My Favorite Study Tools

screenshot of Hayeon's thesis deadline calendar
By Hayeon Lee ‘23 If you ever catch me studying in the library basement or having a study sesh with my friends at the Coop, you would immediately notice my highlighters, planner, and stationery strewn about on the table. I am obsessed with all things stationery, academic planners, study apps, and so on. I am that one person in the class with different highlighters for differ...
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Study Break Ideas for Finals Season

hand holding sketch journal with tree in background
By Serena Lin ‘25 With finals season in full swing, here are some of my favorite, easy ways to practice self-care during your next study break. Savor Stillness There are many quiet spots on campus where you can sit and just enjoy a few moments of silence and be present. One of my favorites is taking a tiny sketchbook and drawing in the Skyspace. You can also tr...
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A Letter to My First-Year Self

graphic image of tips
By Serena Lin ‘25 Tip #4: It's ok to fail … cut yourself some slack. (To be continued…) Throughout my first year, I started the practice of writing weekly letters to myself to celebrate, commiserate, and collect meaningful moments. As I completed my first month of my sophomore year, I decided to write a letter to my first-year self. Hopefully, you'll find some of thi...
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Pomona’s Dining Trio: Frank, Frary, and Flex

Emily with a boba
By Emily Kim ‘25 As a summer fellow for Pomona’s admissions office, I frequently get asked about dining. “How’s the food?” students ask, followed by the parents’ concerned inquiries: “Will my child go hungry here?” In response, I reassure the students that the dining options are tasty and plentiful, and the parents that their children will have a variety of dishes to choo...
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10 Favorite (Underrated) Spots on Campus

outdoor tables with sunshade
By Vids Hingad ‘25 We all know about Marston Quad, and Big Bridges and the Smith Campus Center. However, I wanted to share my personal favorite spots on campus. They are curated to give you a truly insider experience of Claremont’s most beautiful (and sunniest) places. Seaver Theatre roof It’s magical. That is how I will describe it. It feels like you have walked...
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Super Study Spots

Emma and a friend on a rooftop with San Gabriel mountains backdrop
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 During my first semester at Pomona, I found myself swept away by a shower of fun social events and extracurricular opportunities. However, I found it hard to balance a heavy school workload with such a wealth of social resources. It took a few months to find an equilibrium, and, most importantly, good study spots. Thanks to the natural beauty and Ed...
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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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Fighting Procrastination: Three Quick Tips

open laptop with notebook in front of window
By Serena Lin ‘25 Whether you’re a prospective student struggling with senioritis or a fellow college student juggling jobs, coursework, a social life, and everything else, we could all use more time. With the semester well along its way, the temptation to procrastinate grows by the day (there’s just so much fun stuff to do that’s far more enticing than that long philosophy ...
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Never Say Never: My Journey Through Math

two math medals
By Sonam Rikha ’24 I will never take a math class again, I promised myself. It was my last day in high school. I proudly exited out of my virtual AP Calculus class and then hurled my calculus notebook into the trash. Despite the deep disgust I’d developed for analyzing functions, I’d miraculously aced my math class and passed the AP test, all while during the pandemic. Only ...
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