Lifestyle
Read on about the lives of the Tigers beyond the classroom — how they view Princeton, their tastes in music, and their sex and alcohol habits.
Sex and Romance
Recruited athletes had more sex in high school than non-athletes. Of non-athletes, only 24 percent reported having sex, compared with 54 percent of athletes. Of those who have had sex, senior year was the most common time for first sexual experiences among the Class of 2028, with 10.1 percent losing their virginity in their senior year.
Drugs
While the Class of 2028 has experimented little with hard drugs, just over 20 percent of the Class of 2028 have tried marijuana. By the time the Frosh graduate, these numbers will likely have more than doubled. In the 2024 Senior Survey, over half of respondents said they had consumed marijuana, while in the Class of 2023, 49.7 reported the same.
Alcohol
Legacy students of the Class of 2028 come to Princeton having consumed alcohol at a higher rate than their non-legacy peers, with over 77 percent of legacy students and over 89 percent of multi-generational students having had an alcoholic drink in a non-religious context prior to their time at Princeton. Similarly, these groups out of the Class of 2028 are most likely to have obtained a fake ID. Currently, 7 percent of the Class of 2028 reports drinking greater than or equal to one alcoholic drink per week. If the Classes of 2024 and 2023 are any indication, this number will skyrocket; over 49 percent of ’24 respondents and 45 percent of ’23 respondents reported these drinking habits.
Nightlife
About 51 percent of students plan to join one of Prospect Avenue’s eating clubs — a place intrinsic to the Princeton experience for many. By senior year, if the Class of 2024 is any indication, this number might reach over 70 percent. The allure of Bicker and sign-in has reached both legacy and multi-generational legacy groups in the Class of 2028, with 62 percent and 80 percent respectively finding the prospect of joining an eating club interesting. In contrast, many members of the Class of 2028 are unaware of The Street’s existence on campus, with 26.5 percent of recruited athletes and 19.3 percent of non-athletes having no clue that the eating clubs exist.
Recreation
Pop and alternative/indie are two genres of music the Class of 2028 listens to the most. When it comes to tech, this year’s Frosh love social media, with over 90 percent reporting using Instagram on a regular basis. Only 28.4 percent report never having used ChatGPT, a decrease from 65.7 percent last year for the Class of 2027.
COVID
It’s been years since the days of the pandemic, when masks and testing were required on campus, and as such, only 7 percent of the Class of 2028 have received a COVID-19 shot in the last six months. Still, less than 5 percent of all respondents never finished the original vaccination sequence. Southerners and politically right-leaning students are less likely to have received as many COVID-19 shots, but even then, the vast majority have had at least one booster.