Pomo Myint Myat: A notebook, a writing club, and a way forward

When Pomo Myint Myat returned from Taiwan, her light-blue, palm-sized notebook was filled with scattered thoughts, new ideas, notes from international friends, and souvenir stamps. She carried it to lectures, discussions, field visits, and university tours, following Professor Dan Wessner's advice to record details that might otherwise disappear.

"Carrying a notebook with you when you travel is one of the best decisions you can ever make," Pomo says. "It helps you capture words and expressions along the way before they slip from memory."

The notebook offers a view into how Pomo approaches her experience at Parami: she pays attention to what she learns, values the people she meets, and looks for ways to share those experiences with others.

Pomo is a sophomore at Parami University who intends to major in Statistics and Data Science. She is also the vice president of the Word Weavers Writing Club, where students meet every few weeks to share experiences, emotions, and ideas through writing. Through the club, she is helping build the sense of community she once worried she might never find.

She usually goes by Pomo. When asked how she would introduce herself, she describes herself as "quite stubborn," a quality she connects to the difficult path that brought her to university.

In 2021, Pomo left high school after the coup in Myanmar, despite people around her advising her not to. For several years, she feared that she would never attend university. "My dream crumbled. My life was stuck. My hope crashed," she recalls.

Then Parami gave her another opportunity to begin. "Parami is almost like a prince elegantly riding a horse to save me," she says. "It welcomed the unprepared, naive, and inexperienced version of me who had nothing but the willingness to try and try again."

She describes her experience at Parami as transformative, both academically and professionally. One of the first opportunities she took on was helping to establish the Word Weavers Writing Club, where she now serves as vice president.

The idea for the club first came from her classmate Jan. Pomo remembers the excitement they felt while seeking permission to launch it. She is especially fond of the club’s name, Word Weavers. "All who write are just the ones who weave words," she explains. "Based on different reasons, purposes, or intentions, you weave words in your own way ... to convey your heart or express your thoughts."

For Pomo, writing has opened doors not only for her own expression, but also for the community she is helping create through the club.

Leading Word Weavers has also changed how Pomo understands leadership. She once believed that leadership required managing a large project or community. Through organizing regular writing activities, teamwork, and making space for members to express themselves, she has learned that meaningful leadership can grow through steady effort and attention to others.

The club had 18 members in the 2025~26 academic year and 24 in 2026~27. Every two to three weeks, members hold writing activities where they share experiences, emotions, and personal growth through words. Over time, these gatherings have created shared memories for students during their years at university.

"Our club may seem relatively small, but looking back at where we started, I find it too meaningful to dismiss as small," Pomo says. "I’ve come to realize that effective leadership doesn’t necessarily mean making a big sudden change; inspiring and influencing others through patience and commitment is also a form of leadership."

The same commitment to connection shaped Pomo’s experience at Taiwan Summer University. Her experience at Taiwan Summer University strengthened this understanding of community. During the program in July and August 2026, she traveled with 13 fellow students, whom she now describes as feeling like brothers and sisters. She also remembers the care of Professor Dan Wessner and the support of Parami’s Student Affairs Team.

The notebook she carried through Taiwan became a record not only of what she learned, but also of the relationships she formed. Since returning, Pomo says she has made more friends than she did during her first year, and those friendships have strengthened both her academic motivation and her personal life.

"Knowing that my friends are waiting for me in class motivates me to attend classes regularly more than anything else," she says. "Knowing that I’m not alone in carrying this academic pressure makes the emotional weight on my shoulders a little lighter."

For Pomo, the answer to what helps students feel supported and connected is simple: friends. She also recognizes that students may be carrying other pressures, including the political situation, financial difficulties, and work commitments. These realities can affect students' emotional well-being and their ability to participate fully in university life.

That understanding shapes her vision for Word Weavers. She hopes the club will remain a supportive, stress-free, and creative space where students can socialize and form meaningful connections alongside their academic responsibilities.

"Being surrounded by people who genuinely feel like your people is one of life’s most soul-nourishing experiences," Pomo says.

Together with Jan, the president of Word Weavers and a member of the Class of 2029, and Ma K, the club’s treasurer and a member of the Class of 2029, Pomo hopes to create more activities and keep students’ interest in writing alive. She believes Word Weavers has already helped some students find a welcome break from boredom and discover a new passion. Now, she wants to help the club grow without losing the warmth that has made it meaningful.

As Pomo continues her journey at Parami, she hopes to keep building a community where students feel comfortable expressing themselves and supporting one another. The light-blue notebook she carried through Taiwan holds reminders of what she has learned, the people she has met, and the experiences she wants to remember. Through Word Weavers, she is creating similar opportunities for others to reflect, connect, and find meaning in their own experiences. For Pomo, moving forward is not only about pursuing her academic goals, but also about helping others feel that they do not have to navigate the journey alone.