Feb. 24

When The Marriage Pact came to Princeton

Right as undergraduates returned to the Princeton campus in large numbers for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, so too did the potential for meeting and dating new people. To help facilitate this, the Marriage Pact got nearly half the undergraduate student body to sign up for its matchmaking services. In this article, Senior Writer Cathleen Weng delved into the behind-the-scenes work of the Princeton Marriage Pact, the campus reactions to the survey and matches, and the unfortunate tale of how two twin brothers got matched with one another.

—José Pablo Fernández García
Associate Prospect Editor

Mar. 2

We tried 4 boba places in Princeton so you don’t have to

This article jump-started our coverage in the food arena and helped build rapport with local businesses. Senior Writer Sydney Eck was proactive about spearheading a Prospect version of the popular ““Worth It” series by Buzzfeed, which would come to be known as Tiger Town Treats (TTT). The inaugural installment sampled boba from four shops along Nassau Street, assessing the quality of the milk tea, bubbles, and the overall vibe of the restaurant. As 2021 comes to a close, TTT has published six more installments and maintained an inspiring momentum. The Prospect is excited to continue and expand the series in the coming years, and we are so grateful for all the hard work Eck has put in to lay the foundation for it.

— Auhjanae McGee
Head Prospect Editor

Mar. 3

The beautiful mosaic of Black art and music

In honor of Black History Month, Prospect writers shared their favorite works of art, literature, and music by Black artists. Writers reflected on the award-winning photography of Princeton visual arts professor Deana Lawson, the poetry of Nikki Giovanni, the music of Kanye West, and the work of many others. Additionally, The Prospect created a playlist featuring all the music recommended by staffers, with a few extras compiled by the editors, which you can listen to here.

— Cameron Lee
Head Prospect Editor

Mar. 12

“WandaVision” creator discusses Princeton connections

With social interaction still limited in the spring, TV shows saw a continued boom in attention. “WandaVision” was no exception, as it dominated the conversation, filled social media with many viral memes, and became the most popular series in the world at the time. The ‘Prince’ interviewed the show’s creator, Jac Schaeffer ’00, who talked about her creative process, how her time at Princeton — from her performing arts experiences to her senior thesis — influenced her work on “WandaVision,” and more. This deft interview by Head Editor Emerita Paige Allen also delves into the moments in the show that still give Schaeffer chills and ends with some words of advice from Schaeffer for college students.

— José Pablo Fernández García
Associate Prospect Editor

Mar. 19

When a headline proposal works, sort of

This article is a prime example of how The Prospect’s position allows it to tell unique stories with engaging characters. Associate Editor José Pablo Fernández García tracked down two alumni who found love in an unorthodox, yet endearing, way. One alum went viral for defending his mothers’ right to be married, the other wrote a “joke” article asking him to marry her, and the rest was history. When Fernández García interviewed the couple, it was 10 years after the article was published, and they were happily engaged. Months later, they were married, and their story exploded on Twitter, renewing engagement with Fernández García’s coverage. The article is now one of the most popular on the site of all time.

— Auhjanae McGee
Head Prospect Editor

Mar. 29

A defense of doing less

During the spring of 2021, Princeton invited students to live on campus for the remainder of the academic year. Although classes and extracurriculars would remain virtual, the return to campus provided many students — particularly first-years — with the opportunity to have some semblance of a “normal” college experience. In this heartfelt, candid self-reflection, Senior Writer Gabriel Robare opens up about the difficulties of trying to balance five classes, three positions on The Daily Princetonian — among other extracurriculars — and cultivate a meaningful social (and personal) life on campus. In his defense of doing less, Robare ultimately concludes that all we ultimately want in life is to be happy — and sometimes, that means knowing when to take a step back.

— Cameron Lee
Head Prospect Editor

Mar. 29

Why we should start listening to those 'minor minorities'

Following the shooting of six Asian American women who worked at a spa in Atlanta, this spring saw the birth of the Stop AAPI Hate movement, galvanizing support across the entire country. Head Editor Cameron Lee published an incredibly personal account of her struggles with an excoriation disorder — chronic skin-picking — and shows how her experience reflects the ways in which Asian Americans grapple with racism every day. Lee powerfully connects her story and reflections on anti-AAPI racism to stress the importance of learning from everyday acts of prejudice.

— Harsimran Makkad
Managing Editor

Apr. 28

Barely hanging on

As the spring semester lurched to a close, the toll of virtual instruction, heavy limitations on social interaction, and Princeton’s unforgiving academic rigor resulted in a mental health crisis across the student body. The situation rose to a point where University administrators emailed faculty with a memo on “End of Term Student Stress.” Associate Opinion Editor Kristal Grant wrote this powerful piece to describe how so many students weren’t simply stressed, but were barely hanging on. This Self essay critically conveyed the needs of the many Princeton students struggling with their mental health at the end of a catastrophic year: not mental health study breaks or gear giveaways, but real, material changes to how much the University demands of its students.

