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The Crisis
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IN MEMORIAM

Since 2021, our community has mourned the loss of seven students to suicide. Each of these individuals was a unique and cherished part of the Princeton family—they were our friends, our classmates, and our peers. Their absence leaves a void that is felt across every corner of our campus. We hold their memories at the center of our work, recognizing that the grief of our community must be met with a renewed commitment to the value of every life.

Explore our Statement Letter

After months of surveying hundreds of students and reviewing over five years of community discourse, we have authored a Statement Letter to serve as a call for urgency and accountability. This letter is not a definitive solution, but a starting point to ensure our excellence as a university does not come at the expense of our humanity.

The full statement letter can be accessed here, and below is a short summary.

Section I: Academic Life

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Princeton is defined by its rigor, but the current model often operates without a structural buffer, creating a "zero-margin system." While rigor can cultivate curiosity, many students find that the sheer volume of work creates a barrier to deep intellectual engagement and personal recovery. From our survey, 4 out of 5 students report sacrificing sleep to keep up with coursework, highlighting a gap between academic expectations and the baseline conditions needed for sustained health. We advocate for pedagogical designs that align excellence with sustainability.

Section II: Access to Resources

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Princeton provides an extensive multifaceted infrastructure of care, yet many students encounter structural friction when trying to utilize it. Time constraints are the primary barrier reported, with 84% of students citing a lack of time as a reason they defer care. When accessing support feels like a tradeoff against academic deadlines, wellness becomes conditional rather than integrated.

Section III: Student Life

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The social architecture at Princeton is often shaped by a culture of comparison and performative ease, which can obscure the reality of student struggle. These norms are frequently reinforced by a lack of margin in daily schedules, making genuine connection feel like a secondary feature rather than a sustaining one. Recognizing these gaps in our social fabric is essential to fostering a community of collective care. We believe that by addressing these structural pressures, the University can better support the long-term well-being of all its members.

Explore our Data Report

In February 2026, the USG Mental Health Committee distributed an anonymous survey to undergraduate students. This effort was not designed as a formal study and does not claim statistical significance. Rather, it was intended to surface student perspectives and lived experiences to identify where gaps in support exist.

You can find the full Student Wellness Survey Data Report here. Below is a summary of the findings from 207 survey respondents and 120 student interviews.

Section I: Personal Wellness & Daily Habits

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Time Scarcity: Only 13.7% of students feel they have enough time to prioritize their own well-being.


Sleep Gaps: 4 out of every 5 students (roughly 81.6% of those specifying frequency) report sacrificing sleep to keep up with coursework. 33.3% of students average only 6–7 hours of sleep on weeknights, and 36.5% average 7 or more hours of sleep on weeknights.


Wellness Practices: 87.3% of students utilize "time with friends" for wellness. While only 24.9% are able to maintain a habit of daily intentional exercise, 70.3% are able to at least a few times a week.

Section II: Academic Load & Coursework

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Primary Stressors: Academic workload is the leading barrier to wellness (89.8%), followed by "guilt about not working" (58.1%), then fatigue (55.3%).


Stress Frequency: Nearly 70% of students describe being always or often stressed about academics.


Barriers to Help: 79.8% of respondents have avoided asking for help. Of those who avoided help, 67.3% believed it "wouldn't help" and 58.5% feared judgment. 36.8% of students perceived a high level of faculty care for their well-being.

Section III: Culture & Campus Environment

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Productivity Pressure: 50.9% of students report "always" feeling a perceived pressure to be productive at Princeton.


Rest and Guilt: 49.5% of students "frequently" experience guilt when resting or taking time off. 42.6% of students perceive that the current campus culture strongly rewards overwork rather than balance.


74.2% of students find that off-campus breaks reduce their stress levels significantly.

Section IV: Campus Resources & Access to Support

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Resource Barriers: 84% of students cite "time constraints" as the primary barrier to seeking mental health resources.


Support Experiences: Student experiences with campus mental health resources are varied; 22.3% of students reported a positive experience, 46.3% report mixed experiences, and 10.7% report "negative" experiences.


Administrative Perception: Only 8.2% of respondents feel that the administration has a "Yes" (full) understanding of student mental health. 38.6% of respondents feel the administration has at least a "somewhat" accurate understanding.

SINCE 2021, OVER 75 ARTICLES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ON PRINCETON STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH.

Students have been writing about Princeton's mental health crisis since at least 2021. Seventy-nine articles later, the conversation continues - because the problem does too.

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

ONE TOO MANY

URGENT RESOURCES

CPS Crisis Line:

609-258-3141 (24/7)

National Suicide Prevention:

988

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to

741741

GET INVOLVED

THE CRISIS

TEAM

A Princeton Undergraduate Student Government led initiative for a safer Princeton. Not affiliated with Princeton University