For most Princetonians, the vision of the stone building of Firestone Library and its shadowy caverns underground conjures up the memories of sleepless nights and half-finished papers. I have a love-hate relationship with the library. I have spent countless hours trapped in the Trustees’ Room or the Atrium making my way through piles of reading or toiling away over a research paper. On the other hand, I have a sort of grudging affection for the library. It’s my domain, the place where as a history major, I conduct the majority of my research.
I have worked at the library since my freshman year. As a result, I know the library. I understand its crazy cataloging system, a mixed-up hodge podge of letters and numbers. I take a secret sort of pleasure in the fact that I can find books within the library without a map. Faced with a book whose call number starts with B, I know to head to the philosophy section on the third floor, whereas a book whose call number begins with a C is deep below ground with the other books on history. I also know its secret spaces, from the graduate study rooms on the C floor to the professor’s office lodged in the tower above the third floor.
With special access to the collections through my job at Rare Books, I can go behind the scenes to take advantage of many of the library’s special collections. It doesn’t take much digging to find that our library houses everything from 3000-year-old coins to an original first folio. Throughout the semester, I’ll share some of what I come across on the Prox.
Find out more about Firestone's ancient coin collection on the next installment of Foraging in Firestone.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Foraging in Firestone: Introductions
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Closed locations at/near Princeton University
So there's been some confusion about what's open and what's not.
Here's a preliminary map of locations that have been confirmed as closed. Send an e-mail to multimedia [at] dailyprincetonian [dot] com to let us know if you discover any other locations on or near campus that are closed and we'll update the map. Thanks in advance!
View "Snowmageddon 2" Closings near Princeton University in a larger map
Locations listed above: U-Store, Chancellor Green, Twist, Panera, Small World, Starbucks, Tiger Inn, Ivy Club (TI and Ivy are closed for meals).
— Tasnim Shamma '11
Diggin' In The Mudd: Princeton Alumni Weekly
Princeton's pretty old. That's why we applied here. That's why we love it. That's why you ca
n find and read Princeton Alumni Weekly's from the first decade of the 20th century. All in all things weren't too different in those days. See why under the cut.They were competitive with Harvard and Yale...
There were eating clubs...
There were advertisements (and vices)...
And there was Woodrow Wilson,
And, of course, there were football cheers,
Snow Day Hopes
Monday, February 16, 2003, marked a momentous day in Princeton history. After 21 inches of snow fell throughout central New Jersey, University officials canceled classes, leading to much rejoicing and many snowmen on Alexander Beach. Since that glorious Monday morn 7 years ago, Princeton community has not canceled classes for snow, and rumor has it that there had not a snow day for at least 10 years before 2003.
With Princeton’s campus already covered in white and the flakes falling throughout the night, one is left to wonder whether the University should cancel classes today and allow students to relive one of their greatest high school memories— a snow day. Such a cancellation, while preventing students from attending class and participating in some of the first precepts of the term, seems appropriate for today. It allows students a day of fun frolicking in the frost and perfecting their snowball throwing skills. For upperclassmen interviewing with banks and investment firms this week, a University cancellation of classes might spread to Career Services and save the interviewees from the embarrassment of showing up rosy-cheeked and dandruffed with melting snow.
A cancellation would save faculty and staff from unsafe road conditions. But even beyond safety considerations, a snow day would allow Princeton to seize one of the most esteemed honors in the Ivy League—having the fewest days of class. As noted in 2003, by canceling one day of class, Princeton reduced its total class days from 120 to 119, dropping below Harvard, which normally ties Princeton, for the fewest in the Ivy League. Now, that is a tradition worth fighting for…
By Matt Butler, senior columnist for Opinion.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Orange and Apples: Caltech
With snow already on the ground and a Winter Storm Warning in effect until tomorrow evening, you might be considering decamping from Princeton for warmer climes. Brandt Belson, a mechanical and aerospace engineering graduate student, provides a view of how attending school in sunny Pasadena, CA might differ from Princeton.
