Instant Gratification

In the discussion about generational divides and differences, one of the phrases that inevitably comes up is 'instant gratification.' In a time of unprecedented technological innovation, the digitizing of many aspects of daily life, and Amazon Prime (did anyone see the 60 Minutes segment where Jeff Bezos discussed his plans for 30-minute delivery by airborne drone?), my generat...
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Working It Out

“Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands; they just don’t.” In the wise words of Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, exercise generates endorphins and endorphins increase happiness. Additionally, according to almost all doctors, exercise has the added benefit of improving physical health. As students return from Thanksg...
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A California Thanksgiving

Disclaimer: There are actually no posts about Thanksgiving experiences from this year (at least not yet) on Voices, so I think one won't be too bad to read. One debate I had going in to college was whether I should come home for Thanksgiving. At first, my mom was adamant that I come home, but I pointed out to her that it wouldn't be very practical to spend $600 just to be ho...
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Claremont in the Rain

For living in such a sunny, dry, and essentially weatherless place, students in Claremont have some strong feelings about rain. As it's rained (at least a little each day) for the last three or four days, it seems only right to curl up next to the unneccessary-for-360-days-of-the-year fireplace in the Smith Campus Center and muse about the gloomy gray weather. As it's rained...
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Giving Thanks: Prospies, and 3 Awesome things about Pomona

pros•pie |ˈprôspē| * noun a high school student visiting a college campus in order to gain additional knowledge and experience regarding the school, often staying overnight to really get the best sense of the whole "college experience" and most comprehensively assess as many aspects of the college or university as possible : the prospie feigned satisfaction with the skimp...
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Lion King the Musical – 47 Things Trip

One of the first things you have to know about Pomona College is the number 47. The origins of this phenomenon are somewhat unclear to me, but once you know how important it is in Sagehen lore, you start noticing it everywhere. The school is totally in on this, and every year, the freshman class is challenged to complete as many things off a "47 Things to do in LA" list ...
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If My Classes Were My Autobiography – Part 1

Linear Algebra When I was a kid, I loved the idea of a blackboard full of equations. Especially the gigantic ones that have several layers and you can push one upward when you run out of space. The equations with bizarre yet elegant symbols give the empty blackboard meanings and substance, like stars in the dark universe. Where did I see these blackboards with equations? Mov...
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Thesis Thursday: Getting Participants

So, I figure that Thesis Thursday is going to be my new blogging platform, at least for a little bit. I hope you all enjoy my thesis related adventures! Whether you're a senior, a first year, an alum or outside of the direct Pomona community, I hope people find my anecdotes at least marginally humorous or relatable. Getting participants for a study is something I never thoug...
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How to Have a Thanksgiving Away from Home

As a student whose home is situated over 2,000 miles away from Pomona's campus, I can't go home for Thanksgiving without shelling out over $500 in a roundtrip ticket, so I'm staying in California for Thanksgiving. For those of you in a similar predicament, fear not, because you can still celebrate Thanksgiving albeit probably differently from how you used to. Here are some opti...
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The Library: A Tale of Redemption

Since the commencement of freshman year, I have entertained an inexplicable fear of the library. The stark silence, the rows of academic journals and books and the general feeling of tense anxiety have intimidated me beyond measure. I entered the library just once freshman year, experienced breathing difficulties and promptly turned around, never to return again. That is...
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