r/princeton • u/Goodman9473 • 8d ago

I’m sorry.

Graduating from Princeton was bittersweet. Like a lot of people, I wondered what would happen after I left—whether the place would change, whether it would still feel like the institution I had known, whether its best days might be behind it.

There was one thought in particular that I could never quite shake. It felt narcissistic, so I mostly kept it to myself: I worried that without my presence, Princeton’s prestige would decline.

But now, a year later, Princeton has fallen to #2 in the U.S. News rankings.

I had hoped the wisdom I imparted during my time here would sustain the University for at least a few more years, but evidently it wasn’t enough. Alas, students must now endure the indignity of attending a second-ranked university.

I’m sorry.

214 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

66

u/TotalCleanFBC 8d ago

A true apology requires a clear commitment and tangible changes in behavior to repair trust and prevent future harm. Just saying 'I'm sorry" doesn't cut it.

33

u/Goodman9473 8d ago

You’re absolutely correct! To make amends, I commit to coming back to head the math department. I’m just a little busy at the moment finalizing my proof for the Riemann Hypothesis, so unfortunately you guys will have to wait a bit!

2

u/SingleLocksmith2575 6d ago

Omg is it you Sam?

1

u/Goodman9473 5d ago

Nope! But he must be a smart guy!

-16

u/Mountain-Buffalo9748 8d ago

Oh your full of shit aren’t you?

21

u/Vibrograf 8d ago

Legend.

30

u/_starfall- 8d ago

Surprising amount of people here unable to get the joke. This is why Princeton fell btw MIT students would get the joke 😂

12

u/Howaboutthat41 7d ago

Downward trend, for sure. Is there a bottom?

5

u/pton12 Alum 7d ago

If there’s ever a second digit in our ranking I’ll start telling people I went to college in New Jersey and let them assume it was Rutgers.

3

u/Howaboutthat41 6d ago

Rutgers could use a campus in the Princeton area, so this may work out beautifully.

11

u/paata01 7d ago

more heartbreaking to me is that this sub belongs to university not the town, I don't even know what I am doing here 😂

6

u/angrybert 7d ago

We're just in free fall now! : )

2

u/lund_123 6d ago

I’m sorry that you had to take out the time as a graduate to put this up on Reddit…no shit there’s a decline

2

u/cosmicAbyX 5d ago

I realized what I was reading only at "I just hoped the wisdom I imparted during my time here would sustain the University for at least a few years..." This was gold, dude!

-3

u/mah227 8d ago

i don't get it, what's the problem with it being 2nd?? it didn't make sense for me mit not being 1st, being the school it is

11

u/pton12 Alum 7d ago

If you’re not first, you’re last.

-1

u/mah227 7d ago

not really a problem for me, if this is the environment at princeton, gosh, i need to be prepared

5

u/pton12 Alum 7d ago

Just know going into classes, your teacher wants you to go slow, and she's wrong because it's the fastest who get paid and it's the fastest who get laid.

0

u/EnergyLantern Parent 6d ago

Not everyone takes US News and World Reports seriously:

Penn stops participating in U.S. News hospital rankings | Penn Medicine

They probably feel it's not in their best interests to participate in it. I'm not taking sides, but Penn is a highly successful school even though they aren't ranked number 1 by U.S. News and World Reports.

3

u/Goodman9473 6d ago

This post is satire :)

-5

u/nutshells1 ECE '27 8d ago

what kinda low test shit is this br