Hello there new Princeton student, and welcome to the complicated world of bicker, sign-in, or independent status.

The clubs are definitely a tough decision considering how much of your social life will be defined by which one you join, or if you decide to forego them all together. The biggest thing is to not feel pressured one way or another. You have to do what’s right for you, even if everyone else is hyping up Charter v. Ivy, etc.

Some of the clubs are more chill than others, so ask around which ones might fit that role, or simply keep your eyes open as you listen to chatter on campus. For instance, back in my day, Colonial and Terrace made room for the people who were less obsessed with being defined by the competitiveness of their club, and instead just wanted a place to hang out and relax with friends at meals and on weekends.

If you decide to go independent - AWESOME. Way to be a baller and break free of the crowd. If you go independent there are some really cool housing options you’ll get better access to as an upperclassmen, particularly the sweet Spellman apartments (designed by I.M. Pei!). If you go independent, do it with your friends so you won’t feel like you are closed off from the energy of the campus. Also, it’s a great opportunity to get really good at cooking wayyyyy before any of your eating club friends will even be considering self-sufficiency in the kitchen as an option.

Weigh the pro’s and con’s, keep the conversations going with your friends, and if you frequent the street before you’re 21, it goes without saying to be careful and be legal.