What is it about fall that makes me fall back in love with Princeton?
When people used to ask me whether I enjoyed my time at Princeton, I’d always give a nuanced answer—acknowledging the good but never fully embracing a passionate display of love or pride.
The truth is: my relationship with Princeton has always been a bit of a love-hate…
Last week, I made a semi-spontaneous, nostalgic trip with my best travel buddies, mimi & momo, to my old college stomping grounds, and it felt so surreal. I have visited Princeton a couple times since I’ve graduated: the last time was during Reunions in May 2023, when campus roared with rowdy crowds of thousands of alumni and friends. Although fun and lively, Reunions didn’t allow me to fully appreciate the beauty and serenity of Old Nassau. Visiting campus in May was the complete opposite of the peaceful, contemplative atmosphere I encountered this time in October.
Before Reunions 2023, I had also visited on a frigid and grey November day in 2021, when the campus felt stark and quiet in the cold. But somehow, this recent mid-October trip felt different—perhaps it was the perfect fall weather bathing the brilliant foliage in bright fall sunshine against 18th century gothic academia architecture that re-invoked in me the same sense of wonder I had experienced as a freshman, allowing me to rediscover how magical Princeton really is. Walking through the familiar courtyards and beneath the towering arches, I was struck by just how lucky I’ve been to call Princeton University my alma mater.
Walking through the familiar courtyards and beneath the towering arches, I was struck by just how lucky I’ve been to call Princeton University my alma mater.
It’s not that I didn’t have school pride before; after all, who wouldn’t be proud to go to school like Princeton, having gotten in through hard work and merit? But to be honest, I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Princeton. Mind you, amongst all the East Coast private school kids coming in from the likes of Hotchkiss or Philips Exeter, I was the only kid coming in from my public high school class, hailing all the way from suburban Texas, for that matter.
Imposter Syndrome…
Imposter Syndrome—a term I hadn’t really encountered until Princeton—settled in quickly. Feeling like I wasn’t good enough, smart enough, or deserving of a place at such a prestigious institution became the blindfold that kept me from truly appreciating the wonder of this place and how incredibly privileged I was to be here.
But after all these years, I can finally enjoy this campus without the weight of pressure or stress. As I retraced my old steps, with autumn in full bloom, I felt a renewed sense of Princeton pride. There’s something about peak fall that makes me fall back in love with Princeton—the iconic Gothic architecture, the golden leaves, and the academic aura that surrounds it all remind me why it’s the ‘best damn place of all.’ I never truly understood why they called it that—until now.
It just so happens that tomorrow, October 22, is my alma mater Princeton University’s 278th birthday, or Orange and Black Day as we call it. The timing feels fitting, as this recent trip brought with it a renewed sense of pride—just in time to celebrate the place that shaped so much of who I am.
Love it or hate it, I can’t deny that the four years I spent at Princeton—and the degree I hold from there—are deeply intertwined with my identity, leaving a lasting impact on both my personal and professional journey.
Alas, this fall, I fell back in love with Princeton—and for the first time in a long while, it feels like Princeton loves me back.
“In praise of Old Nassau, we sing, hurrah, hurrah, hurrah! Our hearts will give, while we shall live, three cheers for Old Nassau.”
Photo creds: Liang Kuang Photography // in collaboration with this photographer whom I stumbled upon back in NYC 2021 during my Autumn in New York. So grateful for his work!
Outfit link: https://liketk.it/4UAgz
