeing and mental health by making sure all deadlines and exams are staggered in such a short amount of time period,” Enzo Kho ’26, USG president-elect and current Social Chair, told The Daily Princetonian.
From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Dean’s Date, Friday Dec. 13, USG offered free bagels, drip coffee, and hot chocolate in Firestone Plaza. The rest of the celebrations began at 5 p.m. in the U-Store Courtyard, and featured performances from the band.
Students lined up in below-freezing temperatures to get a 25th anniversary Dean’s Date crewneck as well as free Madeleine’s Cheesecake, Nomad Pizza, Travelin’ Tom’s Drinks, and Tico’s Belgian Waffle Sundaes. With only 1,000 sweatshirts available, students started arriving over an hour before the celebrations began.
Kho described it as “one of the most successful Dean’s Date celebrations” he has seen.
Misimi Sanni ’28, a member of the USG Social Committee who helped lead the project, told the ‘Prince’ that the celebration is “just a way for the community to come together and celebrate the end of assignments.”
Regarding the end of Dean’s Date, she said, “I know it does cause a lot of stress for people, so maybe that’s a way to alleviate the stress.”
Some students at the event complained about excessive lines, and attendance reached a peak of over 1,500 students at 5:50 p.m. Sarabeth Yao ’28 wrote to the ‘Prince’ that she arrived at 4 p.m and there was already “around 50 people in line” for the crewnecks.
“The line continued to expand rapidly,” Yao wrote. “There were a lot of people skipping the line and joining their friends, especially once it got closer to 5 p.m.,” she continued. Yao ended up waiting for an hour and ten minutes.
Multiple students at the event expressed their views about the end of Dean’s Date. Shabab Zaman ’26 told the ‘Prince’ in an interview, “Dean’s Date was something that I used to look forward to. I was like, okay, this is a set benchmark. I can finish my papers by then, because I can’t work without deadlines.”
Owen Yang ’26 explained that although he did not have a lot of work due on Dean’s Date, he was not excited for it to end. “I like having a separation between my tests and written work, so it’s very sad to have to see it go,” he said.
Cassadie Royalty ’25 told the ‘Prince’ that the end of Dean’s Date is “kind of sad, because I really enjoy the celebration. I usually actually play with the band. So it’s a little bit sad for us, because last night was the last time we would play in Firestone, potentially.”
She added, “I think it’ll ultimately be better for A.B. students to have their papers not due all at the same time.”
“That excitement, you know, the midnight screaming and all that stuff. I’m gonna miss those,” Zaman said. “I’m gonna miss Dean’s Date, not gonna lie, but it’s for the better.”
Sena Chang is a News contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Olivia Sanchez is an associate News editor for the ‘Prince.’ She is from New Jersey and often covers the graduate school and academic departments.
Please send corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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