Campus comes alive as Princeton’s school year begins
By: Hilary Parker
Classes for Princeton University students officially began Thursday morning, though some returning students already learned in the art of schedule design won’t attend their first lecture of the 2006-2007 school year until Monday.
Such is the case for Camillie Landron, a senior majoring in Spanish with a certificate in Latin American studies.
Having spent her summer as an intern for the university’s Community Based Learning Initiative, an effort that seeks to unite community service and academic studies, Ms. Landron on Tuesday manned the Community Based Learning Initiative table at the Frist Campus Center open house.
There was quite a positive response to the new Engineering Projects In Community Service program, she said, a collaborative effort between the Community Based Learning Initiative and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Modeled after a similar program at Purdue University, the new program will place student teams throughout the greater Princeton community to provide products and services to nonprofit organizations.
After a summer in Princeton without her classmates, Camillie said she was thrilled her friends were back in town.
"It’s so much better," she said with a big grin. "Campus is alive now."
Even those who are just starting to make themselves at home on campus have friends and friends of friends to relax with.
Danielle Rochlin of Los Angeles and Jayne Choi of Ann Arbor, Mich., took time out Wednesday afternoon to enjoy some lunch and a football game in front of Frist’s big-screen television. Both of the freshmen participated in pre-orientation activities, which led to their meeting in a roundabout way.
Though Danielle was part of a Community Action group and Jayne did Outdoor Action, they linked up through Danielle’s roommate, a member of Jayne’s Outdoor Action group. Excited and a little nervous about their Thursday morning classes (Jayne headed to physics at 9 a.m., Danielle had Spanish at 10), both said they had enjoyed the university’s official orientation for the Class of 2010, which began Sept. 9 and ends this afternoon.
Of special note, they said, were the Tiger’s Roar event Sunday night and Tiger Night on Monday. Led by the university’s a cappella singing groups, Tiger’s Roar taught the freshman class the university’s alma mater, "Old Nassau." Tiger Night offered a revue of Princeton’s multiple performing groups in Richardson Auditorium.
Though not an official orientation activity, the Triangle Club will perform its annual freshman show tonight. This year titled "Crude In ’10tions," the often-raucous show will treat Princeton students of all years to the comedic troupe’s trademark all-male kickline.
"Being true to your passions now may take you in directions that have little to do with the career you will ultimately follow, but I want to assure you that this is not a problem," Princeton President Shirley Tilghman told the freshman class Sunday at Opening Exercises in the chapel.
Some of them, for the time being, are still looking to find their way around campus. Just outside the campus center Wednesday afternoon, one wayward freshman struggled to orient herself. Rotating her body to face in the same direction as the campus map held in her hands, she graciously accepted a passerby’s offer to help.
Within seconds, she was off on her way to Robertson Hall to learn more about the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.
And, chances are, within days Princeton’s unique nicknames and culture will have found their way into her vocabulary as she recalls the time, not long ago, when she got lost on her way to a "Woody Woo" open house.
Who knows, she might even be sipping a cup of coffee from "the ‘Wa" at the time.

