Do You Love the Beach Like I Do?

Bilal and 2 friends at the beach with Santa Monica Pier in background
By Bilal Adamjee ‘24 I love the beach. When people ask me, ‘What brought you to Pomona College?’ the beach always comes up. The beach does remind me of home – that, and the warm weather and palm trees. It was honestly a big factor in deciding where I wanted to study when I first started my college applications in high school. I was born and raised in Kenya, where I’ve spe...
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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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Dealing with Stress

work harder sign
By Porter Reyes '25 As an eighth-grader, I went through the stressful New York City high school application process. Being thirteen, I had no idea how to manage my stress; I even broke out into hives. But now, after finishing the high school application process, the college application process, and my first semester of college, I have learned some valuable stress-management ...
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Singing Through the Mask

backs of three female singers facing Bridges Hall of Music stage
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 When I was ten years old, I auditioned for the Seattle Children’s Chorus with a blanket over my head. I was too shy to sing my audition song, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and hid underneath my comforting childhood friend, Blankie. With the choir director blocked from view and Blankie’s soft blue fabric creating a calming atmosphere, I was able to ...
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Life at Pomona Is … (as seen through the lens of everyday objects)

collage of images
By Serena Lin '25 As my first year of college comes to a close, I’ve looked back on a folder of photos titled “joys.” Being mindful of memorable moments is a habit that I developed as a busy college student. So here are some vignettes about Pomona through the lens of everyday objects. Birdstrike binocular: why not? On a whim, I reached out to the biology department...
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Put Yourself Out There

5 male rugby players
By Bilal Adamjee ‘24 I believe there is beauty in putting yourself out there, in trying new things. To be vulnerable is to set yourself up for success. There is a unique power in this, and I increasingly feel that the community and opportunities at Pomona College are conducive for that. Yes, there are a number of people who know how they want to use their time going into ...
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Mock Trial: The Power of Community

mock trial team holding up one of their members
By Vids Hingad ‘25 Have you ever taken part in something that has changed you radically? I have when I joined Pomona College Mock Trial in October. Little did I know that the day I was accepted into the club, I was about to find a family on campus. Yes, it sounds cliché, but Mock Trial is about so much more than collaborating in a pre-professional setting. For those w...
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Catching a Concert in L.A.

Tkay Maidza in concert
By Porter Reyes ‘25 My friends and I are often antsy to get off campus. Even though there’s usually a lot going on at Pomona (plays, orchestra performances, lectures, etc.), Southern California has many places to visit and things to do. Recently, my friends and I drove to the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood to watch one of my favorite artists in concert, Tkay Maidza! While...
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Top Three Things About Pomona

By Porter Reyes ‘25 If you’re a student facing the college decision process right now, chances are you’re being inundated with information about various schools. Not only that, but each college is probably providing you with numerous reasons why their college is the best. Speaking from personal experience, this can be intimidating. You might be asking yourself: which college...
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