Snow in Paradise

snow covered mountain
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 I was reading the dictionary the other day, and beside the word “paradise” was a picture of Pomona College. I saw Marston Quad’s expanse of emerald green lawn, dappled with shade from the white, wizened sycamores. I saw the deep purple irises and countless camelias tended with care by Pomona’s landscapers. I saw the snow-capped peak of Mt Baldy in t...
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Summits and S’mores

By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 Sweeping mountain slopes glistening with snow, cascading waterfalls, and towering, flowering yucca plants. Bright orange Indian paintbrush flowers, majestic ponderosa trees, shady valleys, and clear amber streams. The San Gabriel Mountain range is within half an hour from campus and offers a breathtakingly beautiful respite from everyday college lif...
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A First-Year’s Largely Unhelpful Guide to Showing Your Family Around Campus

bowls of berries
By Emma N. ‘26 A couple weeks ago, my family came to visit. Since I’m an international student, that was the first time they’ve made the trip “across the pond” to see the place I now call home, the first time they got to see Pomona College with their own eyes, rather than through FaceTime. I was overjoyed, of course, and incredibly grateful that they were able to come to visit...
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First-Year Adventures in Southern California

In hockey arena looking down on rink
By Marc Beaulac ‘26 As a first-year, it has been interesting transitioning into independent life, especially as the plethora of activities that Pomona College offers keeps one in the 5C bubble. However, one of the elements I have appreciated the most is the activities that can be found in Claremont as well as the whole of L.A. county. During the relative peacefulness of f...
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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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A Day in the Life

students at Pendleton pool
By Porter Reyes '25 On a sunny Friday afternoon, my friends Rebecca, Ruthie, and I wanted to unwind without going too far off campus. Laying in the sun is one of our go-to de-stressors, so we decided to head over to Pendleton Pool. While Haldeman–Pomona’s 50-meter by 25-yard outdoor Olympic-sized pool–is also nice, we settled on the smaller Pendleton because it is the closes...
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Ramen and Yogurt and Pie, Oh My!

image of Emily's column about breakfast
By Emily Kim ‘25 “You’re a what columnist?” That is how people typically react when I tell them my position on The Student Life (or, TSL) , our 5C-wide student newspaper. “Food columnist,” I respond, chuckling. “I write about food.” Though I always knew that I wanted to participate in student journalism at Pomona, never did I think that I would be able to write about s...
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Roller Skating After a Chemistry Midterm? My Experiences in Pomona Scholars of Science

students around long table in restaurant
By Giuliano Richetta ‘25 Taking a college class for the first time can seem daunting. I grew up hearing rumors about weed-out classes, huge lecture auditoriums, and professors who are not interested in getting to know you. A lot of times, the first response I got when I told people I wanted to major in STEM was “good luck!” Before being accepted to Pomona, I prepared myself ...
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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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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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