Oberlin Blogs

A Map for the Road

July 31, 2014

Ida Hoequist ’14

Dear future reader! Hello! Welcome to the archives of my blog. What you see here is a representation of four years of my Oberlin. As I've lived and written, several threads have developed that you can trace in my writing, if you like; this post contains a set of flowcharts to help you follow those arcs.

The extracurriculars are the simplest to categorize:


OSCA flow chart: the machanics of OSCA – on being OSCAn – a brief introduction to old B; Activism flow chart: an open letter to my fellow Oberliners – March 4th, cont. – confessions of a student activist – a happy end?

Circus flow chart: tumbling club – I crave mats and open spaces – harder, better, faster, stronger – in defense of sore muscles – staying in touch was never my strong suit

Music flow chart. This flow chart is broken into three branchesL conservatory, Irish, and shows. The conservatory branch has a line to "flauting convention." The Irish branch has a line to "traditional Irish music" and "under pressure." The shows branch has a line to "heart it races"


Of course, I've written about classes, too. I took a lot (way too many) of them, so there's a lot to talk about. (If I took more classes than necessary, does that make them extracurriculars too?)


This acadmics flow chart has four branches. The first, registration, has a line to "a recipe for registration." The second, classes, begins with "midterm report, part one and part two" – FYS 136: Ways of Seeing, Ways of Knowing" – "CS v. my brain" – "Brain soup, part one and two." The third, teaching, is connected to "winter semester of Deutsh." The fourth, majors, is connected to "germies" and "llamas"


Careful readers will note that there are some recurring characters in this archive: Sarah, my roommate, appears in It's a Beautiful Day in the Roommatehood and A Room With A View, and also wrote the guest post From Yarn to Garment X. My friend Clay visited me and was featured in Mr. Riley Comes A-Callin, and then hosted me and was featured in Fall Break, Take Two: Boston Edition. A smattering of other friends also show up in the slice-of-life type posts, of which there are many.

This "life outside Oberlin" flowchart has three branches. The first, vacation, connects: New York (fun) Times – Christmas Revelations – Fall Break, Take Two Boston Edition. The second, Winter Term, connects: Oregon: Alis Volat Propriis – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. The third, Future, is connected to What's Next.

This Life at Oberlin flowchart has four branches. The first, Winter Term, connects: From Yarn to Garmant X – What I always Imagined Winter Term Would Feel Like. The second, Friends, connects: Maximum stillness Achieved – Finals! Featuring: Festivity and Friends – Mr. Riley Comes A-Callin! – I'm Waiting for the Day – The Little Flashmob That Could. The third, Dorm Life, connects; It's a Beautiful day in the Roomatehood, Dacomb, Part one and two – A Room with a View. The Fourth, Summer, connects: A Day in the Life – Hard Days' Night – With a Little Help From my Friends


A few of my posts are very introspective; I talk a little about my difficulties in Oberlin, how I function, and so forth. If you want a small introduction to me directly, that's what I wrote Hello Goodbye for, but I do try to be pretty explicit about the way Oberlin filters through my lens, so any one of my posts is bound to talk a lot about my mindset.
(Fact about me: I adore organizing.)


This flowchart titled Me has two branches. The first, About, connects: Hello Goodbye – A Path to Oberlin. The second, My Experience(s) connectsL Staying in Touch was Never my Strong Suit – Fatigue – Fears. Moms. Advice. All of the Above. – Guidelines – Final Notes

Not that my posts have to be read according to the structures I've sketched out here - chronological order is perfectly fine, since that's how I wrote them and that's how my life went. Nothing wrong with picking at random, either! Basically, do whatever floats your boat, but if you're interested in something specific, now you know where to find it.
(Unless you can't read my handwriting. In which case you're SOL. Sorry.)

My Oberlin is yours to peruse! Do enjoy. I certainly did.

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Responses to this Entry

You did, and you still DO. Oberlin stays with you forever and you will be internally referring to it every so often while going through your next experiences.
Look how much you wrote; it is such a rich story!
If that isn't a treasure and a gift!

Posted by: Muriel on August 1, 2014 10:14 AM

This post = genius. Genius!

Posted by: Emily on August 1, 2014 1:10 PM

All of Ida in one blog post? Yes please. All of Ida in 53 blogs posts? EVEN BETTER!

You're fantastic and I adore your words. I'm really really glad your handwriting makes an appearance in this post, too.

Go on, continue to have a totally amazing life. And thank you for sharing so many bits and pieces of your Oberworld with us. We're all the better for it!

Posted by: Ma'ayan on August 1, 2014 2:26 PM

This is AMAZING and so much fun and a beautiful guide! I look forward to perusing it all!

Posted by: Tanya on August 1, 2014 2:30 PM

I like that I can write basically zero content and my little fan club still comes out to stroke my ego. You guys swooping into my comment section was always the best part of writing blogs. ♥

Posted by: Ida on August 2, 2014 1:33 PM

Ida, long time reader and first time commenter here. As you leave the blogs, I want you to know that your words and scribbles have over the last few years provoked some pretty meaningful reflections about what I'm doing at Oberlin/with my life, and have also generally been a pleasure to read.

Posted by: Leo on August 5, 2014 3:13 AM

Leo. Are you sure you're real? What you wrote is everything I have ever wanted as a blogger. I am honored, and delighted, and a little in shock, and for god's sake if you ever see me anywhere please say hello, because it will make my day. It'll make my dang heck week.


(MA'AYAN MA'AYAN LOOK, I'M FINALLY FAMOUS)

Posted by: Ida on August 5, 2014 11:35 AM

Leo, you made my week too! I'm so glad you're hanging out in the ethos of the blogs, and thank you for making a brief public appearance.

Ida: high fives for EVERYONE!

Posted by: Ma'ayan on August 5, 2014 12:40 PM

A road map to how fantastic you are?! Gold. A stylishly handwritten flow-chart to everything you've written about your fantastic self?! *screams in joy* Literally I LOVE THIS.

I love the layout, the mini description breaks and everything. It makes me want to carve out chunks of time to read it all and reconnect with you all over again. While I'm sad to see you go off these blogs I hope that if you ever write anything again that I get the honor of reading it! Continue to rock on Ida--you're the best

Posted by: Alex on August 7, 2014 5:12 PM

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