Princeton writings

Activism includes work for others

Many people say that activism on campus is nonexistent. Without a doubt the Princeton climate does not provoke the kind of activism that is seen on other campuses like Harvard or Berkeley. Maybe we as ambitious Princeton students are so focused on “success” that we are too busy to care about other peoples’ problems. Or…

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Acceptance of gay pride means more than passive toleration

One of the highlights of my summer was attending the Pride Parade in Toronto, Canada. However, when I mention to Princetonians that I took part, I am often met with questions of why I would attend, given that I myself am heterosexual. My reply has always been, “Why not?” The parade is fun and is…

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Being a minority in the West

I wish I were back in Japan. I went to the land of the rising sun this past summer to visit several friends and to explore a place that has always enchanted me. Although Murphy’s Law applied on the trip (let’s not go there), I hold no gripes against Japan; indeed, I really liked the…

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Travel outside your comfort zone

Summer is almost here. Many Princeton students will be using this time to travel. When students here speak of travelling they often mean to places like Florida or California. Or if they are going abroad, they typically mean to Mexico or (western) Europe, and these trips usually include stays in hotels, and time spent on…

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Not just ‘self’ segregation

The buzzword du jour on campus is “self-segregation” so I too will add my two cents. Although the recent discussions have centered on self-segregation by Asian Americans on campus, I hope to speak to a larger audience. After all, at the end of the day, we all put our pants on one leg at a…

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