My favorite spots in and around Oberlin

I imagine choosing the place you’d live in for the next four years is as nerve-wracking as it was for me. I couldn’t stop wondering what campus looked like, what my days would be filled with, how I’d have a full schedule in such a small town, and how I’d manage to get to Cleveland. Today, I write this blog post to tell you about how much I’ve explored, including my favorite on-campus spots, what I do in the small town of Oberlin, and how I get to Cleveland. 

Here are all my favorite spots in and around Oberlin!

The Oberlin Arboretum is the southernmost point of Oberlin’s campus. Along with trails and pretty trees, it has a reservoir split into two mini lakes. It’s a great place for nature walks, especially once you get deeper into the trees and you’re surrounded by squirrels. I like going here because it’s only a 15-minute walk from my on-campus house, and it’s a great place for me to take a break from academics.

The Oberlin Public Library, however, is where I go when I am in the depths of academics. The library has lots of books, public areas for work, as well as private rooms you can book for a quiet space. Most of my essays for graduate schools have been written there!

In town, there’s two main cafes: Slow Train and Black River. Slow Train has weekly trivia nights, and Black River is the perfect place for morning people. Within walking distance from the two, Oberlin also has many restaurants: from Thai food to Mexican, from US cuisine to Middle Eastern food. Each Saturday, there’s also a Farmer’s Market, where local vendors sell their produce and crafts, and where you can usually find someone playing the guitar and singing as you stroll and shop.

Whether I’m heading to town for food or a cafe, I always like to appreciate walking through Tappan Square – the park that connects campus with the town. In early fall, I love setting up my hammock and staring at the changing colors of the leaves. When the sun sets, I like running around the football fields on the northernmost point on campus. There’s usually no lights, and you can spend a whole night looking at the stars.

There’s still days where I miss the hustle and bustle of a big city, though, and this is when Cleveland and the surrounding area comes in. Since coming to Oberlin, I’ve enjoyed exploring Cleveland’s murals, food markets, and theatre district. My first time ice-skating was in downtown Cleveland, and my first successful attempt at finding food from my country was at Cleveland’s West Side Market – a food court with lots of options. 

Cleveland is about a 40-minute drive away, and while you can take a car and drive, Oberlin also offers transportation to a few main points students usually wish to go to. ObieExpress runs five days a week to different locations, from Asian Plaza and markets, to Case Western’s campus and Cleveland’s museums. This transportation is an easy and free option for students to use whenever they wish to go off campus and indulge in the hustle and bustle. Whenever I do so, I am always happy to come back to hammocking in Tappan and walking around the Arb.

Oberlin might seem like the middle of nowhere in Ohio, but I think that’s its strength. I can balance a relaxing weekend spent out on walks in nature with concerts in a big city like Cleveland. I can eat at dining halls and local restaurants and still have access to food courts and plazas whenever I wish for a change. I can feel like I have my own community, while still having access to a big city and meeting new people.

Oberlin has become my Obieland, and I’ve learned to appreciate all the quirks about it: from the local restaurants to the buses that allow me to experience more. I can feel at home, and still have the ability to explore beyond it.