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“HEY PRINCETON!”

You’ve definitely heard her piano, but probably not her voice. (For the record, she has a cool German-British-Chinese accent.) UPC sits down with the Frist piano player again, but this time it’s a girl—Sophie Zhang, a post-year grad student in physics who interrupts your studies plays in Frist every day:

Why do you play at Frist?

Not many people can hear you, or at least they’re not paying attention, so it’s a good place to practice or do anything.

But doesn’t it take a lot of guts to play in one of the most popular places on campus?

Not really. Piano is something I’m comfortable playing in front of a lot of people.

What are your favorite pieces to play at Frist? Do you change up your repertoire according to your mood?

I don’t know that many pieces so it’s the same thing every day.

If you could play anywhere in the world, where would you play?

If I were really good, I’d say something like Carnegie Hall, but I don’t really care. I like Frist because it’s nice playing in front of people, even if they aren’t really listening. Also, you’re taking a lot of notes.

I know, I’m a journalist. Anyway, how do you respond to all the criticisms about “the annoying Frist piano player”?

Really? I’ve never heard anything.

During Dean’s Date, especially, people studying in Frist will complain about it or post something on PrincetonFML… in a joking manner, of course.

Well, Frist isn’t a particularly quiet space, so A) if no one is playing the piano themselves, they wouldn’t mind me taking up the space and B) I’m—hopefully—not really bad and creating excruciating pain to everyone around me.

Sep 21, 2012

The Woman Behind the Piano: The Frist Piano Player

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Hey Princeton! So what’s the deal with these new keyless locks? I can function for days on four hours of sleep, and I can write a paper in a day, but what can’t I do? Get into my own room. Poor little homeless Princeton girl.

Apparently, I’m not alone:

HEY GUY WEARING SHORTS EVEN THOUGH IT’S 40 DEGREES!

What do you think of the new locks?
They’re so annoying. Because you can’t open them with more—er less—than two hands.

Do you need help opening your door?
Usually I’m fiddling with it, and then my roommate hears me after three tries and comes to open it.

Have you tried getting into your room while drunk?
Yes, actually. Two nights ago.

Was it difficult?
I got it.

How?
Somehow it worked.

HEY GIRL CARRYING A LAUNDRY BAG!

Have you tried getting into your room drunk and struggled with the new lock?
That hasn’t been an issue yet. Because the crew team’s dry. I’m sure that would be a problem though. I hadn’t thought about that!

New Lock Poses Challenges for Princeton Students

HEY GUY WITH THE BROKEN ARM!

What do you think of the new locks?
I think they’re nice except you need two hands to open them, and one of my hands is in a sling right now. I’ve been working on the one-hand technique. Maybe I’ll get it. Maybe I won’t. I like the old locks better.

Have you been practicing with one hand?
Yeah, absolutely. I’ve also been duct-taping the lock shut.

Duct tape?
Yeah, so I don’t need to unlock it sometimes. The hole that the locking device goes into, I cut a credit card in half and put it over the front and duct-taped it shut. If I can’t get the lock, the door’s not locked anyways.

HEY GIRL WALKING UP THE STAIRS!

So what do you think of the new locks?
I like how they look. But it’s kind of a hassle opening them up because sometimes it doesn’t open even when you put the key in and turn it. Sometimes I just prop the door open.

How many times does it take you to open your door?
On the first try because I’ve learned the trick by now … It really requires that both of your hands be empty. I have to put everything down.

How are the roommates/friends doing with the locks?
Both of my roommates always struggle. Always struggle.

HEY GIRL CARRYING TWO BAGELS FROM THE DINING HALL!

So what do you think of the new locks?
To be honest, I don’t like them very much. Because it takes two hands to open.

Do you have roommates or friends who just cannot get into their room?
Yeah, for sure. I’ve had to open the door a number of times for my roommate.

How are you going to open your door now with the bagels and all?
I have no idea. I’ll probably tuck the bagels into my elbow.

Mar 31, 2012

New Locks Are Not So User-Friendly

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Apparently tonight is a big night. Or something.

HEY TOWER BICKEREE! How do you feel the night before decisions?

Ambivalent.

Care to elaborate?

Sure.

…

…

HEY TWO GIRLS I MET GETTING SUSHI! Are you bickering?

Girl 1: We aren’t using the ‘b’ word tonight.

Are you two roommates?

Girl 1 and 2: Yup.

But you’re bickering separate clubs?

Girl 1: Cap.

Girl 2: Tower.

So, how are you feeling tonight?

Girl 1: We’re not talking about it.

Girl 2: Like I honestly want to vomit. You can quote me on that.

HEY SHIRTLESS GUY WHO’S BICKERING CAP! What are you planning to do tonight?

