Adventuring Through Course Registration

man in green jacket in front of screen
By Hayeon Lee ‘23 I remember my first registration time my first year of college, looking through the list of courses on the Pomona portal. I wanted to double major and knew one of my majors would be English. As my sponsor group and I sat in the computer lab searching through the courses, I found myself running across courses from other Claremont Colleges. How would I eve...
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Top Ten Tips for Incoming First-Years (From an Outgoing First-Year)

3 students eating burgers
By Hasana Parker '25 (1) Get a nice lamp for your room. Good lighting makes all the difference in your room! Warm lighting makes your bedroom feel homey and changes the look of your room completely. My roommate and I turned on the overhead lighting in our room like 5 times during the school year because we just absolutely loved the lamp I got off of Amazon. (2) Bri...
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My Manifesto as a Mother to My Unborn Child

faded roses on old postcards
By Vids Hingad '25 I had the opportunity to take a gender and women’s studies class this semester. This was one of my final assignments for this class. This is a testament to the kind of learning we do at Pomona College. Dear child, There’s not a lot that I can say. There is nothing that your tiny hands can’t conquer: whether you decide to paint the world or hold...
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Get some sleep! Play a song! Get that ice cream!

Emily with friend Steph in graduation robe, holding bouquet
By Emily Kim ‘25 Roughly two weeks ago, I finished my first year of college! This finals season was particularly tiring for me: on Monday I had a computer science exam (though I was glad to get it done early on in the week); on Tuesday I spent the entire day writing a final paper for my Jane Austen class; and Wednesday and Thursday were dedicated to finishing a project and s...
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How To Ask for Help When You’re Drowning in a Scary College Class

illustration of ghost-like figure with question marks and anxiety around it
By Seohyeon Lee ‘25 I was clueless about everything when I started my first year at Pomona. As an international student from South Korea, I didn’t know what to expect from going to college in the United States. I was happy to get into a good liberal arts college, but I was terrified that I would face a steep learning curve with very little preparation. Looking back, I did...
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Reflections on “The American Road Trip”

Route 66 graphic with mountain background
By Porter Reyes ‘25 At Pomona, every first-year student takes one of around 30 unique Critical Inquiry seminars to hone their writing skills. My Critical Inquiry seminar, The American Road Trip, was transformative for me as a writer and a thinker. Taught by Professor of Politics, and Coordinator of the Pomona Public Policy Analysis program, Susan McWilliams, the class was on...
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Why a Liberal Arts Education Is Like a Thali

Vids and friends arm-in-arm, smiling
By Vidusshi Hingad '25 A liberal arts education is like a thali. I promise you this analogy makes sense—just stick with me! Just like the thali is a large plate in which a plethora of dishes are served, a liberal arts education is like tasting different flavors of areas of knowledge which eventually develop your taste buds to their maximum potential. [At Pomona] you are requ...
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My Final Semester at Pomona

Gates of Pomona College
By Isabel Callahan (Dec. ’21) Strange. In reflecting on what experiencing my final semester at Pomona College has been like, strange is the word that comes to mind. I hesitate in using the word strange, for I worry the word comes with a negative connotation, and while the strangeness of my semester has sometimes been bittersweet, so too has the strangeness been lovely. With ...
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Looking Back: Academic Advice from a Transfer Student

Transfer group 2018
By Isabel Callahan (Dec. ’21) “Let me know if anyone needs help with their schedule!” As I peered up at our sponsor from my spot on the hallway floor of Harwood’s basement, I had no idea just how generous his offer was. “How complicated could a schedule be?” I wondered. As my sponsor and I soon realized: for a transfer student, sometimes more complicated than expected! ...
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Q&A with a Geology Major

Dede in puffer jacket, kissing a stuffed bison, with snowy mountains in background
By Siena Swift ’23 This week I interviewed Bert & Rocky’s-loving Dede Chapline ‘23, who is one half of the iconic snake mom, OKC superstars duo with last week’s interviewee Lilly Haave (see “Q&A with a Transfer Student” for further explanation). This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.  Q: Can you please introduce yourself? A: My name i...
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