By Ricardo Camacho ’27
But like any true procrastinator, I wasn’t ready to let myself fall into the grind of finals season too quickly, or even be particularly proactive. Instead, I spent reading days—days we supposedly should use to prepare for finals—with friends at the happiest place on Earth and in the blooming fields of Chino Hills State Park. At Pomona, it’s easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle of academic life, especially during finals, but I’ve learned how important it is to carve out pockets of peace and make time for things that bring a bit of joy back into the routine.
Amidst the final assignments, essays, and exams looming over my head, I found a much-needed escape in both the local and not-so-local sites here in SoCal. Heading into finals season at Pomona is no joke—in many ways, the last stretch of the semester will test you. For many, it’s a time of cramming last-minute reviews up at the library, venturing into the depths of academic buildings with squads of friends to stay accountable, or staying up until the crack of dawn to make the finishing touches on a presentation they likely had weeks to start. And a couple of weeks ago, I was right there with them: three papers, two presentations, and one final exam, all due within a few days of each other.
As others polished paper outlines and reviewed important class concepts, I stood in queues across Disneyland and California Adventure, savoring the sweet bites of the famous DOLE Whip and powdery beignets, awaiting the thrills of the many, many rides we were lucky to catch. I carried that same magical spirit into an impromptu hike through Chino Hills the next day, where my best friends and I wandered endlessly through fields of golden wildflowers, swaying so gently in the early morning breeze. There is no doubt these were probably not the most logical ways to spend reading days, but they were perhaps some of the most memorable moments of my semester. Between the laughter-filled rides and the vibrant hillsides of spring wildflowers, I felt something that no amount of studying could give me: the reminder that these are the years I won’t get back. More than that, there was a quiet comfort in how unproductive both days were—and how none of us felt the need to study, stress, or do anything more than simply be there, together.
Of course, the work caught up with me—it always does. And at Pomona, I’ve certainly had my fair share of late nights editing slides, racing to meet word counts, finalizing citations, and recharging with one too many snacks from the Coop. But it gets done eventually. Not perfectly. Not painlessly. But done nonetheless. I wouldn’t recommend my approach to everyone—but I also wouldn’t trade it. And perhaps that’s the beautiful contradiction of finals season at a place like Pomona: it demands your best academically, while also offering space—if you let it—for spontaneity, joy, and connection. It’s in the laughter during all-nighters in Estella, the midnight tea runs to Summerfield, and the random dance breaks (shoutout to Harwood 102 and my roomies) that I’ve found the moments I’ll cherish most.
I’ll likely procrastinate again next semester. And I’ll likely stress about it again—but at least I know I’m making it count. I’ll keep choosing to make time for joy in the midst of the high pressure because the point of my time here has always been about creating memories I’ll carry with me long after I leave. I’ll gladly take that over a perfect sleep schedule and no eye bags any day—and I invite you to try it, too.