I graduated from Caltech in 2008 with a double major in mechanical engineering and business, economics and management, and now I'm a grad student here at Princeton. Both schools are terrific, but there are important differences.
Academically, I can only comment on science-related aspects, and the classes at both schools focus on fundamentals and theory. This is especially true at Caltech, where nearly every class is strongly based on understanding the "why." Both Princeton and Caltech do offer classes that are more practical. At Caltech, there are optional informal mini-courses that teach useful skills, while Princeton has a few full classes that are applied.
The names explain a lot: "Institute of Technology" vs. "University." In the first two years at Caltech, every student takes "core," which is a large set of math, physics and chemistry classes. Caltech's focus is clearly on science as it is truly a research institution. In contrast, Princeton is a leading authority in nearly everything, and it focuses on providing a more comprehensive liberal arts education. This means undergrads are a focus and can take classes on most any topic, from anthropology to Slavic languages.
With Caltech, it's pretty much mandatory to mention the workload. Caltech has three terms, and students take about five classes a term. At Princeton, there are two longer terms, and most students take four or five classes a term. In my experience, the classes at Princeton teach less material and assign less work. I'm sure you can do the math. So if you are up for the challenge, Caltech certainly offers the opportunity to learn at a blistering pace, but it's a blistering pace. Princeton classes teach plenty and efficiently without quite taking over your life.
Your potential fellow students are quite different, too. Princeton's undergrads (around 5,000 of them) have very different interests and personalities. There is a lot going on campus, and everyone has a role, or two, or three. There are athletes, writers, singers, actors and even partiers. It's high-paced, and sometimes I wonder how the undergrads do so much. Caltech's students (around 900 of them) are at Caltech because they love science, pure and simple. Their backgrounds differ, and while many play sports, write, sing, act and even party, everyone is a scientist first. If there is one thing I miss about Caltech, it's that every student was a brilliant analytical thinker.
To settle a few loose ends, if you're wondering which has better food, the answer is undeniably Princeton. Location and weather go to Caltech, with its SoCal beaches and sun. Housing is a draw, and each campus is beautifully located in a rich suburb. (But: Pine or palm trees?)
In the end, what led me to my decision was this question: Do you want to be a research scientist? If yes, then there is nowhere better to get started than Caltech. If you're not sure or enjoy other pursuits as much as science, then go to Princeton, where you will have the time and ability to explore, while in no way limiting yourself if you do choose to be a scientist.
If you're a former Tiger who is now pursuing graduate studies elsewhere or a Princeton grad student who attended undergrad outside the Orange Bubble and would like to contribute a comparison send an email to blog@dailyprincetonian.com.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Wild Animus: Get yours today!
On the West Coast many years ago, an unhappy and fictional Ransom Altman attended UC Berkeley. Evading arrest for drug dealing, he fled to Washington and later to Alaska, where he descended into LSD-induced madness, attempting to transform into an animal in the wilderness.
Intrigued? Based on Amazon.com summaries, you can expect all this and more in Wild Animus by Rich Shapero. For the past week, boxes containing this multimedia project — consisting of a book and accompanying CDs — have been handed out on campus. I got mine today.
Looking for a summary of the book? Then look elsewhere. I have no plans to go through the Wild Animus experience any time soon. My internet sources note, though, that the ending is revealed (and ruined) by the introduction.
The Wikipedia article about Shapero reveals that the University is not unique; the book has been delivered to campuses across the Northeast, but "most copies were immediately discarded."
You can get your very own copy if you loiter around Frist and the corner of Prospect and Washington. Hear others' opinions of the book after the jump.
The users at Amazon.com gave the book 65% 1-star ratings. Here are the most popular unfavorable and favorable reviews. I'll leave it up to you to decide which is which."This is easily one of the worst books I have ever read ... The dialog throughout reads like someone who has never heard a conversation, and has only read bad poetry in translation ... Please do not read this book."
