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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Claremont FC: Building Community Through 5C’s Club Soccer

Emma Grace and a teammate smiling
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 There is perhaps no greater view on campus of the San Gabriel Mountains than from Pomona’s turf soccer field. During late spring nights, the snow-dusted mountains glow a dusky pink as the colorful sunset arches rosily across the sky. It is in this scenic setting that the 5Cs women’s club soccer team practices twice a week. Composed of students from ...
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All of Campus is a Classroom

Great horned owl in tree
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 Whether they overlook the Quad, lay nestled beneath an Oak tree, or hug the side of the stately Carnegie Building, outdoor classrooms offer a beautiful, natural environment in which to learn. As a precautionary measure against Covid last year, Pomona has set up various outdoor classrooms around campus. Learning outside the traditional classroom shif...
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Reflections On My Pandemic Gap Year

Emma Grace with a large piinting showing blue roots of tree
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 I had long looked forward to my high school graduation year, 2020, as a year of opportunity and excitement, not anticipating that many of my plans would have to be rewritten. Just as I never imagined I would live through a pandemic, I never envisioned myself taking a gap year - yet that is exactly what I did. Instead of attending Pomona College v...
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The Glee of Glee Club

Emma under waterfall in blue swimsuit
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 Contrary to its name, the Pomona College Glee Club is not a club, nor does it perform elaborately choreographed musical numbers. A long-standing tradition for over 100 years, the Glee Club is the small college chamber choir, and performs an a cappella repertoire of music from the 16th century to the present. Somehow I worked up the courage to auditi...
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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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The Wild National Parks Near Pomona

Emma Grace in a canyon
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 While life at Pomona College can be invigorating, I still look forward to breaks for a chance to explore off campus and recuperate from excessive studying. I spent both fall and spring breaks this year exploring the two national parks within reasonable driving distance of Pomona: Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Park. Coming from such a lush...
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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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An L.A. Adventure

Japanese noodles
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 Last weekend, I found myself on an uncharacteristically spontaneous expedition to Los Angeles with my friends. Our day began with an hour-long train ride to LA’s Union Station, a grand, commanding building with arched, painted ceilings. The yellow ochre walls glowed golden, afternoon light streaming in through a wall of high glass windows. After tak...
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