Uncategorized – Voices

Two Years, Five Highlights

Posted on October 5, 2020October 2, 2020 by Siena Swift

By Siena Swift ‘22 Since Pomona College announced we would be online only for the fall semester, I’ve been reflecting a lot about my time at college. I have a big decision ahead of me: should I take online classes or take a leave of absence from college and hope that I’ll be back on campus soon? Thinking about some of my favorite memories from my first two years at Pomona, a...

Using Machine Learning in Patient Diagnoses

Posted on September 21, 2020September 21, 2020 by Ebenezer Mensah

By Ebenezer Mensah ‘23 When I was six years old, I remember walking with my father to the doctor’s office, which was in a clinic two towns from where we lived. When we reached the Afari clinic, the only nurse on duty recorded my vital symptoms, including my temperature, pulse, and blood pressure, and told us to wait for our turn. I was the 30th person in line to meet the...

“Alexa, Play Yosemite by Travis Scott”

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Sophia Augustine

Sophia and friends swimming in Yosemite Falls

By Sophia Augustine ‘23 "OA, OA, OA. OA, OA, OA!!” The booming chants of the Pomona students traveled all across campus, gaining volume as us first-years filed anxiously into the Greek Theatre on South Campus, eagerly awaiting instructions and information regarding Orientation Adventure, also known as “OA.” “OA, OA, OA. OA, OA, OA!” The merry yells of the OA leaders seem...

Coast to Coast: Journey from Uniformity to Diversity

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Sophia Augustine

Sophia and friends from Fall POP on quad

By Sophia Augustine ‘23 Realizing the uniformity of my predominantly white, suburban town in the middle of Northern New Jersey (91% white, 5.47% Hispanic or Latinx, and 1.84% Asian) was quite an infuriating and frustrating experience. Living in Mendham New Jersey for my entire life, with the exception of my family’s brief move to Southern California for a year, has provided ...

Early Decision, the Best Decision I’ve Ever Made

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Deanna Han

Deanna standing in front of Bridges Auditorium

By Deanna Han '23 October 30th, 2018 I took a deep breath and submitted my application. There was nothing else I could do; all that was left was the wait. With one click of a button, I had sealed my future — but I didn’t know that then. In 45 days, my whole world would change. December 14th, 2018 I rub the sleep out of my eyes and yawn. My heart starts pounding a...

The Best Last-Minute Decision of My Life

Posted on June 26, 2020June 26, 2020 by Siena Swift

By Siena Swift ‘22 My journey to Pomona College seems to be a little different from those around me. A lot of my friends applied early decision or knew that Pomona was one of their top choices. In my case, I applied to Pomona on a whim of sorts. My dad suggested that I check out the Claremont Colleges because he knew of them from attending UCLA. However, I had my heart set o...

Farewell Freshman Year

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Sophia Augustine

Sophie and friend at sand volleyball area

By Sophia Augustine ‘23 It was that time of the week again: my beloved lunch at Claremont McKenna’s Collins Dining Hall (the third best dining hall in my opinion). Collins Dining Hall is nestled perfectly on the border of Pomona’s and Claremont McKenna’s campuses, providing the ideal place for my friends and I to indulge in a delectable lunch on Friday afternoons after an ex...

Until Next Time

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Dakota Crookston

By Dakota Crookston ‘21 After many years spent dreaming about the city of white nights, opulent Tsarist palaces, and old Soviet metro stations, my semester in Saint Petersburg got off to an anticlimactic start. I touched down at Pulkovo Airport on an overcast, Wednesday afternoon. Itching to finally meet the storied city, I deboarded the plane to find myself in a listless ai...

Do You Know What You’re Doing This Summer?

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Daphne Chapline

By Daphne Chapline '22 *Note: This was written before the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic upset many students' summer plans. “Got any big plans for the summer?” is a question often asked of college students toward the end of the year. Last year, when I was asked, I would answer, “I’m interning at a pharmaceutical company in Boston—I’m very excited.” This was all true, but w...

10 Moments that Highlighted My First Year at Pomona

Posted on April 2, 2020April 2, 2020 by Selena Lopez

By Selena Lopez ‘22 I don’t know about you, but, to me, there has always been something about lists that draws me in. “Top ten places to visit,” “best books to read this break,” “47 things to do while at Pomona”— the list goes on. Do I complete these lists? No … not necessarily. I’m also not good at keeping up with the lists that I make. Daily to-do lists? Can’t follow them....