Those who visit Elizabethtown College often find themselves admiring our tight-knit community and gorgeous outdoor spaces. Unfortunately, however, not all students make the decision to attend this institution, despite all its perks. One such student, junior English major Emma Reynolds, strangely chose to attend Princeton University rather than Etown, for reasons unknown to this author.
Reynolds is from Parkesburg, Pa. (a convenient hour away from Etown), and is extremely active in the Princeton music and English departments. A talented flute player, Reynolds has spent much of her time in college cultivating her skills—currently, she serves as the Pit Orchestra Manager for the Princeton Triangle Club, a student-written musical comedy group. She is also part of Princeton Students for Reproductive Justice, a group which works on providing resources like condoms and contraception in an economically accessible way. Beyond this, Reynolds said she is “currently working on starting a volunteer group that would allow students to help out a local nonprofit shelter by snuggling with cats.” Through this, Reynolds has certainly become an activist on and off campus for a variety of amazing causes.
Aside from school, Reynolds is an avid thrifter who is always finding something new at local thrift shops. A fashion icon for her friends—including those from Etown—Reynolds has a distinct style and creativity when it comes to clothing. Her creativity goes beyond clothing, though: crafting handmade gifts, making photo albums and other artistic activities are common hobbies for Reynolds. Upon arriving in Etown for the first time, Reynolds quickly made her way to the local thrift shops and was excited to find many fun accessories and items. However, even this could not convince her to transfer. Reynolds is a self-identified TikTok addict, journaler and cat lover (but one thing she hates is potatoes). In her free time, she enjoys watching reality TV, from “Love is Blind” to “I Love a Mamma’s Boy.”
When it comes to her questionable choice of schools, Reynolds chose Princeton “because all of the students here enter undeclared and have 2 years to explore.” Explaining further, Reynolds said, “I considered Comparative Literature, Religion, Psychology, Classics, Public Policy, Computer Science, and Italian before deciding I wanted to major in English.” In fact, one of her favorite classes at the moment is all about author Toni Morrison. Reynolds’ favorite novel in AP Literature in high school was “Song of Solomon,” and she is excited to explore even more of the acclaimed author’s work.
Fortunately for Reynolds, she has had a chance to visit Etown on multiple occasions. Her review of the College and town is fairly positive, stating “The campus is great. It has much more of a college feel than Princeton. I love that you can have cars and that there are so many stores at a walkable distance.” At the same time, however, she has heard “questionable things about Etown’s communication.” Overall, however, her impressions have been fairly positive—likely aided from the wonderful guidance of her Etown friends. Tragically, they have been unable to convince her to transfer. When asked why she didn’t consider this, Reynolds commented, “Primarily because Princeton has excellent financial aid so I will be graduating debt-free!”
Although it seems the author of this piece completely missed the part where they were supposed to interview a student from Etown, Reynolds herself is an excellent example of what any student can achieve during their college career. Despite not being an Etown student, Reynolds has a bright future ahead of her with such an impressive resume. Hopefully, her April Fools’ day is just as exciting at Princeton as it is at Etown!
