The Five College Chemistry Lecture Series

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

Who Will I Become?

Thu posing in front of Frost Library

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?

Academics at Amherst Part 2

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

What Makes Amherst Unique––from a first-year, international student’s perspective

Memorial Hill at sunset

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

Adapting to Food at Amherst — An International Student’s Guide

A kitchen counter full of cooking ingredients for International Student Association cooking event

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

Snow Days at Amherst

A picture of the First-Year Quad blanketed with a layer of snow on the ground.

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

First Semester Reflection

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