A Tourist’s Guide to Princeton

          Princeton University students bustle down the streets, shoppers lug their bags onto their shoulders to make it to their next destination, restaurants diverse in flavor line the pathways, and creatives gather to decorate the town with festive motifs or to set up a pop-up art exhibit. This is Princeton, home to Palmer Square and the famed Ivy League university of the same name. While the main attention revolves around a gorgeous university, the town itself is not one to scoff at. Only a 10-minute drive from Lawrenceville, and filled with activities, Princeton is a common area for Lawrentians to spend their days. But what is it like for a first-time visitor? And why are students so inclined to take the drive over?

          Isabelle Lee ’27, a II-Former from California, visited Princeton for the first time during Fall Term. “I was actually pretty surprised,” noted Lee.  “I didn’t know there were so many different restaurants and fun places you can go to!” She went on to elaborate, mentioning the pros of her first visits being that it was, “lively, comforting, and exciting.” She visited Princeton with a small group of Lawrenceville friends, and mentioned that, “there were a lot of people, but it wasn’t too…crazy…it was really comforting. It was also exciting because I was with my friends and we did fun stuff.” 

          Lee’s time in Princeton covered all bases from food to fun. “I remember having crepes,” she exclaimed, along with trying an array of other mouthwatering dishes. Jammin’ Crepes, a local cafe in Princeton, was one location she described. Serving crepes, soups, and spreads, all crafted from local ingredients, the eatery is known for their old-fashioned ambiance and tastes which always hit the spot. Another essential was a tasty drink!  “We always get boba…[the shop] is called Kung Fu Tea.” Lee described the drink stop as her favorite place, where her favorite drink is mango green tea. Kung Fu Tea, founded in Queens, New York, now with more than 350 storefronts, produces an array of beverages and bites which continue to impress students who visit them in Princeton. Aside from the food, Lee remarked on the quality of shopping, naming shops like Jazams, a toy store, and a wide list of clothing boutiques. 

          The food and purchases were not the highlight of her trip, though. Instead the conversations with friends are what Lee remembers most fondly, observing that, “even as a boarder, [she] doesn’t see her friends too often” when discussing her relationships with her peers. Between juggling school work and after-school activities, a visit to Princeton slows down the craziness in a way that comforts students while keeping them occupied. 

          So, when asked if she is planning on going to Princeton again, Lee sums up how many students feel; “Yes I am. Just to, once again, connect with my friends and catch up…overall, it is a perfect place.”