Dorm Living
Moving away from home for the first time can be an incredibly challenging experience for so many students. Residing in a new environment can feel weird and uncomfortable. Taking the time to make your dorm room feel cozy and welcoming in whatever way feels right to you can be greatly beneficial! Sharing a dorm or living in communal housing for the first time is a big shift for many students, and can be really challenging. Reach out to your resident assistants for advice!
Keeping your dorm clean and organized is also so important for your overall well being. A messy dorm can increase stress levels and decrease your ability to concentrate. There are also physical health benefits to keeping your room clean such as prevention of the spread of germs. Because there are so many people living in such close quarters in a dorm, staying healthy becomes even more important.
Southern California
Los Angeles is a very urban location, even all the way out in Claremont. This comes with many possible exposures such as air pollution, noise, chemicals, and more. Claremont, also known as the city of trees and PhDs, retains some protections against these harms through the value placed on green spaces by city planners. Moreover, we have amazing access to the backcountry through Mt. Baldy road right behind campus. This has its downsides too, like wildfires encroaching on our campus during fire season.
Natural Disasters are a real threat in Claremont. Between earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and droughts, Claremont has to be prepared for many possibilities. Many students are not used to these types of threats. October 16th is the International ShakeOut Day where we practice earthquake preparedness. If you’ve never had to duck and cover for an earthquake, find a friend who grew up in California and ask them for a quick lowdown on what to do should an earthquake strike campus.
Green Spaces
We are lucky to reside on a campus that values our happiness! CMC has touted the title of happiest college, and the access to green spaces is an important factor in this ranking. Scattered trees have been shown to reduce depressive symptoms. Moreover, sunshine while studying for winter finals helps keep seasonal depression at bay.
We love big grass fields, but the severe California droughts do not. There’s a healthy balance to strive for between the pollution that comes from water usage and pesticides. We are incredibly lucky at CMC to have so many fields and trees where we can recreate and study.