About PPN

What is Princeton Peer Nightline?

Princeton Peer Nightline is an anonymous peer listening service. Our listeners are undergraduate students of Princeton University who have been trained and certified as helpline volunteers. Since 2017, we have provided empathetic, non-judgmental support to Princeton University students who wish to share a problem, are in need of information, or just want to talk about whatever is on their mind. Whether it’s relationships, academic stress, a fight with a friend or a parent, depression, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, roommate troubles, or just a really bad day, we’re here to listen and make sure that no student has to face their problems alone.

To gauge visitor satisfaction and to measure our ability to help students, we use a post-chat survey. Of the visitors who responded to some or all of the questions,

• 91% said they found their chat specialist somewhat helpful, very helpful,  or extremely helpful.
• 80% responded that they felt significantly better than when they started the chat.

Peer Nightline volunteers do not provide professional counseling, but rather supportive listening. Students in crisis will be directed to appropriate professional resources including the CPS counselor on call. We highly recommend that students who are experiencing mental health emergencies reach out to the on-call counselor at CPS (609) 258-3139 or to Public Safety at (609) 258-1000. 

Who do we serve?

Nightline is primarily a service for the Princeton University student community. If you are looking for support but aren’t a student, call the New Jersey Hopeline (855) 654-6735 or CONTACT of Mercer County (609) 896-2120.

Who can be a volunteer?

Primary training of all Nightline volunteers occurs through CONTACT of Mercer County, NJ and is supplemented with Princeton-specific modules on services and resources available at the University like SHARE, CPS, and McGraw Learning Center. If you’re interested in getting involved, let us know! Use the form on the contact page or send us an email at peerntln@princeton.edu.

Policies and anonymity

All chats to Peer Nightline are private. Peer listeners sign a privacy agreement upon joining PPN and take their roles seriously. Even the most sensitive concerns can be discussed safely and will not be shared. Exceptions apply only for extreme circumstances, such as if someone is at imminent risk of harming themselves or others. 

Emergency services

Students who are experiencing mental health emergencies are highly suggested to reach out directly to the on-call counselor at CPS (609) 258-3141 or to Public Safety at (609) 258-1000. Volunteers on the line are also able to direct you to the right resources.