— José Pablo Fernández García
Associate Prospect Editor

Apr. 28

A guide to Princeton's
night sky

Let Senior Writer Paige Cromley guide you through what you can see on a dark, clear night in Princeton, from Canis Major to Cepheus and everything in between. Some constellations described in this piece, written just as the spring semester at Princeton was drawing to a close, won’t be visible during the winter, but you’ll likely find that others — the iconic belt of Orion, for instance — glitter more visibly than ever.

— Aster Zhang
Associate Prospect Editor

Aug. 13

What being a camp counselor taught me about life after loss

As part of The Prospect’s “Dispatch” series, Managing Editor AG McGee guides us through how their summer job as a residential adviser for a summer program in Kentucky allowed them to reflect and shift their perspective on grief, loss, and pain. They share what they’ve learned about loving oneself and moving forward after losing someone close to you. During a time when the COVID-19 pandemic remains a formidable force, responsible for so much suffering and staggering loss, their struggles and realizations resonate all the more strongly. This is McGee’s third dispatch for The Prospect, following previous articles in which they grappled with new grief and engaged in collective healing a year after loss.

— Harsimran Makkad
Managing Editor

Sep. 6

After hiatus, how “Survivor” returns is critical

Assistant Editor Molly Cutler provides her take on the return of “Survivor” — an American reality show in which contestants are taken to a remote location and must compete for survival. Previously, the show’s production crew has received backlash for its lack of diversity and mishandling of tenuous situations on set, but Cutler notes that the most recent rendition of the popular show is still, disappointingly, infused with several racist and sexist caricatures. With incisive prose, Cutler ultimately argues that “Survivor” has had “too many chances already” to fix all these troubling issues.

— Cameron Lee
Head Prospect Editor

Sep. 11

Remembering the day the Towers fell

In observance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, The Prospect solicited reflections on what the day had come to mean for members of the Princeton community. Alumni, professors, and anonymous submitters spoke to the “shell-shocked and desperate” nature of the terrorist attacks, as well as the poignant acts and sentiments of patriotism that were borne out of the tragedy.

— Aster Zhang
Associate Prospect Editor

Sep. 21

My night at Terrace watching Sam Spector ’24 and the Degenerates

In the fall of 2021, Princeton resumed in-person classes and events. With the return to campus, the eating clubs cautiously reopened and hosted student performers for concerts. In this minute-by-minute account of his night out on Prospect Avenue, Senior Writer Gabriel Robare viscerally describes his electrifying experience of watching Sam Spector ’24 perform live, after two years of being deprived of in-person music performances. Interweaving criticism with sensory details — from his sweat-slicked skin to the tumbling reverb of base — his creative take on a music review makes for a doubly enjoyable and informative read.

— Cameron Lee
Head Prospect Editor

Sep. 24

New arts co-op Princeton Makes welcomes local artists looking for community

Stepping outside of the Princeton campus, Head Editor Auhjanae McGee writes about Princeton Makes, an arts cooperative that presents works using wires, pearls, polymers, and more. McGee speaks to not only the innovation and artistry of the works themselves, but also the artists behind them — like the story of Bernadette Suski-Harding, who balances creating her intricate wired pearl necklaces with her day job as a freelance writer. This piece is one of many this year in which The Prospect deliberately chose to step outside of the “Orange Bubble,” reporting on the vibrance of the local arts community.

— Aster Zhang
Associate Prospect Editor

Oct. 5

A taste of Chinese food in Princeton

This article by Contributing Writer Mary Ma seamlessly blends food criticism with personal reflection. As a Chinese American student, Ma was eager to find Chinese food in Princeton and shared her thoughts on three shops in town, commenting both on the quality of the food and ambience. This piece speaks to the power of criticism and culture writing. Journalism as a field prides itself on its “objectivity,” but every single writer brings their own positionality and background to every article they compose. Ma is no exception, and the result is a well-crafted article that not only paints vivid scenes of each restaurant, but also provides insight into Ma’s identity.

— Auhjanae McGee
Head Prospect Editor

Oct. 11

For all the queer tigers, but especially for myself

The best self-reflection pieces are those that teach you something about not only the writer but also yourself. I found exactly that in Associate Editor José Pablo Fernández García’s recent self piece about coming to terms with his sexuality, and every reader may have something to learn from the developmental arc he chronicles, moving from shame, to loneliness, and finally, to acceptance (with many stops in between).

— Aster Zhang
Associate Prospect Editor

Oct. 11

Sō Percussion: Experimenting with textures and sound

In a brilliantly executed collaborative review, Staff Writer Sophia Zheng and Contributing Writer Kerrie Liang discuss the return of Sō Percussion, the Edward T. Cone Performers-in-Residence at Princeton University, to live music after over a year spent unable to perform as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The critical devices used by Zheng and Liang over the piece’s course run the gamut from commentary on instrumentation and musicality to personal reflections that bring the reader even closer to the events of the concert itself.

