Begetting Books, on and off Campus: How, What, Where, and Why

Posted on by Ignacio Arias Philippi
Spanish Law Library
On and off campus, Princeton offers many opportunities to build up one’s own library. (Leather-bound editions not guaranteed.) Photo credit: Iñaki del Olmo.

Reading is a fundamental part of one’s time at Princeton. Whether for sciences or the humanities, a great deal of coursework and independent research consists in careful and active reading. Reading for pleasure by oneself or as part of reading groups is also a common pastime, or at least a shared aspiration, of many students on campus. Moreover, Labyrinth Books’ and the University’s decision to cease coursebook sales has sparked a mix of dissatisfaction, outrage, and inventive solutions. With the end of textbook resales paired with personal interest for especially thought-provoking class readings, it is not uncommon for students to keep (at least some of) their coursebooks. It is quite natural, then, that over the course of one’s four years at Princeton, undergraduates tend to amass a good number of books and start to build up their own personal library. Thus, beyond our formidable library system and Labyrinth, it is good to know where and how to get books, even if such scholarly scavenging will not supply all of one’s textbook needs. Besides, building up one’s store of knowledge (and thought-provoking entertainment) is a worthwhile pursuit in itself.

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Simplify Your Research Poster Printing: Using Princeton’s Makerspace Large Format Printer

Posted on by Alexis Wu
Photo of three students wearing black suits and smiling at the camera. Machine learning research poster in the center.
Alexis Wu (author), Jenny Pang ‘24, and Jimmy Hoang ‘24 at the COS 484: Natural Language Processing Spring 2024 poster session.

The end of the semester is often accompanied by deadlines for semester-long projects and final papers (including the infamous Dean’s Date deadline, which past correspondent Ryan Champeau has amazing advice on!). For some classes, students may be asked to create an academic or research poster and present their work to their peers in a poster session. A couple of courses I have taken where I produced a final research paper were COS 484: Natural Language Processing and ASA 238: Asian-American Psyches. 

In ASA 238, the department provided funding so that all students in the class could have their poster printed through Princeton Print & Mail Services. However, this option typically is not free-of-charge to students. Moreover, since this process typically takes 4-5 business days after the proof is approved to be printed, course instructors may set conservatively early deadlines so that all students’ posters may be printed on time. With more deadlines in other classes, this can create additional stress.

The great news is, this stress can be avoided with a free, straightforward alternative: utilizing the Makerspace’s Large Format Printer. The Princeton University Library (PUL) Makerspace is a creative space on the A-level of the Lewis Science Library open to current students, faculty, and staff. If you’ve never used the space before, it might be daunting, but I hope this article will clarify the process and assuage any fears you may have!

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A Guide to JP-Writing in the Humanities

Posted on by Ignacio Arias Philippi
Books in Library
Finding the right sources within a literary field is a key part of all independent work. Photo credit: Olena Bohovyk.

Writing a Junior Paper (or two, depending on your major) can be a stressful process. But it does not have to be that way. Below are some strategies to help you minimize JP-induced stress and streamline your research process. 

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A Quick Guide to Securing Funding

Posted on by Rebecca Cho
This photo shows a student working in lab with his mentor.
A student working in a lab, potentially on a research project for their senior work that would greatly benefit from funding! Photo credit: Nick Donnoli.

You’ve brainstormed a great idea for your research project. You have the details of your topic all figured out, but you need some assistance with figuring out the logistics of the financial aspects that come with your great idea.  

If that’s you, here’s a quick guide on one way of securing funding as a Princeton student! 

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Let Your Happy Self Shine: Why Happiness Shouldn’t Be Saved Only for Moments of Victory

Posted on by Angel Toasakul
This is a picture of the Princeton Chapel, taken by myself the summer I first arrived at Princeton.
Princeton Chapel in the summer

“What’s your priority this semester?” my friend asked after our first meal together post-summer break. My instinct was to say classes, internships, research—after all, we’re at school, preparing for life after college. The pressure to secure a job or get accepted into graduate school looms large. What could be more important than staying focused on the future? But none of those answers felt right. I paused for a moment before saying, “being happy.”