Still curious about the book? Well hurry on up to Frist because this is one experience you surely don't want to miss.
"I, like many others, received this book for free. But unlike others, I found this book a delight to have around the house. It served quite well as a monitor riser for my LCD screen. My friend and I needed a book to add weight for a tofu press. Pages 200 to 225 made wonderful firestarters when covered in paraffin wax ... The cat ate pages 123 to 127 when we ran out of catgrass for him to chew."
Snow-mageddon 2010
So, snow-mageddon 2010 has passed, and all that remains is the vast amounts of snow dumped over campus. For the most part, it's effect was felt only in the closure of several stores on Nassau St. and the rumored temporary shut-down of the campus shuttles.
Nonetheless, studying in the Lewis Library this weekend, I was convinced the building would collapse. Slightly warmer (a relative term, of course) weather on Sunday caused snow and sheets of ice to start sliding off of those delightfully curved surfaces, and the sound they made crashing onto the library's glass roof was just short of terrifying.
I must confess, though, that the storm was somewhat of a disappointment. Prior to the snow, rumor had it that one-to-two feet of snow would fall: The reality was closer to one half foot. The panic prior to the storm can only lend support to the theory that residents of places with milder winters react more strongly to them.
I'll move on, and class continues as usual today. I suppose its time to retire my high-school snow-day dreams.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Orange and Apples: Cornell
A traditional comparison of Cornell and Princeton might start off mentioning Cornell's weather, but in the middle of this winter, it might not apply. Instead its up Corinne Kendall GS, who graduated from Cornell in 2006, to provide a deeper comparison
I am currently a second-year Ph.D. student in the ecology and evolutionary biology department at Princeton. For my undergraduate degree, I went to Cornell, majoring in biology with a concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology.
In terms of academic caliber and the quality of classes, I think Princeton and Cornell are very similar. Both also share a small-town location, though Princeton is considerably closer to big cities, like New York and Philadelphia, which is a huge advantage for those of us that like to get out of the college towns occasionally.
The biggest difference between Princeton and Cornell is size. Cornell has a huge student body, multiple colleges within the university, is partially state-run and partially private, and has a variety of professional programs attached to it, including a veterinary school and a medical school. Princeton is small. As a result, Cornell has a lot more classes, activities and clubs to choose from. For my interests in particular, Cornell had the advantage of a vet school to intern at and get some hands-on experience, as well as a raptor center, where I learned how to work with large birds of prey, something that has aided me greatly during my current research on vulture ecology. It also offered unique classes such as Naturalist Outreach, which allowed me to teach conservation biology in local schools, and Spider Biology, where I got to do a behavioral study of some local arachnids. The larger number of students also meant there was a greater diversity of students with different viewpoints and backgrounds, with whom one could learn and share ideas. The large size of the school, however, also meant that there was no one looking out for you. I rarely spoke with my adviser and had fairly limited opportunities to talk with faculty. Princeton has the advantage of being a much more customized experience, and I have been astounded at the individual attention that students get from faculty, advisers and TAs. In particular, undergraduate research at Princeton is considerably more independent as students design their own projects rather than getting lost in a huge research lab, where they will be asked to conduct certain experiments rather than their own. With its smaller student body, Princeton can also afford to offer more funding for their students to travel and conduct research.
Overall, I have greatly enjoyed my experiences at both schools. I think the choice between them would depend on one’s independence and aspirations.
If you're a former Tiger who is now pursuing graduate studies elsewhere or a Princeton grad student who attended undergrad outside the Orange Bubble and would like to contribute a comparison send an email to blog@dailyprincetonian.com.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The sound of Broken Bells
While Spoon’s latest album sucked and Jay Reatard partied himself to death last month, there’s still reason for the Indie Community to be wicked psyched: in case you hadn’t heard, James Mercer (lead singer and frontman of The Shins) and Danger Mouse (of Grey Album and Gnarls Barkley fame) have formed a new collaborative project called “Broken Bells.” Their self-titled debut album is due out later this year, but for now, feast your ears (and eyes) on their early-release single, “The High Road”, and the associated music video here.