Oh you know, just hanging out with friends. Hey, would you like a mango bubble tea?

Sure! Thanks, man. Wait, what’s the stereotype about Cap?

Chill, you know, lots of broham…

Broham. Got it.

Feb 9, 2012

HEY PRINCETON: Bicker Decisions Eve Edition

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Friday night’s annual student gala at the Princeton Art Museum, “This is Collage,” featured music, students dressed as famous artists, and large platters of Olives cookies.

But one of the main draws to the well-attended event: a table kept well stocked with fake mustaches of various shapes. We asked some attendees to tell us the story behind their mustache.

  • DSC_0002Savannah Hankinson ’13 as Salvador Dali

    • Well, my mustache. Em, I have many problems with my father, so I grew it out of rebellion, de mi padre, for my father. I think it is very sensual, sexual, como–like my paintings. Yes. And, people cannot resist it, and I think it looks wonderful. It brings out the surrealism that I like to live, through my life and my paintings, and my films as well.

  • DSC_0006Marjorie Crowell ’12 and Ashley Wenke, Rutgers

    • Am I wearing my mustache upside down?
    Ashley: I don’t think so.
    I just like yours more than mine.
    Marjorie: Yours is more like Burt Reynolds, I think.
    That’s the vibe I’m getting. So tell me about your mustaches.
    Ashley: Well, it was a very hard decision, what mustache I was going to pick.  Ultimately, I saw Marj going for the little curl flip, and I could not resist.
    How would you describe your mustache?
    Ashley: Charlie Chaplin?
    Marjorie: Yeah. We saw the mustaches, and no one else was wearing them. So we debated for a while whether it’d be weird to be the first ones to put them on. I think there may have been one other person, but he was like, hanging out in the corner. Which is obviously what you want to do when you are the only one wearing a fake mustache.

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Apr 15, 2011

Hey Princeton! Mustache edition

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Some highlights (lowlights?) from weekend one:

HEY PREFROSH WHO LIKE TO FINISH EACH OTHERS’ SENTENCES!  How do you think Princeton is perceived by the outside world?
Prefrosh A: There’s like this elitist image –
Prefrosh B: Yeah, especially with the eating clubs –
Prefrosh A: The eating clubs are this big scary thing that no one understands –
Prefrosh B: Because other colleges have frats, which you can understand –
Prefrosh A: But it’s not obvious what “eating clubs” should entail –
Prefrosh B: Like, what’s an eating club?  People eating?  But it’s more than that, right?
Yeah.

HEY PREFROSH ARGUING WITH EACH OTHER!  I’m just gonna listen in for a bit before I interject!
Prefrosh C: Okay, then what would you say to my friend who got a 2300 on the SAT, worked his ass off for four years and didn’t even get into any of the top schools?
Prefrosh D: Try harder.
Whoa.  What are you guys talking about?
Prefrosh C: What we’re discussing is what’s better:  the system of admissions into schools in America or the system of admissions into schools in India and China.
India and China?
Prefrosh C: THANK YOU!
No, that was just, like, a restatement.
Prefrosh D: He was just repeating the last few words you said.
Yeah.

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Apr 19, 2010

Hey Princeton!: Pre-Frosh Edition

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It’s 11:15 PM on a Monday much like this one. I’m on the third floor of Frist, trying to get a head start on the week’s reading. I’m a few pages in when, all the sudden, the din begins. BANGBANGBANG.

Who decided to put a piano in Frist? How is it that one individual can be allowed to impose his sonic stylings on hundreds of unconsenting listeners? What kind of person chooses to do this? Who hurt this person, long ago, when he was young and more easily hurtable, and why must he respond by hurting my ears? Can you ever really play the pain away?

Unanswerable questions, perhaps. But of one thing I am certain: If Frist Piano Player gets to interrupt my studying, I get to interrupt his piano playing. With an interview!

HEY FRIST PIANO PLAYER! How long have you been playin’ piano?
Since I was six.

Since you were six? Who taught you?
A whole bunch of different teachers. I don’t actually have any now.

Are you learning a new piece? What is it?
This is Debussy. I’ve been looking at it for a while.

Is Debussy one of your favorites?
He’s interesting, so… [tries to turn away].

What goes through your mind when you’re playing the piano? Does it go blank? I wouldn’t know because I’m not a very musical person.
It’s a lot like solving a puzzle, figuring out what your muscles and your skeletal structure should do. And the intellectual challenge.

Why is piano important to your life?
I don’t know… it’s music. Why is music important?

Why IS music important?
[Long pause] Oh, you’re asking me.

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Apr 12, 2010

Hey Princeton! (Frist Piano Edition)

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