Many of the most engaging moments on campus were reflected in TigerConfessions. Students engaged on topics of divestment, optional or universal Pass/D/Fail (P/D/F) during the initial COVID lockdown, and contentious USG referenda.

USG

"usg"

The fraction of posts containing the word “USG” peaked in April 2020 and October 2022. The peak in April 2020 likely correlates with the debate around having universal or optional P/D/F options at the start of COVID. Students had strong opinions over whether or not the University should implement a mandatory P/D/F policy, with some students calling those who wanted universal P/D/F “lazy fuckers” and “undedicated scrubs,” whereas others took a different perspective, with one student writing: “I cannot believe that USG did nothing to advocate for universal PDF.” What the USG did and did not do on universal P/D/F became a key issue for discussion in the December 2020 USG presidential election, which former Academics Chair Christian Potter eventually won.

Of 50 posts in April 2020 that mentioned “USG,” 34 percent of posts mentioned “PDF”; 14 percent mentioned “fuck”; 30 percent mentioned “represent”; and 26 percent mentioned “poll”. The context of the posts that mentioned “poll” and “USG” were related to the lack of a USG poll on having an optional or universal P/D/F. The words “PDF” and “optional” were among the most common words used in a post containing the word “USG” for all time.

Lawnparties

Posts mentioning lawnparties are particularly common, with peaks in both May and September, leading up to spring and fall lawnparties respectively, and in the run-up to the announcement of the headliner.

"lawnparties"

The amount that USG spent on a virtual Lawnparties event in Fall 2020 drove a lot of the discussion, with the most common words associated with “lawnparties” being “USG,” “article,” “year,” “campus,” and “money.” The type of backlash that the virtual Lawnparties generated was the type of event that TigerConfessions best elevated.

Referenda

"referendum"

The fraction of posts containing the word “referendum” hit an all-time peak in April of 2022, during discussion of a controversial referendum calling for the University to boycott the usage of Caterpillar machinery in campus construction projects given that the company also supplies machinery to the Israeli government. Referendums on divestment, election day as a holiday, and mental health generated nowhere near the amount of discussion as the Caterpillar referendum, which was extended due to a protracted battle over the victor in that referendum.

"israel"

The fraction of posts containing “Israel” also hit a peak that month — though the country peaked multiple times in the group due to frequent campus debates.

Divestment

"divest"

The fraction of posts containing the word “divest” has increased over time. Mentions peaked in February 2022, when Divest Princeton filed a legal complaint with the New Jersey Attorney General to press for complete divestment.

Construction

"construction"

The fraction of posts containing the word “construction” peaked in March, July, and October of 2022. Since the 2021–2022 academic year, Princeton has undertaken significant construction projects, including the building of Hobson College, a new art museum, a new School of Engineering and Applied Science, and a new geo-exchange system to help reach Princeton’s goal of being a net-zero carbon emissions campus by 2046.

Sentiment surrounding construction has been overall negative, with confessions such as: