Anna “Banana” Rebecca Ernst

aernst@oberlin.edu

Major: musical studies (with a concentration in American music history)

I grew up in Chevy Chase, MD, and became one of a crowd of DC-area Obies in the fall of 2006. Before college, I did some theater, volunteered for my church, and played a lot of violin and Frisbee (not together, though). I did consider auditioning for the Conservatory, but not until I got to Oberlin, and eventually decided to take on the wonderful new musical studies major instead. If you come to the music resource fair for Arts and Sciences students (in the Conservatory, from 2-3pm, the first day of orientation), you will likely find me sitting at a table with my good friend Jeffrey, with whom I established the student-run Oberlin College Symphony orchestra two years ago. We’ll be looking for new musicians of any and all experience levels, so come talk to us!

I would be very happy and excited to talk to you about studying and making music at Oberlin as an Arts and Sciences student. Contrary to what you may have heard, it is VERY possible.

Other groups I am involved in on campus include the Ecumenical Christians of Oberlin (ECO), a dinner-and-discussion group that meets on Sunday nights from 6-7:30 in Lewis House. I have been a member of the Preying Manti, Oberlin’s mighty women’s ultimate Frisbee team, and I have eaten in OSCA dining for the past two years. I also studied abroad last fall in Córdoba, Spain, on Oberlin’s PRESHCO program. The majority of my classes outside of my major (which consists largely of Conservatory classes) have been in the history and politics departments.

I’d like to welcome you to the wonderful, hardworking, hard-playing, silly, creative, crazy, loving and maybe even – dare I say it? - weird community that is Oberlin College, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Oberlin itself. Congratulations! You’re about to have so much fun.

Short List of Favorites

Favorite Local Cuisine: Co-op pizza, fancy pancakes for Feve brunch OR banana-chocolate chip pancakes for Black River brunch. Also, yogurt or chocolate covered pretzels at Decafe.

Favorite Historical Figure: Barack Obama.

Favorite under-advertised resource at Oberlin: The Counseling Center, located in the Student Health Building at 147 W. Lorain (440-775-8470 or ext. 58470 if you use a campus phone). Limited sessions are included as part of your tuition, and it’s a great place to go if you want a neutral someone to talk to other than your parents or your friends (even if you’ve never had counseling or psychotherapy before). Highly, highly recommended.

Favorite First-year Courses

(I actually took both of these courses my sophomore year, but they are meant for first-year students as well.)

Geology 120: Earth's Environments. The geology department may be hidden way up on the fourth floor of Carnegie (the same building where the admissions office is), but it’s one also of the coolest departments at Oberlin and could lead you eventually to winter term on the beach. A really fun way to fulfill your natural science credits!

Politics 105: American Government. There’s a reason why this class is somewhat legendary at Oberlin. I would say chances are that if you take it, you’ll become a more active, engaged citizen and be happy about it.