By Anna Grez ’27
Design Editor
After three long years, I am ripe with insider information pertinent to making the most of Claremont, and I believe that it is my duty to share. Here is a collection of information that I, with the help of my lovely friends, deem useful for new and returning students at the Claremont Colleges.
Although I just said the goal of this article is to make the most of Claremont, I will ironically begin by telling you about all of the ways you can leave. If you don’t have a car on campus, do not fret! Public transport here is amazing. Really. Do not fear the metro or the buses (beyond reasonable wariness).
There are five Foothill Transit bus lines running through Claremont. As a 5C student, you ride free! Check out Connections at the Claremont Colleges Library, commonly referred to as Honnold/Mudd (that’s the big one!), to get access to Class Pass. Buses run more frequently than the trains do, but require more line changes, so make sure to use Google or Apple Maps to figure out your route beforehand.
The Metrolink San Bernardino train line, located in the beautiful Claremont Village (only a 20-minute walk from Scripps), runs from the Claremont station east to the University of Redlands and west to L.A. Union Station, where you can transfer to another line within L.A. The train schedule differs on weekdays and weekends, but, generally, with a bit of planning ahead, it can get you anywhere within the L.A. area. That being said, trains stop running fairly early in the night, around 9 p.m., heading east back to Claremont. If you are headed into L.A. for a concert, it’s common to Uber back to campus. Coordinate with other 5C students to split the cost!
On that note, if you are flying into Ontario International Airport, ask one of the other young, slightly worried-looking people at baggage claim if they want to split an Uber to the Claremont Colleges. Once people around you hear that you’re looking to share a ride, they will be tripping over themselves to get in on it. Everyone else wants to save those $15 too!
Speaking of cheap ways to get around, via Pomona Valley Transportation Authority, you can register online to access $2.50 Ubers to transport you within the boundaries of Claremont.
Save money where you can! On cooler days, walk to Trader Joe’s rather than Ubering. Take advantage of living in a walkable community while you’re here.
Now, let’s talk about packing lists. There are a few items I found myself without during my freshman year, and while none of these will make or break your time at Scripps, I have certainly gotten good use out of them.
My first recommendation: a pool towel. Mine has two epic tigers on it. Also, have at least one swimsuit on hand. I didn’t start going to the pool regularly until my sophomore year – start taking advantage of Scripps’ beautiful heated, salt-water pool as soon as you can. You can check out goggles from Tiernan’s front desk if you find yourself needing some!
It is great to have a blanket dedicated to lounging around outside. Jaqua Lawn is a classic spot for sunbathing, playing guitar with friends, and completing Core A reading. Pro tip: on Wednesdays, if you wear green, you can spin the wheel at the ResLife booth outside of Malott and potentially win a pretty plaid Scripps-branded blanket.
While you draft a text home asking for a beach towel and old blanket, you might as well ask for a few sweaters and a pair of warm pants. If you only packed summer clothes for your semester here, you are not alone, but be warned: despite the sweltering heat of August, Claremont will get chilly as the year progresses. At some point, it will start pouring rain, and you’ll find yourself wondering if the flooded roads will ever be dry again. Throw an umbrella or rain coat on your list while you’re at it.
Academically, the most important advice I can give is to use everyone’s resources. You may be attending Scripps College, but you are not limited to only what Scripps offers you. While taking classes off-campus, you will have access to that school’s relevant resources. Take advantage of the Pomona Writing Center, use CMC’s Murty Sunak Quantitative and Computing Lab (QCL) when you are forced to take physics, and attend free tutoring at Pitzer’s Fletcher Jones Language and Culture Resource Center while completing your foreign language requirement.
Also, use all of the creative spaces sprawled across the five colleges! Take your homework to Pomona’s design center, the Hive, and work on calculus while snuggled into a cozy nook. Head to Harvey Mudd’s Makerspace and learn how to sew and use power tools! You can even apply to work at these places. Use Handshake to look for job openings at the 5Cs – you will be surprised at how many opportunities there are to earn your work-study aid or make some extra money.
