The year in film has ended, but the wrap-up has only begun. The calendar year for film awards runs from late March until late March every year with the announcement of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards, or more charmingly, the Oscars. (Or, for extra charm, the Oscar®s.) This year, which the mainstream media apparently considers a letdown in the film department, offers a variety of Oscar nomination possibilities; only a few actual underdogs have a chance at the pound, though. (P.S. Please note that The Student Life does not endorse actually caring about the Oscars. The show is nothin’ but political BS, but the prediction game can be simultaneously sickening and intriguing.) More

A veritable PetCo, Pomona College is home to a variety of different pets. They bring color and excitement to the lives of their owners and, when given the chance, these pets even reach out to the entire college community with their joyful spirits and special talents.

Emily Samiljan ’01 has had two corn snakes while at Pomona, Gina and Fancy. Gina was named for the porn star ring of the name, while Fancy was named after a student at Pitzer. "I used to bring them to class and a few parties," Emily said. The best feature of the snakes was the spectacle of feeding-time. Those savory live mice–who could resist? They were both conversation starters and conversation killers, Emily said, but most people were receptive to their presence. More

Progressive, literate, and brutal, Massachusetts’ Orchid are easily one of the most important bands in punk-rock today. Believers in a staunch do-it-yourself aesthetic, these four kids can make anyone believe that independent music actually matters in a world of burnt-out-at-17 pop stars on 12-foot stages. The following interview was conducted via e-mail with band-member Jayson Green and painstakingly edited by yours truly. (Says Jayson: "Also edit me, please, I am an atrocious speller and my grammar is sucksville.") More

Last November The Student Life offered to give the student who made the most accurate election predictions five dollars and a picture of an elderly person sitting on a couch. We were unable to conclude this contest in a timely fashion, however, because we did not find out who the goddamn president was until the last issue of the paper had already gone to press. Also, I forgot the password to the Hotmail account, so I could not access the entries. In retrospect I should have set a more helpful password hint than "you are mush," but I have learned my lesson, and I believe the country has, too. The lesson is: I am president now! Time for snacks! Shut up! I’m the boss of you? Where are the snacks? At? More

If there are two beverages most commonly associated with college life, they’re coffee and beer. This makes sense, as they go hand in hand with the two most common practices of college life: working hard and playing hard. What, then, is it about these two drinks that they have come to be so central to our lives that it is difficult (impossible?) to imagine college without them? More

Yo, yo, I’m fixin’ to put y’all up on sumptin’ right quick… You know that feeling you get when you’re at the swap meet and you see that platinum wrist piece with the ice all laid out in baguettes just blinging at you? Well, that’s how Sam Dizzy was feeling when he unwrapped his brand new Miller Lite Super Bowl XXXV Official Inflatable Chair with footrest and fat-ass wide girth seat. That shit was STUNTASTIC. Straight out tha plastic. More

Epi-Curious triumphantly returns to the pages of The Student Life!! We provide reviews of local restaurants in all price ranges and food styles. Epi-Curious would love to review your favorite eateries and recommendations may be made by contacting The Student Life. More

In the interest of "spreading the loooove," The Student Life is proud to present a few stolen moments from one of the most inspiring love affairs of our–or any–time: Ronnie and Nancy Reagan. More

After months of Internet rumors and lots of gossip in all the music magazines, it’s finally been confirmed: Pavement, the quintessential indie "college-rock" band, has definitely broken up. Most of the band’s fans knew it was coming, but the momentum that accompanied the breakup was surprising. As soon as Matador Records’ website began to refer to Pavement in the past tense, news about lead singer Stephen Malkmus’ solo project had already reached sweater-wearing indie-nerds everywhere. More

I had pretty high expectations walking into Guy Ritchie’s new film. The writer/director’s previous offering, 1998’s Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, struck me as a thoroughly amusing piece of British crime-comedy (crimedy??). Also, the theatrical trailer for Snatch was one of those "damnIgottaseethat" previews that made me briefly forget whatever it was I was about to see. It had diamonds, boxing, guns, and funny-talkers, so it had to be good. Right? More