Jenny Gaeng
Major: theater
IÕm a junior from Baltimore, Maryland, and I spent a number of years turning away from the siren song of the theater, only to declare a theater major—with a directing concentration—last semester. Therefore, most of my waking hours are devoted to rehearsal, preparation for rehearsal, reading plays, working for the Theater and Dance Publicity Office, and stress eating. This fall, IÕll also be a TA for the Theater 101 class, which I highly recommend to all freshmen interested in pursuing theater at Oberlin. If you have any interest, fixed or fleeting, in the theater program—be it acting, directing, writing, or working on the technical side of things—I encourage you to talk to me. If I canÕt tell you exactly what you want to know, IÕll definitely be able to point you to someone who can.
In my spare time, which occurs every few months, I enjoy watching Arrested Development with my friends and exploring the cemeteries and soybean fields of Oberlin, Ohio. ItÕs a town full of hidden excitement if you know where to look, and I think the same thing can be said for the College. One thing that I learned my freshman year was to jump at every possible opportunity, because it could end up leading to something you never even considered, like a Winter Term trip to South Africa or an internship in New York City. We have a ton of great resources, like the Office of Study Away and the Office of Career Services, which many people overlook. Also, donÕt be afraid to ask your professors about anything. They can be a great resource as well. And best of all are your fellow students—talk to them! ThatÕs the best advice I can give.
Short List of Favorites
Local Cuisine: Agave. Half an order of super nachos is both cheap and filling—as long as you load it up with an exorbitant amount of toppings.
Favorite Author: Flannery OÕConnor. She is a master of character development and understated humor.
Favorite Under-advertised Resource at Oberlin: OhioLINK and the Interlibrary Loan Service. TheyÕre great for finding both rare books and books (like textbooks) that someone in Oberlin has already checked out.
Favorite First-year Courses
CRWR 120: Technique and Form in Fiction (second semester). Lots of writing and a lot of workshops—simply awesome.
THEA 100: Acting 1 (by audition; spring semester). I never had a real acting class before Oberlin, and this course recalibrated my whole concept of the discipline.