Mariko Meyer

mariko.meyer@oberlin.edu

Major: east Asian studies, Japanese concentration

Minor: mathematics

 

Hello! I am a junior from the San Francisco Bay Area. When I first came to Oberlin, I had no idea what I wanted to study, so I took a little bit of everything. I finally settled on east Asian studies, with a minor in math. This combination gives me an incredible amount of flexibility. I continue to take courses in a variety of fascinating disciplines that complement the lessons IÕve learned in my major fields. I recommend that everyone take as wide a variety of classes as possible in their first year because you might surprise yourself—as a high school senior I would never have believed that I would end up on this academic track, but I love it. I think that the key is to find great professors who really inspire you (and there are many of them here!).

 

Outside of academics, I have made a lot of really close friends by getting involved in student organizations. Joining Pyle Inn co-op was one of the best decisions IÕve made since I arrived. Not only did I meet great people and learn valuable life skills, but I also ate some amazing food. For the past two years I have also been involved in the Asian American Alliance (AAA) and Asian American Heritage Month, which are both a lot of fun, and I have kept up my violin through playing in College Community Strings and doing chamber music with friends.

 

Short List of Favorites

 

Local Cuisine: Brunch at The Feve is amazing. They change their brunch menu every week, and their pancakes are delicious.

 

Author: I have been reading a lot of Haruki Murakami lately. Once I start reading his books I just canÕt put them down.

 

Under-advertised resource: The town of Oberlin has a lot more to offer than you might expect; going for walks off-campus can be really eye-opening, and local shops and organizations can be surprisingly useful.

 

Favorite First-year Courses

 

EAST 152, Japanese Thought and Religion (spring semester).

MATH 220, Discrete Mathematics (fall and spring semester).

 

These courses really changed the way that I approach problems and see the world, which is what I believe all Oberlin classes should aspire to.