The Claremont Consortium has so much to offer! Attend events at the other schools! CMC’s Atheneum (A.K.A. the “Ath”) hosts speakers four days a week. You can sign up to attend a speaker’s program online, and boom, you’ve got dinner and a show (of sorts) for free. Keep an eye out for Ath talks that you find interesting and relevant, or attend a random speaker’s talk for fun. Be sure to attend Scripps Presents talks as well (and then write articles about them for TSV!).
The tried-and-true method to getting comfortable at the 5Cs is easier than you might imagine: Wander around the campuses! At any point, something fantastic could be right around the corner, waiting to be discovered. I have come across free goat yoga at Walker Beach at CMC simply by going on a stroll one morning. The only way to be in the right place at the right time is to go somewhere.
While exploring, check out the cafes and dining spots of the other campuses (but be sure to check each spot’s hours before!). The “Flex” money attached to your meal plan is waiting to be spent on snacks at CMC’s Hub, late-night boba from Milk & Honey’s pop-up at Pomona’s Café 47, or a pancake breakfast at the Grove House at Pitzer. After a night out, grab popcorn chicken from Mudd’s Jay’s Place, grab a study-motivating drink at the Coop at Pomona, or use your meal swipe (yes, you can forgo the Flex/ Claremont Cash and use one of your swipes – this also applies to the Hub!) at the Shakedown Café near the Pitzer pool. All of that exploring will be tiring, so be sure to refuel with a drink at Scripps’ coffee shop, the Motley – a big thank you to the Motley for not charging extra for alternative milk!
If you fear you are running low on Flex, you can check your balance and add Claremont Cash to your account by heading to the “Card Services” tab on The Claremont College Services website – just a note, Flex’s official name is “Board Plus”.
Eat at all of the dining halls the 5Cs have to offer. Scripps’s Malott is convenient, pretty, and typically has at least one good meal on the menu at any given time. However, it gets pretty crowded for lunch (especially as the clock nears 12:15 – after classes get out, expect lengthy waits in line and an overwhelming, crowded atmosphere). Luckily, there are five other dining halls to check out. Use the 5C Menu app to preview what is being offered at each.
On Saturday, I always brunch at Pitzer’s McConnell. The omelet bar, juice options, and delicious slop bowl options keep me and my friends coming back every week. Malott’s Sunday avocado toast is delicious – pile your bagel with mashed avocado, onions, lox, and arugula. Grab a side of chia pudding and fresh berries. Honorable mention to Pomona’s Frary and Frank for their brunch options.
I will ride-or-die for Malott breakfast. Are the options particularly great? No. Is it worth it to have some mediocre food while relaxing in sunny Seal Court, watching the turtles perch on their ledges and the squirrels sneaking food off of the plate of a man who abandoned his things for two minutes while running inside for a coffee refill? Absolutely. Pitzer has arguably better options, though, and offers patio dining as well.
Some favorite meals offered at the dining halls are, in no particular order: McConnell’s poke bowls, “Farm to Frank” at Pomona’s Frank, Mongolian stir-fry at CMC’s Collins, Malott’s surf and turf/baked potato night, Bao buns at Harvey Mudd’s Hoch-Shanahan (“Hoch”), the burrito bar and post-dinner yogurt bowls at Frary, and the fresh chocolate chip cookies served occasionally at Malott’s pizza bar (I acknowledge this is not a meal but they deserved a mention).
If you are new to Scripps and feeling overwhelmed, lost, or scared, talk to your classmates about it. The beginning of freshman year is scary, but there are hundreds of people going through the same things you are right now. People will never again be as excited to make a friend as they are right now: invite your classmates, roommates, and clubmates on your adventures!
If you’re feeling in need of some quiet and relaxation as you’re settling in, check out the wellness room at Tiernan Field House. Relax in the massage chairs, and play around with the zen garden and playdough. It will all be ok.
And that concludes this non-exhaustive list of advice. Enjoy the next four years!
