The Good and the Bad (so far)

After the first week I have somewhat of a good idea of the place and what it's like. Of course, as always, there are things to love and things that I am not so excited about, but oh well...that's just how life is.

Likes:
1. Campus and the town are beautiful. As I explore the area around the graduate dorms, it feels like I am living in a forest, rather than a university campus. Squirrels, rabbits and other animals abound. Just today, I saw a woodpecker. And people have also reported seeing deer near the dorms. It is a quiet and peaceful place. The rest of campus looks like a cross between something out of a medieval movie and Harry Potter. There is an art museum with (supposedly) an excellent collection, the McCarter Theatre that is (also supposedly) famous and attracts excellent productions, beautiful botanical gardens and so forth.

2. Some amazing people come to speak at Princeton, and in my program, we even invite some of them to dinner so a number of the students get to interact with them face-to-face. That is a rare privilege, I realize.

3. Related to that is the quality of professors here and, also, of my classmates. Definitely higher than in a lot of places.

Dislikes:
1. For all the beauty and tranquility of campus and the special character of Princeton (the town), I just can't help but be reminded of Smith and Northampton (the town in W. Massachusetts in which Smith is located) and the feeling of feeling stuck for the majority of the time there. I know this time that won't be the case, since NYC is just an hour away by train and I will very soon have a car as well, so I can leave any time I want. But that nagging feeling still persists (I am sure some of the international ex-Smithies might be able to relate). Perhaps it will go away after a few weeks and especially when I finally get the car. I really hope so, because I hate HATE feeling this way. And it's not like I feel this way all the time or that it's an overwhelming feeling, but it is always there, somewhere in the back of my mind and heart.

2. Nightlife really is close to non-existent. Apart from the D-Bar (the bar located in the graduated dorms), everything else really is way too expensive. And, even so, there isn't an abundance of bars in Princeton. And let's not even get on the topic of places to dance. So, I guess, it seems like I will be spending a lot of time in the D-Bar and hopefully making up for the lack of partying some weekends in NYC.

3. I don't mean to sound snobby, but I find the people that walk the streets of Princeton (the town) annoying. I don't know why exactly. Just the way they walk, talk, and their attitude annoys me. Maybe it's because they are rich, or maybe because they exemplify a side of America I don't really like, who knows. And, yes, the undergrads are too. (Yes, I realize this comment makes me sound old, but hey, I guess I am 10 years older than the freshmen at this point, and I am not ashamed of that fact.)

In rereading this entry, I realized that my likes and dislikes seem to fall very neatly into two categories. I like everything academic-related and dislike the social scene (at least in the town). But c'est la vie. I am definitely not complaining that I am here. I am sure it will be a great two years! (or so I tell myself at any moment I start feeling a little apathetic or disappointed for any reason)

If anyone out there is familiar with the area and can clue me in on any fun activities (including dancing, theatre, outdoors stuff), I would love to hear from you.