Princeton Undergraduate Student Government

I want to offer you my sincerest congratulations for getting into one of the best universities in the world. I’m delighted that you made the right choice, and I hope you can enjoy the feelings of success and accomplishment in spite of the sense of apprehension and insecurity that hit most of us before setting foot on the finely-groomed lawns of Princeton’s campus. I assure you that these feelings are entirely normal.

To ease your mind, let me tell you that when I arrived on campus, I was sure that I would be the dumbest, most ill-prepared student at Princeton: it’s terrifying when you realize that the best and brightest have been concentrated into less than a square mile.

My advice is to not let this fact intimidate you, but rather, to let it empower you.

You were selected because, in some real, tangible way, you are excellent. The admissions staff didn’t make a mistake; you didn’t slip through the cracks. You were hand-selected from thousands and thousands of other applicants because you have something special that we need here. Don’t shy away from that; from the unapologetic faith in your unique abilities and character. Ultimately, it is that faith that will allow you to make your mark on Princeton, however big or small. Have the courage to make this mark, and the humility to allow Princeton to make its mark on you.

You’ve just won the lottery. You’ll walk through the gates of Fitz-Randolph into a hotbed of intellectual discourse and diversity, where, all in the same day, you might talk to your friend about a mind-blowing conversation he just had with Joyce Carol Oates, chat with Cornel West about his most recent conversation with Obama, and speak with Toni Morrison and Phylicia Rashād about black feminism (that was a great day).

But while Princeton is incredible, the reason it’s incredible is because every year, a new class arrives and changes expectations, challenges the status quo, and stretches the entire University’s understanding of what it means to be an undergraduate. The future of Princeton is in your hands, and everyone is counting on you to take care of her long after we leave.

Remember that, at the end of the day, you are the architect of your experience here. Whether you want to be a scholar, an athlete, an activist, or any combination thereof—do so with the unbridled passion, commitment, and intelligence that brought you here in the first place. You have four years here; four years to soak up as much as you can from classmates, teammates, professors, and all others who make Princeton so special.

If you are interested in serving in student government while at Princeton, I encourage you to check out the Undergraduate Student Government website at http://usg.princeton.edu/. I can tell you that, along with singing a cappella with the Princeton Nassoons, student government has been by far my most rewarding experience at Princeton thus far.

Congratulations, and once again, welcome to Princeton.

Sincerely,

Connor Diemand-Yauman, ‘10

Student Body President