Technically, intersession was a break week. In reality, Princeton students filled classrooms and studio spaces across campus to learn about topics ranging from lucid dreaming and banana bread baking to C++ programming and taxes.
The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) organizes Wintersession, held Jan. 28-Feb. 1 in the week between fall final exams and the start of spring classes. This year, USG members Matthew Bomparola and Isabella Faccone planned the week's events — 50 classes taught by students, staff, faculty and alumni, with 770 registrations. In addition to building community among the students on campus, the sessions offer personal enrichment.
"There's something peaceful about the time between the semesters — the students who are on campus get to explore some hobbies that they usually can't find the free time to do," Bomparola said. "Wintersession is a perfect way to introduce them to a variety of topics in a super low-stress environment. It's one of the programs that USG likes to offer because it really does improve student life on campus."
The slideshow below includes photos from a sampling of Wintersession classes.
1 of 20 “HighSteppers Workshop”
2 of 20 “HighSteppers Workshop”
3 of 20 “HighSteppers Workshop”
4 of 20 “HighSteppers Workshop”
5 of 20 “Research Until the Apocalypse: Navigating the Ethics of Fundamental Science Under Threats of Catastrophe”
6 of 20 “Research Until the Apocalypse: Navigating the Ethics of Fundamental Science Under Threats of Catastrophe”
7 of 20 “Unarmed Stage Combat”
8 of 20 “Unarmed Stage Combat”
9 of 20 “Unarmed Stage Combat”
10 of 20 “Unarmed Stage Combat”
11 of 20 “Storytelling and Career Exploration: 3 Tools to More Powerful Interviews”
12 of 20 “Learn to Play an Instrument with the Princeton Band”
13 of 20 “Learn to Play an Instrument with the Princeton Band”
14 of 20 “Learn to Play an Instrument with the Princeton Band”
15 of 20 “Sound of Science: Technical Journalism for Radio/Podcasting”
16 of 20 “Sound of Science: Technical Journalism for Radio/Podcasting”
17 of 20 “Drawing a Sculpture”
18 of 20 “Drawing a Sculpture”
19 of 20 “Drawing a Sculpture”
20 of 20 “Drawing a Sculpture”
The classes featured in the slideshow are: "Drawing a Sculpture," taught by Orlando Murgado, sculpture power shop supervisor in visual arts in the Lewis Center for the Arts; "HighSteppers Workshop," taught by sophomore Ally McGowen, graduate student Peter Wang, and first-year student Mel McCloy; "Learn to Play an Instrument with the Princeton Band," taught by sophomore Conor Rachlin and other members of the Princeton University Band; "Research Until the Apocalypse: Navigating the Ethics of Fundamental Science Under Threats of Catastrophe," taught by graduate student Brian Kraus, student group Princeton Citizen Scientists, and featuring postdoctoral research associate in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute Sama Ahmed, Associate Professor of African American Studies Ruha Benjamin and Senior Associate Director of Graduate Student Career Development in Career Services Susanne Killian; "Sound of Science: Technical Journalism for Radio/Podcasting," taught by graduate student Brian Kraus; "Storytelling and Career Exploration: 3 Tools to More Powerful Interviews," taught by 1989 graduate alumna Carol Barash; and "Unarmed Stage Combat," taught by sophomore Minjae Kim.
