Though Oberlin itself is pretty small, there are so many amazing hidden spots all across campus and town. Even in my third year here, I still find myself discovering new favorite places to study, catch up with friends, or have a relaxing moment to myself in the midst of a sea of due-dates and to-do lists. In an attempt to show the wide variety of locations around Oberlin that students enjoy, I’ve asked a few of my friends to share a bit about their favorite places. Happy exploring!
Me: I would have to say the public library. Everyone who works there is so kind and welcoming, and it’s such a great place to curl up with a book. It’s so cozy during the winter months; I love going there to read with a hot chocolate!
Anna: I really like the Warner Dance studios—the windows make really cool patterns of light on the floor. I also love the AJLC (Adam Joseph Lewis Center) because of all the pretty plants and natural light.
Juliana: The Oberlin bike path that runs through town! There are so many beautiful trees and there’s even a little pond you can stop at to see turtles.
Aimee: My favorite place in Oberlin is the solar fields. I like how calm and peaceful it always is, especially before all the vegetation is cut in September. Plus, there’s always good odds that I run into someone walking their dog!
Juliet: Wilder Bowl is the best place to have picnics in the spring and snowball fights in the winter! You’ll always see someone you know hanging out there.
Daniel: I think my favorite spot on campus is the machine room in the physics basement. I’ve always just loved heavy machinery and stuff so it’s really cool how you can kinda just make anything down there.
Sami: The little koi pond next to Finney Chapel is always pleasantly quiet, and sometimes you can even hear music from a concert inside.
Finn: I really like the Bandstand/gazebo in Tappan Square. It’s a lovely place to sit and read a book because it’s partially in the shade but you can still see the sun.
