Junior Experience – Page 5

Hairitage: The Black Hair Conference

Posted on March 16, 2015September 21, 2022 by Ashley Land

Last week I got the chance to participate in the 3rd annual Black Hair Conference here at Pomona College. The event, sponsored by the Pan African Student Association (PASA), started as a space to start dialogue about the politics of Black hair amongst the Black community from the Claremont Colleges and beyond. This year, the dinner/conference was at full capacity as hosts C...

For the Prospective Student Thinking About Studying Abroad

Posted on February 26, 2015September 21, 2022 by Yttrium Sua

The issue of study abroad has been discussed over and over again on this blog, probably moreso than any other single topic. However, it really testifies to the experiences and rewards that studying abroad can bring to a student, and today, I am going to provide my two cents’ worth on the matter. I studied abroad in Kyoto, Japan, and while many students choose to study ab...

Around the World in 90 Minutes

Posted on February 23, 2015September 21, 2022 by Sophia Sun

Have you ever wanted to sample cultural foods from around the world (fasnetsscherben, okonomiyaki salmorejo, bhajia za dengu, 烧卖(燒賣)... mmmm!), learn simple phrases in 10 different languages from native speakers, find out which German city suits you the best, receive a hand-written card in Spanish, and meet King Cyrus, all without worrying about travel expenses and taking too m...

Returning from Abroad: New Perspectives on Pomona

Posted on February 16, 2015September 21, 2022 by Madeleine Colvin

Coming back from studying abroad has been a difficult adjustment, compounded perhaps by having returned to the States only 6 days before arriving in Claremont. For a couple weeks, I was overwhelmed -- by the sheer number of people I knew on campus, by jumping right into classes without having time to readjust or catch up with friends, by having to answer the same questions abou...

5 Classist Statements Overheard While Studying Abroad

Posted on January 19, 2015September 21, 2022 by Sergio Rodriguez

It is no surprise that socioeconomic diversity diminishes while being abroad. Study abroad programs usually lack the financial aid that many institutions, like Pomona College, use to bring more students from different socioeconomic backgrounds on campus. A low-income student myself, I was not expecting to see as many low-income students while being abroad because I understan...

Let’s Talk About Dorms!

Posted on January 15, 2015September 21, 2022 by Eron Smith

There are some things that you’re allowed to say in college that sound totally creepy out in the real world. In this case, the one I’m thinking of is the casual question to someone you just met: “Where do you live?” It’s probably the #1 question first-years get asked. You can ask about the person’s major, but they don’t know. You can ask where they’re from, but you’re...

Anecdotes from the Discomfort Zone

Posted on December 22, 2014September 21, 2022 by Eron Smith

One of the ways I like to evaluate the discomfort zone is to complete the following sentences: “Oh, I’m just not really a ____ person.” “I just don’t do ____.” “Nah, there’s no way I could ever ____.” Growing up, I tried ballet, gymnastics, piano lessons, aikido, youth group, Girl Scouts, clarinet, oboe, the spelling bee, French, and various summer camps. I was thro...

A Major in Music and a Minor Identity Crisis

Posted on October 23, 2014September 21, 2022 by Eron Smith

I’ve heard so many stories and jokes surrounding the indecisiveness of the majorless first-year, those lost liberal-artsers who constantly change their interests, take courses from every department possible, and woefully declare the hopelessness of their future. The good news is that all of these confused first-years eventually find something they love or something at which the...

A Crash Course in… Academic Conferences?

Posted on March 21, 2014September 21, 2022 by Daniel Choi

For the budding academic, one of the more intimidating aspects of conducting research is having to actually present it when you’re finished! As an undergraduate student, I’m only just getting my feet wet with research (primarily in the field of psychology) so I haven’t had the chance to present research at a large conference, but watching my friends anxiously prepare to present...