Best Class, Best Year ... Best Class Day?

Earlier this year, senior class president Chris Lloyd unveiled the slogan "Best Class, Best Year" for the Class of 2006's final year at Princeton. While that claim might be a bit grandiose, Lloyd and friends might just have pulled off the best Class Day in recent memory this morning on Cannon Green.

Before the festivities could get started, of course, Beer Jacket-wearing seniors went through our daily ritual of standing in line for an inexplicably long period of time (at least we got bagels today) while our parents readied their cameras. Eventually, we processed, they photographed, yadda, yadda, yadda.



Once we got settled, President Bill Clinton, the much-anticipated keynote speaker, made a rock-star like entrance -- "Eye of the Tiger" was playing over the loud speakers -- as seniors jumped atop their seats in hopes of getting a glimpse of No. 42. And for the first time all weekend, my parents (like many others) seemed more interested in taking pictures of someone other than me.


President (of the University) Shirley Tilghman started things off by presenting incoming '06 president Danny Pugliese with a giant key, noting that it gives the Class of 2006 24-hour access to many things -- including Princeton's endowment, though only for deposits. (For the record, that's at least the third consecutive year she's made that joke. Perhaps if we give enough money, she'll be able to buy some new material for next year.)

Next up was President Clinton. He was introduced by senior Lauren Bush, who noted that among Clinton's many accomplishments, he has recently become the favored traveling buddy of her grandfather, better known as Prez. Bush the elder (ahh, connections). Speaking almost entirely extemporaneously, Clinton eloquently shared his vision of the "interdependent" 21st Century world and how he believed we could use our power to affect change. Without question, his words challenged and inspired every listener, no matter their political beliefs. To paraphrase former vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen, Bill Clinton is no Chevy Chase. (If you weren't on hand for last year's Class Day, that's a good thing. A verrrry good thing.)

The honor of following Clinton at the podium went to another president, Mr. Lloyd, who opened his speech by explaining that doing so is every public speaker's worst nightmare. Nonetheless, Chris delivered a truly excellent speech of his own -- I've got several pictures of Prez. Clinton laughing at his one-liners -- sharing 10 things every senior should do in their last 24 hours as an undergrad. (No. 4: Call our friends at Yale, mention that we enjoyed listening to Clinton and David Sedaris this weekend, and ask whether they enjoyed their graduation speaker, Anderson "360" Cooper.)

From there, a steady stream of the best and brightest of the '06ers were honored for their accomplishments. Seniors Ben Fast and Maggie Dillon both delivered humorous addresses, too, with Fast's in particular -- an explanation of how he developed his long-wished for super hero power while at Princeton -- drawing big laughs from the crowd.

After the festivities, seniors and family members reunited for boxed lunches on Alexander Beach. I assume the point of this event is to help parents better understand why we spent so much complaining about the dining services food.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with departmental receptions (and, for me at least, a much-enjoyed nap). Many of us will be heading to Jadwin Gym for the Senior Prom in a few hours, because the weekend clearly wouldn't be complete without grandma experiencing DJ Bob for herself.

For now, though, I've got a phone call to make to friends at Yale. Can't wait to hear about Anderson Cooper.

-- David Baumgarten '06, Managing editor emeritus; photos by Sherry Zhang '09, Princetonian staff photographer

Streaming video available

For those of you who weren't able to make it to Class Day to see President Clinton, the University has made a video stream of the event available. Broadband version here and low-band version here.

Full story coming soon on our main site.

-- Chan Sethi '07, Editor-in-chief

The $160,000 concert

Just got back from the senior step sing, a tradition that, according to my program, is nearly as old as the University: "On the warm spring nights of 1760, members of the senior class began to congregate on the front steps of Nassau Hall to sing jovial songs while townspeople and other Princeton students watched."

Two centuries later, the specifics have changed a bit, but the main idea -- jovial songs -- is more or less the same. Somewhere along the way, someone decided that the event was something that parents would enjoy -- and, indeed, the hundreds of family members in attendance seemed to be smiling. They also looked slightly perplexed as to how 1,000 supposedly brilliant students could be so excited to sing a Neil Diamond song. (Hint: Having a beer or two beforehand helps.)

Speaking of Neil Diamond, the program was a combination of "popular songs" (voted on by the '06ers) and traditional "Princeton songs." None of us seemed to actually know the words to any of the "Princeton songs," other than Old Nassau. I guess we should have spent less time on our theses and more time learning songs -- Who knew? Anyway, I doubt anyone actually cares, but for the sake of posterity, here's the set list for the evening:

1. Don't Stop Believing - Journey
2. Senior Step Song
3. Integer Vitae
4. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynyrd
5. The Orange and Black
6. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
7. Going Back
8. Piano Man - Billy Joel
9. Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
10. Old Nassau

We closed out the night with a few rousing '06 Locomotives, before dispersing back to dorm rooms and eating clubs. The night left me feeling rather sentimental, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. As corny as the whole thing was, it was absolutely a "Quintessential Princeton" event, the type of tradition that doesn't -- that simply couldn't -- happen anywhere but here. As I happily sang just a few hours ago, "Three Cheer for Old Nassau."

-- David Baumgarten '06, Managing editor emeritus