47 Reasons I’m Excited to Go Back to School

At the end of a long and stressful finals week 4 months ago, I could think of nothing but how much I wanted to be at home with my dog, lounging on the couch, watching a trashy television show and letting everything I learned in my freshman year of college slowly seep out of my brain.  However, now that my summer is virtually over, I can’t wait to get back to school.  Take my word for it, there is in fact a limit to how much reality television one can watch before it becomes unhealthy (though the exact number is debatable and varies between individuals).  In fact, like the good Sagehen that I am, I can think of 47 reasons why I’m excited to go back to school.

Some of these are obvious and can be understood by anyone,while others are particular to Pomona, and even still, some of these reasons are particular to my personal college experience (for these I have attempted to provide an explanation, even for things that are rather unexplainable).  Nevertheless, this list reminds me of how special my freshman year was, and how lucky I am that I can call Pomona College my home for seven months of the year.

47 Reasons I’m Excited to Go Back to School (in no particular order):

  1. Frank Dining Hall omelette bar at weekend brunch.
  2. Singing in the shower and knowing someone else will join in
  3. Being able to take really interesting, non-introductory classes
  4. “White Collar” marathons that go late into the evening
  5. Some Crust Bakery
  6. Declaring a neuroscience major
  7. Drinking my morning coffee on the walk to class
  8. ZUMBA
  9. New hammock swings on south campus
  10. Avocado melt at the Coop Fountain
  11. Living in a double with my best friend (I was in a single my first year)
  12. Late night walks to get fresh air during a long night of studying
  13. Being walking distance from everything I need
  14. New school supplies
  15. Birthday fountainings (it’s the 2nd day of class…maybe I don’t want to announce that just yet)
  16. Scripps fresh smoothies and cookies
  17. Having people to talk to after 9 pm
  18. Gym access
  19. Mentoring for Bio40 (Intro Genetics)
  20. Basketball games (especially against CMS)
  21. Hallway bowling (materials needed: 10 empty water bottles & a ball)
  22. World Wok at Collins Dining Hall (a weekly tradition lovingly coined Stir-fridays)
  23. Doing research in a neuroscience lab
  24. Simultaneously studying and tanning on the grass
  25. Studying in the newly renovated lounges
  26. Juicer in Frank Dining Hall (especially the fresh-squeezed orange juice)
  27. Being an admissions office tour guide
  28. Not having to pick up the phone to talk to my friends
  29. Starting a new “quote board” for my new suite
  30. Keeping busy with homework
  31. 4th floor of Honnold-Mudd Library (sometimes we all need complete silence)
  32. Picnics on Marston Quad
  33. Without a Box improv shows
  34. Meeting the incoming freshman class
  35. Decorating my room
  36. Group ab workouts in the hallway
  37. Hearing about my sponsor’s time abroad
  38. 11 PM frozen yogurt trips to Yogurtland
  39. Frank Dining Hall bionicos (a wonderful buffet of fruit, yogurt, and granola)
  40. Skyspace
  41. FLEX (a.k.a. not having to spend ‘real’ money)
  42. Seeing the brand new Coop Store
  43. Interesting conversations at every meal
  44. Pomona College Art Museum
  45. Getting to know my new professors
  46. Reuniting with all of my friends whom I haven’t seen for a very long 4 months
  47. Making at least 47 new & unforgettable memories in my sophomore year as a Sagehen