Coming to Amherst, I was a bit worried about its small size. Well, I only applied to small schools, but it was because I wanted the small class size and low student-to-faculty ratio. In terms of social life, I wasn’t sure. I was worried that because of how small Amherst was (even compared to nearby…Continue Reading Amherst Is Not That Small
Hello readers, As a student in the Five College Consortium, you have a fantastic opportunity to sit in on research seminars from renowned scientists! The chemistry departments of Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, and UMass sponsor The Five College Chemistry Series. This annual seminar takes place in the spring, allowing students to learn about research…Continue Reading The Five College Chemistry Lecture Series
I’m currently in my second semester at Amherst, and many things have changed since I applied to college. As I’m thinking a lot about my future life paths, I think it’d be fun to share some of them with you. One of the best things about Amherst is that there is little pressure to figure…Continue Reading Who Will I Become?
When I first started college, the fear of missing out (FOMO) was something I thought I would constantly struggled with when I first arrived at Amherst. During high school I used to scroll through social media, watching friends attend events I wasn’t at, or hear my peers talk about gatherings I didn’t go to, and…Continue Reading Why I No Longer Get FOMO in College
Hello readers, I hope you all are doing well! Some of you wanted to learn more about academics at Amherst. Specifically, there were questions about course placements and how different high school learning experiences contribute to college classes. Here are my inputs! Amherst has specific course placements that you can find on the Amherst College…Continue Reading Academics at Amherst Part 2
Over the winter break, I went back to Shanghai and met some close friends studying at universities in the U.S. (West & East Coasts), Canada, and Hong Kong. As we all just started our college journey, we shared about our first semester experiences. From these conversations, I’ve summarized some points that made Amherst College unique….Continue Reading What Makes Amherst Unique––from a first-year, international student’s perspective
Coming from Vietnam where the things we eat are very different from typical United States dishes, I had a difficult time adapting to food at Amherst. While I’m extremely grateful for the food I get here, I find myself skipping meals a lot because they are just so different from what I’m used to eating…Continue Reading Adapting to Food at Amherst — An International Student’s Guide
This year, I celebrated my first birthday in college, and it turned out to be more meaningful than I could have ever imagined. It was a day full of love, laughter, and deep reflection on how much I’ve grown since arriving at Amherst. The day started with a delightful surprise—my friends had decorated my door!…Continue Reading My First Birthday in College
Some might question the point of writing this blog, but I think that it answers one of my biggest questions about coming to Amherst/College in general. How/when do snow days happen? Being from the other side of Massachusetts, I knew it would snow, but I also knew that out west here around Amherst, it snows…Continue Reading Snow Days at Amherst
Hello everyone! With the second semester already in session I’ve been taking some time to reflect on my journey through my first semester as a first-year student. From navigating new academic challenges to adjusting to college life and building a sense of community, these past few months have been a whirlwind of growth, discovery, and…Continue Reading First Semester Reflection