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Opinion

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Reactions: Princeton may loosen the mask mandate ... after classes end

For the Reactions series, columnists respond to the University’s announcement that the mask mandate will be reconsidered and potentially relaxed ten days after Thanksgiving Break ends. 

For the Reactions series, columnists respond to the University’s announcement that the mask mandate will be reconsidered and potentially relaxed ten days after Thanksgiving Break ends. 

OPINION | 11/14/2021

Whig Hall under the faint glow of a Tuesday morning sunrise.

The ‘Princeton Plague’ goes national

“At Princeton, we often wonder if our physical and mental struggles, along with how we choose to cope with and manage them, are ‘normal’ or ‘legitimate.’ Consequently, we continue to attend classes even when we shouldn’t from a medical or self-care perspective, endangering ourselves and those around us. As arduous as the academic environment may be, we do not make such choices out of necessity alone.” 

“At Princeton, we often wonder if our physical and mental struggles, along with how we choose to cope with and manage them, are ‘normal’ or ‘legitimate.’ Consequently, we continue to attend classes even when we shouldn’t from a medical or self-care perspective, endangering ourselves and those around us. As arduous as the academic environment may be, we do not make such choices out of necessity alone.” 

OPINION | 11/11/2021

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Life after COVID-19

“If the period following the Black Death is any indication of what is possible after COVID, then we can probably bet that our ideas will take some time to come to fruition. But, likewise, if the Lollards and the peasants who stormed London in 1381 have anything to teach us, it’s that ideas, once loosed, are hard to contain again — that is, so long as we don’t accept a return to anything like normal.”

“If the period following the Black Death is any indication of what is possible after COVID, then we can probably bet that our ideas will take some time to come to fruition. But, likewise, if the Lollards and the peasants who stormed London in 1381 have anything to teach us, it’s that ideas, once loosed, are hard to contain again — that is, so long as we don’t accept a return to anything like normal.”

OPINION | 11/10/2021

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Old statue in front of building.

Statues play a role in preserving our collective memory

“Both around our campus and the nation, we must stop selectively honoring people for certain goods and ignoring the bad and instead remember them for everything they did — who they helped and who they hurt.”

“Both around our campus and the nation, we must stop selectively honoring people for certain goods and ignoring the bad and instead remember them for everything they did — who they helped and who they hurt.”

OPINION | 11/09/2021

McCosh

An issue bigger than the ‘Princeton plague’: Getting sick at Princeton means a lack of support for its students

“Furthermore, students who are sick — especially those who find themselves sick in circumstances that seemingly do not leave room for accommodation — are not asking for anything unreasonable, or even for a ‘free pass’ or ‘an easy way out.’ They are asking for the well-deserved time to recover, so they are able to return to class in proper health.”

“Furthermore, students who are sick — especially those who find themselves sick in circumstances that seemingly do not leave room for accommodation — are not asking for anything unreasonable, or even for a ‘free pass’ or ‘an easy way out.’ They are asking for the well-deserved time to recover, so they are able to return to class in proper health.” 

OPINION | 11/08/2021

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Why classes should be canceled on Election Day

“‘Princeton in the nation’s service and the service of humanity’ is our University’s informal motto. If Princeton students are actively disincentivized to participate in US political affairs in fear of missing class and falling behind on work, how can the University claim that it is committed to servicing the nation?”

“‘Princeton in the nation’s service and the service of humanity’ is our University’s informal motto. If Princeton students are actively disincentivized to participate in US political affairs in fear of missing class and falling behind on work, how can the University claim that it is committed to servicing the nation?” 

OPINION | 11/08/2021

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Why Princeton must include Divest Princeton members in fossil fuel divestment deliberations

“There are no students participating in the deliberations on divestment happening within the Administrative Committee and the Faculty Panel on Dissociation. The young people whose lives are at stake — and whose lives are actively being harmed by Princeton’s continued delay of necessary climate action — do not have a seat at the table.”

“There are no students participating in the deliberations on divestment happening within the Administrative Committee and the Faculty Panel on Dissociation. The young people whose lives are at stake — and whose lives are actively being harmed by Princeton’s continued delay of necessary climate action — do not have a seat at the table.”

OPINION | 11/07/2021

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Reform FYRE panels

Princeton is grossly mistaken if it believes that its “First Year Residential Experience” panels with University affiliates lecturing at first-year students will instantly translate into character growth.  

Princeton is grossly mistaken if it believes that its “First Year Residential Experience” panels with University affiliates lecturing at first-year students will instantly translate into character growth. 

OPINION | 11/04/2021

A brick three-story building with a blue gothic-styled door.

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

“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

“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

"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

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

Eisgruber shaking hands

Eisgruber’s justification for Princeton is based on a myth

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

Books

What I’ve learned about midterms

“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

Frist Campus Center at night

Princeton, feed us: Why Princeton should serve late meal on 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.”

“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

“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