— Aster Zhang
Associate Prospect Editor

Oct. 27

‘The French Dispatch’ is totally camp — but that's what makes it so great

In a review that got me personally racing to the Garden Theater, Head Editor Cameron Lee begins by recounting her experience watching Wes Anderson’s latest release, “The French Dispatch,” during fall break — including the highly-stylized “film program” she received. In this beautifully written review, Lee manages to capture the joy and enjoyment of watching a film she describes as both a “feast for the eyes” and “an ode to journalism.” While deftly critiquing Anderson’s latest release, Lee builds excitement and intrigue for the film in a way that makes one want to see the world in such a dreamy, Impressionistic way, similar to the experience of watching this film.

— José Pablo Fernández García
Associate Prospect Editor

Oct. 28

The 'parasite' of Western validation

“If Western society hadn’t embraced East Asian identities, would I have embraced mine?” In one of her earliest pieces for The Prospect, Contributing Writer Kerrie Liang grapples with what it means to come from an East Asian background in today’s Western norms, situating her argument in a reasoned analysis of East Asian media that ranges from BTS to “Your Lie in April.” This piece will change your outlook on the ever-evolving dynamics of East Asian pop culture, just as it did mine.

— Aster Zhang
Associate Prospect Editor

Oct. 29

The arts at Princeton without the art museum

When The Prospect was relaunched in early 2020, our plans to cover the arts on campus were quickly foiled as pandemic life first set in and we were forced to leave campus. Now that we’re back, the visual arts have found a new obstacle in the total reconstruction of the Princeton University Art Museum. Except for the Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology, the museum complex has been demolished in preparation for a new, grander building. In the meantime, the project has disrupted sleep schedules with construction noise, diverted highly-trafficked paths across campus, and, of course, changed how students and faculty interact with art at Princeton. In this thorough report, Contributing Writer Olivia Kasule records how courses have adapted their use of the museum’s resources and what it means for a vital part of the university to be closed off.

— José Pablo Fernández García
Associate Prospect Editor

Nov. 5

Combining piano and tap dance, Tao, Teicher stun and reinvent at Richardson Hall

Performances are coming back to Princeton stages, with renewed vigor and creativity after months online. In this review, Associate Editor Aster Zhang hails a joint performance in Richardson Hall put on by pianist Conrad Tao and tap dancer Caleb Teicher, balancing commentary with personal reflections on their experience during the event. Zhang masterfully offers detailed analyses of the various techniques used by the two artists, particularly praising the symbiotic and transformative union between disparate art forms. They leave the reader mulling the interdisciplinary nature of music, dance, and art.

— Harsimran Makkad
Managing Editor

Nov. 8

Reflections for National First-Generation Day

In celebration of National First-Generation College Student Day on Nov. 8, The Prospect gathered personal reflections from first-gen students at Princeton. Drawing from both personal narrative and self-reflection, students wrestle with the difficulties of managing impostor syndrome, relationships with family, and the importance of self-acceptance and discovering personal happiness. Their reflections illuminate an oft-neglected and underrepresented experience on Princeton’s campus. Although First-Generation Day is only formally celebrated one day out of the year, The Prospect hopes that this collection of personal anecdotes will serve as a continual reminder of the vast range of experiences on campus.

— Cameron Lee
Head Prospect Editor

Nov. 22

The bee's knees: Spelling bees and pop culture

Alongside its personal reflections, reviews of artistic works, and arts reporting, The Prospect also engages in meaningful culture and lifestyle coverage. Contributing Writer Clara McWeeny’s in-depth profile of Dev Jaiswal ’23, a former finalist of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, is an exceptional work of lifestyle reporting. In an article that will almost certainly leave a reader with a smile on their face, McWeeny carefully balances Jaiswal’s story and his reflections on the spelling bee experience with a commentary on the grand presence of spelling bees within popular culture, inspiring movies, documentaries, and future competitors.

— Harsimran Makkad
Managing Editor

Nov. 23

Astroworld: When do we hold artists accountable?

Since she joined the section, Contributing Writer Kerrie Liang has been prolific in producing high quality content, and this cultural analysis piece reflecting on the tragedies that took place at rapper Travis Scott’s November concert is no exception. Liang stresses the importance of holding Scott and artists like him accountable for failing to foster safe environments for their fans, who shell out thousands of dollars to support them. She also draws a connection between this reckoning and the dangers of this year’s fall Lawnparties, citing the events at A$AP Ferg’s performance as an example of how artists should be proactive in ensuring audience safety. In a testament to her incisive writing, Liang not only comments on a timely event in pop culture, but grounds her analysis in an experience that is particularly resonant for Princeton readers.

— Auhjanae McGee
Head Prospect Editor

Dec. 1

Gaining 40 pounds and a sense of self

When Emma Treadway began her term as Editor-in-Chief of the ‘Prince,’ she set out to, among other goals, foster an organization that put people first. But leading an organization of over 400 people took a serious mental and physical toll. In this guest submission to The Prospect, Treadway meaningfully recalls her struggles over the years — particularly this past year — to speak up and take up space. By tracing the challenges of her tenure at the helm of the organization, Treadway reflects on how she has ultimately grown. Her emotionally impactful essay — one that was an honor to edit — sits at the heart of what The Prospect strives to do: capture and share the stories of life, in all its beauty and all its difficulty, at Princeton.

— José Pablo Fernández García
Associate Prospect Editor

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