<p>lol <em>late meal</em></p>
<p><em>moans about tragic typing skills or the lack thereof</em></p>
<p>If freshman are not allowed to have cars, how do they get around when they have doctor or dentist appts, etc?
S goes to a LAC where they have "dial-a-ride" which is a type of chauffeur service to drive students around to their appts, the airport, etc, (that are not covered by the shuttle-bus route).
D will go to Princeton. How will she get to necessary appts?</p>
<p>They have a campus medical facility. Also, Princeton Medical Center is walking distance. For purchasing, there is a NJ transit bus to the mall. Minor necessities can be purchased at the U-store, WAWA, Wild Oats or CVS Pharmacy - all walking distance.</p>
<p>Airport transportation is handled by the train system. The "Dinky" leaves for Princeton Junction regularly. Then trains from Princeton Junction go right into Newark Airport. There is also a van shuttle that goes from Palmer Square.</p>
<p>Is it necessary to bring a car after your freshman year, or is it more of a hassle than a luxury?</p>
<p>From Princeton Junction, you can also take trains to Phila and two other new york airports.</p>
<p>generally people don't go to doctors appts, dentist appts etc. mostly those are scheduled around breaks. McCosh infirmary can handle most services (including xrays and such) and if you need them to transport you to the hospital, im pretty sure that they would. PMC is currently within walking distance, but im pretty sure McCosh will make sure you see the right specialist. CVS is a full service pharmacy and has some groceries and stuff too. The U-store also has a pharmacy.</p>
<p>you can get to route 1 via a bus, and you can always ask upperclassmen for a ride.</p>
<p>it wasn't too much of a pain to not have a car freshman year, but it's nice to have the other years (if you live nearby-ish) its not really a hassle as the parking is pretty cheap-- but don't expect to use your car very often, I use mine once a week at most, usually every other week.</p>
<p>Thanks, all, for your input and advice. What I meant was what if a student needs to regularly see a specialist that the University hospital may not have? For instance, some students need to have their orthodontic work checked every six weeks, bands changed, progress noted, etc. If a wire pops out, they need to see an orthodontist as soon as possible. Is there some kind of ride service (like my S's LAC dial-a-ride) or must the student always try to find an upperclassman for a ride?</p>
<p>there isnt anything that I know of-- i suppose that you could call a taxi? And its also possible that the orthodontist could have an office on nassau street and thus be within a walkable distance. If it was really an issue, I'm pretty sure that you could get a parking permit for a freshman if there is a medical reason to have one-- they have a lot of parking, they just want to keep freshmen in the area of campus</p>
<p>UCmomma: google orthodontist+princeton and you will see several within walking distance. I don't think there is a dial-a-ride type service. But taxi is always an option.</p>
<p>I'm doing this orthodontist thing this year (and most likely next as well). My orthodontist is located in Princeton, but not downtown, so I take the bus to the office. Considering it's only $1.25 per ride, it's not that bad of a deal. Most other things are located right on Nassau, except for big stores like Wal-Mart/Sam's Club/Best Buy/etc., which are located on Route 1.</p>
<p>Copy of a question I asked in the main Princeton forum:</p>
<p>How's the "intellectual life" at Princeton? Are students introspective and discuss their intellectual interests outside class? Bright, I'm guessing, is prerequisite, but is that intelligence reserved just for the classroom or outside it as well?</p>
<p>Thanks ec1234, simba, philntex and all others who have been so helpful with the orthodontist thing. What a great Princeton family for D to get connected with!</p>
<p>People discuss class material outside of class, but it's usually not the center of dinner conversation, hah. Certain classes seem to breed outside discussion more than others (e.g. the HUM sequence), but almost everyone has been known to bring up things they've learned in class (or elsewhere) in random conversations. My favorite convos (and I've had a ton o' them with my roomies, good friends, and others) are the ones that happen really late at night and are about really intense, personal philosophies/beliefs/etc that lie outside the realm of academia. Those are the ones that count, and those are the ones you can definitely look forward to in coming to Princeton.</p>
<p>Is poker popular on campus? Is it easy to find a game and how much is the typical buy in or cash game?</p>
<p>
[quote]
If freshman are not allowed to have cars, how do they get around when they have doctor or dentist appts, etc?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You'll probably need a taxi or bus if they can't take care of it at McCosh. Most people schedule around breaks. However, I'd recommend discussing it with McCosh or your Residential College staff if it's going to be a recurring problem.</p>
<p>
[quote]
S goes to a LAC where they have "dial-a-ride" which is a type of chauffeur service to drive students around to their appts, the airport, etc, (that are not covered by the shuttle-bus route).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>We've got that. It's called P-Rides. I don't know if they do medical appointments. They're primarily used for on-campus transport, and picking people up from the Princeton Junction train station late at night after the Dinky stops running.</p>
<p>How much you need a car is a personal decision. Everything you REALLY need is on Nassau Street. If you want to expend the effort, it's possible to get to the mall (by bus) or Princeton Shopping Center (by bike). You don't need a car to get to NYC, Philadelphia, or the Newark Airport. Cars are useful for getting to the Walmart, Target, or mainstream movie theaters. (There is the Garden Theater on Nassau that specializes in independent films.) You certainly don't need a car every day, and parking is a walk from central campus.</p>
<p>It is, however, good to have a few friends with cars. If you live within a couple hours' drive of Princeton and have a car already, it's probably a good idea to bring it with you. I don't. If I had a car on campus, my insurance would probably go much higher for no real benefit (can't even use the car to drive home for breaks).</p>
<p>
[quote]
How's the "intellectual life" at Princeton? Are students introspective and discuss their intellectual interests outside class?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Some more than others, but absolutely.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is poker popular on campus? Is it easy to find a game and how much is the typical buy in or cash game?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Poker is definitely popular. I don't really play, so I'm not sure what is typical. I know people who play some <em>really</em> cheap ($2-5) games, and have heard legends of $50 games. That leads me to believe you can probably find whatever level you're looking for. (There are also free poker tournaments with prizes from time to time; it's a popular event idea to propose to the Alcohol Initiative.)</p>
<p>Do you know much about dance at Princeton? I'm a ballet dancer now, but I previously did most of my training in modern, so by now I'm just mediocre at both, but I would love to dance in college. Are most of the performance opportunities exclusive, or are there audition-free and more relaxed activities too?</p>
<p>are there pool tables on campus?</p>
<p>Yeah, I believe there are 2 pool tables in Frist and other's scattered in various spots around campus.</p>
<p>I'm all over the dance question, haha. I'm in a dance group on campus, and I love it. One of the great things at Princeton is that there are so many options open for dancers. First, there's of course the academic program done through Princeton at 185 Nassau, which houses the theatre, dance, and creative writing programs. Most of the class offerings are centered around modern technique and choreography, so you'd definitely have the chance to expand your education in that arena. The dance department is putting on a large-scale production in the Berlind Theatre (a beautiful space on campus) called L'Apres-Midi d'un Faune, and it looks like it could end up being a pretty big thing. The department routinely does things like that.</p>
<p>Outside of that, there are many different student groups on campus ranging from groups dealing with modern, lyrical, jazz, ballet, ethnic/cultural, tap, or some combination of those. Most are by audition, but it's a great experience getting out and finding other dancers on campus. I doubt you'll regret it. The company I'm in has really helped to integrate me into the non-freshman social life on campus in addition to helping me grow as a dancer (I basically started from scratch). In the community, there are several different organizations who look for dancers to help with after-school classes and activities, so definitely be on the look out for that. Dance at Princeton is great, and even non-dancers should take a serious look at the opportunities available upon arriving on campus.</p>