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Exclusives: Comparative Life November
21, 2001: By Kristen Albertsen
'02 Talk of community and
solidarity these past two months has caused me to reflect on Princeton's
own microcosm of national patriotism: the community of the Class.
As 2002, a year that holds a special resonance for me and about
1,200 other undergraduates, swiftly approaches, this unique form
of community grows more pertinent and more powerful. Class consciousness at
Princeton is cultivated even before we step foot on campus. Months
before I arrived in September 1998, I was welcomed by Admissions
Dean Fred as a member of the incoming Class of 2002 and was handed
a button that with mortifying volubility proclaimed my status as
a prefrosh. Returning to campus a few months later as a freshman,
I immediately recognized the necessity of owning a large Princeton
University 2002 banner that dominated my tiny dorm room. A few days
later Triangle Club celebrated my arrival with a tailored performance
entitled "2002: Palindromes Are Fun!" That fall, Cane
Spree ushered in the phenomenon of competitive class consciousness,
complemented by the deluge of 2002 apparel and accessories purchased
and given to me by parents, organizations, sports teams, and residential
colleges. After that initial onslaught
of '02-dom and subsequent occasional class study breaks, my incipient
class awareness seemed to subside. My class was the first class
to unwillingly abstain from the Nude Olympics, the event that had
heralded class unity for nearly 30 years. No other symbolic action
was found suitable as a replacement, and so we continued to drift
along, hundreds of disparate '02ers seeking a bond. It wasn't until
this year, senior year, that class pride was resurrected with desperate
force. The success of this resurrection
has thus far been dubious. Senior Week comes to a close toward the
end of November amidst many apathetic absences and yawns. Already
the choice of our beer jacket has stirred controversy. Many seniors
feel closer to recently graduated friends or sophomore significant-others
than to our class. And yet, I believe it is a matter of inevitability.
After enduring together everything from our theses to September
11 and its aftermath, the Class of 2002 is beginning to develop
common experiences and loci of connections. However, the full import
of perpetually tagging an '02 after our names will only hit us retrospectively.
It will take graduation and a more tenuous grasp on the Princeton
community and Princeton memories for the true strength of our class
community to shine. Kristen Albertsen is majoring in comparative literature. You can reach her at albertsn@princeton.edu
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