I’m not as big a fan of the single as I am of the Grey Album, New Slang, or Phantom Limb, but a permanent partnership of Mercer and Burton (Danger Mouse’s real name is Brian Burton) may prove to be a gift from the Indie Gods.
By Charlie Metzger, Columnist for Opinion.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Orange and Apples: University of Chicago
The University of Chicago and Princeton may seem to be two very different places on Thursday nights, but how accurate is that across an entire education? Matt Reid GS, who graduated from Chicago in 2004, explores the similarities and differences between the two schools.
When deciding where to go to college several years ago, my choice ultimately came down to the University of Chicago or Princeton. I chose Chicago and studied chemistry, but have since found my way to Princeton, where I’m a graduate student in civil and environmental engineering. There are some major surface differences between the two schools: One is a larger university in a big, sometimes gritty city, and the other is a rarefied Ivy League university in a pleasant town. These differences certainly influence the character of the schools, but since academics are the most important part of college, I’ll begin with what I’ve found to be the great similarities between Chicago’s and Princeton’s academic experiences.
Both universities feature rigorous and renowned undergraduate programs within larger universities, with outstanding coursework and research in nearly any field. The faculty at both schools are leaders in their fields, and many are dedicated teachers as well. The most important feature of Chicago’s academic experience is the core, a series of small discussion courses surveying the humanities and social sciences along with courses in calculus, foreign languages and physical and biological sciences. I loved the core --- it was one of the things that brought me to Chicago --- but for students whose interests are less broad or who may have already found their academic passion, the core can be a burden. Chicago is also a larger university than Princeton, with the resources of law, medical, business and other professional schools available to students who may be interested. Chicago does not have an engineering school as Princeton does, however, and Princeton’s strength in the applied sciences is an important aspect of its academic offerings. When I found that my interests were shifting to the applied sciences, Princeton stood out as a university with a strong engineering program alongside its programs in the basic sciences.
Where the schools differ most is in culture. While both are strong academically, Princeton seems to favor the scholar-athlete, while many Chicago students are more likely to have been on a quiz bowl team. You’ve probably heard that Chicago is "where fun comes to die," and indeed if a great party scene is what you’re looking for, then Princeton, with its eating clubs, might be a better fit. For many Chicago students, the city is the primary social outlet, and living in the city makes an indelible impact on many students’ lives, from what they do on weekends to where they volunteer and intern in the summers. I grew up in a small town and was ready for something bigger, and living in Hyde Park, the neighborhood in which the University of Chicago is located, provided both the positive and negative experiences of living in a big city. Princeton resembles parts of Hyde Park with its nice homes and leafy streets, but it is more quiet, and just beyond campus lies forested running trails and pastoral scenes that defy many a New Jersey stereotype. Princeton is a very pleasant place to live, though it can be too quiet for some. New York and Philadelphia are both just over an hour away by train, however, so it’s easy to get an urban fix when needed.
A degree from either Princeton or Chicago will serve you well in whatever field you choose to pursue. At both places, you’ll make friends, have challenging classes and have great opportunities for research or internships. Much of the difference comes down to wanting to be in a large city or a small town, at a school where social activities are dispersed throughout a city or one with a strong social life on campus. And before you get too stressed over your choice, remember that there are plenty of nerds alongside Princeton’s jocks, and that there are even frat boys at Chicago. And regardless of your individual interests, you’ll find people to share them with at either university.
If you're a former Tiger who is now pursuing graduate studies elsewhere or a Princeton grad student who attended undergrad outside the Orange Bubble and would like to contribute a comparison send an email to blog@dailyprincetonian.com.
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