The End Of The Road

 A wise man once wrote this about Reunions at Princeton University:

Reunions at Princeton is a time of shared joy between the institution and the people who attended it. It's nearly impossible to walk anywhere on this campus during the three days of Reunions without seeing people laughing and hugging — but if you do, you'll see people who are lost in the total fondness that they have for Princeton University itself.

What really makes it special is the way that each class is almost its own organism, an independent entity with its own unique features and mannerisms. Nothing sums that up like the Reunion jackets themselves. When you throw in all of that color and pageantry, and it ratchets up the emotion even more.

Okay, that wise man was TigerBlog, who wrote that a year ago. It's true, of course — there is nothing quite like Reunions. 

If you were anywhere around Princeton this weekend, you saw it. You don't even have to go into one of the Reunions tents. You can just walk around the campus, or even just on Nassau Street, and you'll be overwhelmed by the school spirit. 

TigerBlog has also said this before, but it's also remains true (he paraphrases himself, if such a thing is possible): There is no place else that does Reunions like this.

TB has been to about two hours of alumni days at his own alma mater in the four decades since he went there. It's not because he didn't like it there. It's not even that school spirit doesn't exist there, though TB is probably not the measuring stick for Penn school spirit. 

Again, it's simply that Princeton seems to breed loyalty better than any other place.

It starts from Day 1, or pre-Day 1, with acceptance letters and orientations. They all stress that you are now part of a class, and that you and that class will grow together. 

You are constantly reminded of your class. At last week's Gary Walters Princeton Varsity Club Banquet, TB's nametag had his name and then "P ’22," something in which he takes enormous pride — and he didn't do any of the work.

It's a long ride from getting an acceptance letter to Princeton and the euphoria it brings and Graduation Day. There is a lot to be done along the way, and each and every Princeton student has that moment, or moments, where getting to Graduation Day seems so far away, so out of reach.

Today is Graduation Day for the Class of 2023. Like the other classes affected by the pandemic, this class had to deal with yet another curveball that other classes never dreamed of dealing with in their days. There are quite a few grads today who started out in the Class of 2022 whose time to put on a cap and gown was delayed for a year when they took a gap year. 

TB hasn't missed too many Graduation Days in his years at Princeton. He's always loved to watch the processional and recessional and see all of the athletes he's watched through the years make the walk back together. 

A year ago, TigerBlog was a parent at Graduation. To all of the parents of all of the grads, you cannot even begin to be prepared for the kind of pride you're going to feel as you watch the ceremony. It was as emotional a moment as TB has ever experienced.

To everyone in the Class of 2023, congratulations on what you have accomplished. You are part of an extraordinarily special group of people, a small club of Princeton University graduates. 

It's not an easy accomplishment. Princeton has very high standards and expectations, and they are not up for debate. You cannot coast your way through Princeton University as a student.

And now you've cleared all of those hurdles. It's something that can never be taken away from you. 

It's the end of a long weekend of love for Princeton, by Princetonians of all ages and classes, all of whom come together under the one gigantic Orange and Black umbrella. 

It ends today with something very, very special.