An Oberlin Retrospective

As my post-graduation plans have solidified and I’ve begun sharing the news with my community, many of my mentors have offered the same, very valuable advice, which I’ll now share with you: “As your time at Oberlin is dwindling, this is a good moment to take stock of your undergraduate experience. Think about who you want to spend time with, and how. Celebrate the huge accomplishments happening right now. When you work really hard for something for a long time, it can be so easy to just treat it as an inevitable thing, but the reality is that you worked incredibly hard for this, you deserve to celebrate it. Make a list of everything you’ve accomplished over the last four years. Throw an ‘I’m going to grad school’ party. Celebrate your hard work and just soak it all in.” Following their advice, this post is a timeline of everything I’ve done over the last four years and what I’m doing to celebrate it. 

1st year

• Started Cro-Slay (crochet club where I met some of my closest friends to this day!)
• Became an Oberlin Blogger
• Assistant taught at the MADFactory
• Started volunteering at For Ewe
• Adopted Mabel
• Acted in my first ever OMTA show: The World is Only Magic
• Joined VIBE tap and performed in my first Student Dance Showcase (SDS)
• Winter term: mindfulness meditation retreat
• Summer: Summer on the Cuyahoga internship program, worked at the Intergenerational Schools and lived in Cleveland for the summer

2nd year

• Officially hired at For Ewe
• Got another job, at Uptown Clothing
• First time on a production team as assistant stage manager for Cabaret
• Picked up yet another craft: jewelry-making
• Winter term: ANAD internship and grad school research in NY
• Became a support group leader for ANAD’s LGBTQ+ group
• Got into Pitch Please and performed in my first study break
• Played Lucy in All in Your Mind (OMTA show #2) 
• Joined VIBE jazz, second SDS performance
• First craft fair as a vendor 
• Summer in Oberlin, internship with ResLife
  • I finally spotted Yeobie in the wild this summer!! 

3rd year

• TA'd for Feminist Research Methodologies
• Started my independent study and joined a research lab
• Became an admissions ambassador
• Third SDS performance
• Performed in OMTA’s Villain showcase
• Directed for Quick! 
• Winter term: Dogs and Their People
• Directed Legally Blonde (OMTA show #3)
• All In Your Mind cast album released on spotify
• Performed in OMTA’s Duet Roulette
• Summer: studied abroad in Finland!

4th year

• Joined the pottery co-op and learned how to throw pottery
• Applied to grad schools
• Winter term: Ghost House (OMTA show #4)
• Interviewed for grad schools
• Got accepted into six grad schools!
• Interviewed for graduate assistantships and received an offer!
• Performed in OMTA’s Duet Roulette
• Currently co-directing and acting in my final OMTA show: The Pen and The Sword (performs May 1st-3rd, ticket form here)
• I’ll be speaking on the Careers with Social Impact in Psychology: Seniors Edition panel on April 21st 
• Last but not least, commencement! 

Making this list has left me with a huge smile on my face and immense gratitude in my heart. It’s amazing to see all that I’ve done over the last four years laid out like this. As far as what I’m doing to celebrate, I’ve been going to the Blue Rooster for little treats a lot. I’m also seeing my friends as much as I possibly can, and we’re working through our senior bucket lists together. For example, Hillary and I went to our first Jellyfish parade last month. In May, Evelyn and I are going swimming with otters, a long-held dream of mine. I am indeed throwing an ‘I’m going to grad school’ party. Wherever you are on your Oberlin journey, let this be your reminder to cherish it--you’ll be in my shoes before you know it.