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
A few days ago, it was Chinese/Lunar New Year! As I have been living in China for 18 years, this is one of the most important holidays I look forward to in the year. Back in China, weeks before the celebration, my family and I would visit (or at least make some video calls to)…Continue Reading Celebrating Chinese New Year With Friends
Disclaimer: This blog post only shares my personal encounters with the Open Curriculum after one semester at Amherst. It does not reflect the experiences of everyone at Amherst, and my thoughts about the Open Curriculum may look different in the future! I don’t think people at Amherst talk about the Open Curriculum that much. As…Continue Reading Let’s Talk About The Open Curriculum
Hello from Japan, as I write this blog post, I am packing my suitcase to head back to Amherst. In this blog, I wish to continue from my blog series of reflecting on my first semester, this time on the topic of on-campus employment at Amherst College. In this blog, I hope to offer you…Continue Reading Reflecting on My First Semester at Amherst College — On-Campus Employment
Hello from Japan, as I write this blog post, I am still in Japan enjoying the last few moments of winter break with my family. In this blog, I wish to continue from my blog series of reflecting on my first semester, this time on the topic of extracurricular activities at Amherst College. In this…Continue Reading Reflecting on My First Semester at Amherst College — Extracurricular
If you’re anything like me—or any other student at Amherst College—you might occasionally find yourself craving a change from the usual Val menu. Even though I’ve only been here for one semester, I’ve already started collecting some of my favorite Val hacks, whether discovered with friends or passed down by upperclassmen. With the new dining…Continue Reading My Favorite Val Hacks
Probably the biggest part of College is of course, the classes. One of the benefits of looking at Amherst and other small schools is the small class sizes, and that was a huge draw for me. One hesitation I did have though, was: do the small classes mean that I’ll struggle to get into the…Continue Reading Choosing Your Classes at Amherst
Hey everyone! 新年あけましておめでとうございます今年もどうぞよろしくお願いします、in Japanese, it means Happy New Year! Looking forward to a great year with you. I’m currently in Japan, spending the New Year with my family, and as we kick off this new year, I’d like to reflect on my first semester at Amherst College through a series of blog posts. The posts…Continue Reading Reflecting on My First Semester at Amherst College — Academics