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More than Just Building Toy Cars: A Conversation with Jeremy Kiil ’24 about Car Lab

Posted on by Alexis Wu
Portrait of a young man with short brown hair, a blue checkered dress shirt, smiling warmly at the camera in front of Nassau Hall.
Jeremy Kiil is an alum from the Class of 2024 who majored in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He now works as a power engineer at Qualcomm in Raleigh, NC. While at Princeton, he was a member of Princeton Racing Electric, a worship leader in Princeton Christian Fellowship, and Vice President of Colonial Club.

At Princeton, I’ve formed close friendships with students across all years and departments, witnessing their challenges, hard work, and achievements, from difficult courses to their independent work and senior theses. When my friends often name-drop courses from their departments and share exciting insights from their day, I realize I haven’t taken many of those classes myself. This realization sparked a desire to generate deeper conversations about their academic interests, even if I don’t fully grasp all the technical details and concepts of their field.

One of these conversations was with Jeremy Kiil ‘24 about his experience in ‘Car Lab’ (formally, ECE 302: Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab), a required course for all ECE juniors. To my surprise, our conversation wasn’t focused on the nitty-gritty details about hardware components. Instead, Jeremy shared insights applicable to all students. I found his advice on making consistent progress, staying resilient, and taking care of oneself as wonderful reminders for everyone. Inspired by our conversation, I wanted to document and share it with a broader audience.

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The Difference is Discipline

Posted on by Stanley Stoutamire, Jr.
Image of Firestone Library as seen from Firestone Plaza in the evening
Firestone Library

A few weeks ago, while I was volunteering with the Trenton Youth Orchestra, a student asked me, “Do you think you have a lot of discipline?” I honestly didn’t know how to respond. Discipline hasn’t been something I’ve spent time thinking about as a college student. While the concept of discipline had been hammered into my brain by soccer coaches and band directors before college, I found myself thinking about what discipline really means here.

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Choosing A Lab: To Stay or To Go?

Posted on by Rebecca Cho
Photo meant to show students in a laboratory setting.
Students collaborating in a molecular biology laboratory. Photo credit: Matt Raspanti.

Many students at Princeton spend their summers exploring a research project or a lab internship in their field of interest. But what’s next? Maybe you really enjoyed your experience and wanted to continue. Then, you come across the question: should I stay in the same lab or join a different lab? 

This was the question I pondered when entering my sophomore year. I had an incredible summer experience as an High Meadows Environmental Institute intern in the Sigman Research Laboratory in the summer of 2023. I worked on a project that enabled my exploration of biogeochemical reconstruction via an investigation of the marine environment during a historical mass extinction through the use of a biological proxy known as foraminifera. But, where did I want to go from there? If you’re in a similar position, here are some things to keep in mind! 

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Mystery Writers in Research Labs: How to Analyze Your Data

Posted on by Haya Elamir
The image is to depict a study corner in the Trustee Reading Room to add the feel of a study session to the post since it is about analyzing data.
Trustee Reading Room, Firestone Library. Photo credit: Matt Raspanti.

“So what does this data mean?” My professor asked, looking at me expectantly. What does the data mean? “What does this data tell you about the cancer cells?” If he thought rephrasing it made it any better, it didn’t. I am not quite sure what I said to save face (and frankly, I really do not want to remember), but I must have said something because my professor just nodded. “When you look at your data, I want you to create a story. It may be a mystery, but then you’d be providing a certain set of clues.” 

It is very easy to get caught up in generating data, especially if the data is particularly tricky and you’re concerned about making sure it looks right, generating the right graphs, having the right axes, numbers and titles. It can be a headache. By the time the graphs are done, I would rather not look at it anymore or think too hard about the numbers. However, as lab reports and analysis questions stack up for our classes, it becomes prudent to know how to analyze these graphs. While I am not a seasoned veteran, I have a few tips that helped me approach these types of situations.

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The Alumni Advantage: Tapping into Princeton’s Network

Posted on by Gabriel Ascoli
Princeton alum, many in Orange and Black, participate in the 2013 P-rade.
Princeton alumni P-rade, 2013. Photo credit: Daniel Day.

As Princeton students in 2024, we’ve all heard other students throwing around the terms “connections” and “networking.”  Although I myself was eager to take advantage of Princeton’s vast resources, I didn’t quite know where to start, or how to start. To those of you who are facing a similar dilemma, let me introduce you to an incredible, vastly underutilized resource: our alumni network.

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