A Letter to Hayeon

Hayeon looking rueful at her laptop
By Hayeon Lee ‘23 Recently, as a senior at Pomona College, there have been moments when I pause and recognize that my college adventures are already and slowly coming to an end. Whether it be my walks between classes, a warm dinner together with friends at the Hoch, or a discussion of post-grad plans with professors, I realize that 18-year-old Hayeon, who walked onto the Pomon...
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Senior Thoughts: Upon Fourther Reflection

two students doing handstands outside
By Oluyemisi Bolonduro ’23 Salutations! It’s been two years since I’ve written a Voices blog post, but it’s good to be back. A lot has changed since my fun lil’ celebration of finals week, whether it’s academically, developmentally, interpersonally… even extracurricularly, if that’s a word. One thing that’s the same: I still love the number four and using it to frame each co...
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Rediscovering the Joy of Music

hand holding heart object with words about creativity and joy
By Serena Lin ‘25 "You cannot count the beats. You must simply feel the music." As someone who is very numbers-based and methodical, this was quite a challenge. There was something stressful about not being able to protocol-ize a music note. As I stumbled through the first semester of my beginner's clarinet lessons, I originally expected just to "get through it" for th...
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A Letter to My First-Year Self

graphic image of tips
By Serena Lin ‘25 Tip #4: It's ok to fail … cut yourself some slack. (To be continued…) Throughout my first year, I started the practice of writing weekly letters to myself to celebrate, commiserate, and collect meaningful moments. As I completed my first month of my sophomore year, I decided to write a letter to my first-year self. Hopefully, you'll find some of thi...
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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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Learning to Dance in the Rain

illustration of character with umbrella
By Seohyeon Lee ‘25 As an incoming first year, I was excited to explore my wide-ranging interests at a liberal arts college. I was eager to learn how to ask my own questions instead of memorizing textbooks to get better grades. During my gap year, I started making an impossibly long list of activities I wanted to try in college. Four years seemed long enough to try all of th...
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My Manifesto as a Mother to My Unborn Child

faded roses on old postcards
By Vids Hingad '25 I had the opportunity to take a gender and women’s studies class this semester. This was one of my final assignments for this class. This is a testament to the kind of learning we do at Pomona College. Dear child, There’s not a lot that I can say. There is nothing that your tiny hands can’t conquer: whether you decide to paint the world or hold...
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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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Three Seasons at Once

snow-capped San Gabriel mountains
By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25 One of my earliest memories as a child is of walking through a magenta archway of blooming foxgloves. Leaning my head back to look up at the tall ethereal flowers swaying in the gentle breeze, I dared to stick my finger into one of the conical flowers. Today, I still like to investigate the abundance of flora around me. For as long as I can remem...
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Fighting Procrastination: Three Quick Tips

open laptop with notebook in front of window
By Serena Lin ‘25 Whether you’re a prospective student struggling with senioritis or a fellow college student juggling jobs, coursework, a social life, and everything else, we could all use more time. With the semester well along its way, the temptation to procrastinate grows by the day (there’s just so much fun stuff to do that’s far more enticing than that long philosophy ...
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