Princeton’s known for being a bit confusing for a freshman or any first-time visitor. When you’re at orientation, no one bothers to tell you “Richardson Auditorium” is labeled on a map as “Alexander Hall.”* Can you blame me for also mixing up “Pyne” and “East Pyne”? And who decided it was a good idea to put “1967 Hall” right next to “1976 Hall”?!
But now with the advent of two separate gargantuan donations, Princeton’s going to be christening some new buildings– a dance studio and theatre named after the Wallace brothers‘ $15 million donation, and the new psychology building designated for Peretsman and Scully‘s $20 million contribution.
Which means folks, Princeton is now going to have TWO WALLACES and TWO SCULLYS.
So to help the future freshman and any lost visitor at Princeton cope with the fact that our entire university is funded by like, ten dudes, here is a little cheat sheet.
THE UPC GUIDE TO PRINCETON’S CONFUSING PLACE NAMES
McCosh
One is: The Health Center near Frist
The other is: The halls where the English, American studies department can be found
Hint: If it’s being used as a verb (aka “McCosh’d”) it’s the health center. If it’s a giant lecture hall, it’s McCosh 50. If it’s a giant lecture hall with comfy seats, it’s McCosh 10.
Fisher
One is: A hall in Whitman College
The other is: Behind Woody Woo, Home of the Econ Department
Henry
One is: A yellow house
The other is: A junior slum hall
Hint: if John McPhee is there, it’s not the junior slums.
Bendheim
One is: Bendheim Hall, housing more econ/finance types
The other is: Bendheim Center of Finance, housing more… oh, darn it
Hint: They’re right next to each other, so if you mess up you won’t have far to go.
Witherspoon
One is: A hall in Rockefeller College
The other is: A cafe in Frist
The OTHER is: A street up north of Nassau
Lewis
One is: The library with all the expensive stuff in it
The other is: The Lewis center for the arts located at 185 Nassau Street
The OTHER OTHER is: The Lewis Thomas labs for Mol Bio kids
Jadwin
One is: Full of jocks
The other is: Full of physics majors
… And the list goes on. Some others we’ll just briefly mention: Feinberg and Wilf are both in the Center for Jewish Life, but they’re also their own halls on campus. Campbell is both a field and a hall. And Dodge-Osborn is not the place to get cookies, that’s Murray-Dodge.
Enjoy getting lost!
post inspired by EPK ’14 and MW ’11
* Correction: in an earlier version of this post, this author conflated Richardson Auditorium and Robertson Hall. Case in point: Princeton is confusing.
Why wasn’t it:
Jadwin
One is: Full of jocks
The other is: Full of nerds
seriously.