Patrick Doherty ’11

In which my life becomes embodied by History Major Heraldic Beast.

Our intern lunches became a regular occurrence - we would swap stories about the craziest things that had happened to us that day (so many crazy things, all the time), gossip about whatever was going on on the Hill, and, on one special occasion, Jordan nearly ran into and almost knocked over Dennis Kucinich in the cafeteria in the Rayburn Building.

Brandi recently posted an inquiry on her facebook status: "Oberfriends: If you had less than 60 seconds to express how awesome Oberlin is to someone who knows next to nothing about this place, what/how would you do it?" I visited her earlier that day, and she asked me the same question.

In which Active Minds raises awareness about suicide rates on college campuses.

Several people have blogged about their journeys to Oberlin. I've decided to add myself to this ever-growing list. Partly because my journey was not what some of you might expect and partly because I've avoided telling this story in its entirety for far too long.

Proof of my not-so-secret theory that Oberlin is slowly taking over the world.

In which the extent of my nerdiness is revealed.

Some of my favorite Oberlin facts and stories.

The only academic part of my semester is honors. No classes, no ExCos, no nothin'. Theoretically, this should make my honors process much less stressful to endure.

In which a Californian attempts to explain weather in Ohio to those people who live in a warm climate.

The story of how Helena and I discovered Celebration Bells, First Church's handbell choir.

A series of vignettes about my musical experiences at Oberlin.

When I first came to Oberlin in the fall of 2007 - yes, I am old - I knew basic library skills, but never really had to use a library for an extensive research project. Thank you, California public education.

Or, reflections on my common app essay with snarky comments added four years later.

In which I realize that I only have one semester remaining at Oberlin. Terrifying.

I am happy to say that this Thanksgiving I am thankful for my wonderful Oberlin friends and my Oberlin family. I don't know what I would do without them. Let Fiercegiving endure forever!

The fourth and final part of my four-part series on visiting Oberlin.

Part 1 of a 4-part series. In this section, planning your official admissions visit.

Or, how one person and one organization changed my entire Oberlin experience for the better.