Oberlin Blogs

Ruth Bieber-Stanley ’21

Hello, readers! My name is Ruth (she/her/hers) and I was psychology/German double major and linguistics minor in Oberlin's Class of 2021. I hail from Albuquerque, NM, home of the largest hot air balloon festival in the world.

Besides being a blogger during my time at Oberlin, I also wore a lot of other hats on campus! I served in a variety of teaching and mentoring roles including as a PAL, a peer tutor, and a mentor in a dance program for girls in the Oberlin Public Middle School. I also work as a lab research assistant in the psychology department and was a proud member of Tank Co-op in Oberlin's Student Cooperative Association (OSCA). When I wasn't reading, note-taking, or lovingly putting color-coded events into my Google Calendar, I spent a lot of time on campus with friends, going to shows and concerts, making vegan meals with my housemates or going on several walks a week to Oberlin's Arboretum.

What you will find on this page are 66 posts about my (and others'!) experiences at Oberlin. I hope you enjoy my work, and that my stories can help you imagine what a life at Oberlin could be like. I ended my college career with a lot of gratitude for the blogs, and I hope that, even if in some small way, I was able to give back. Happy reading!

My Opening Farewell

May 17, 2021

When one thing closes, another opens.

A Room, A Refuge

May 10, 2021

This year, my room plays more roles than a bedroom ever has before.

Almost Normal

May 3, 2021

I couldn’t believe that I was actually about to see dancers perform in front of me for the first time in over a year.

Down and Dirty (in the J-House Garden)

April 11, 2021

Every Sunday morning, I get my hands covered in mud, and sometimes even return home with a random vegetable.

The Best Courses I Took at Oberlin

March 27, 2021

A small reflection of all the learning I’ve done.

Blue Rooster Bakehouse: Local Business Spotlight

March 20, 2021

I came for the treats, but I stayed for the people.

Spring Nostalgia and the One Year Mark

March 10, 2021

Longing for both the past and the future.

My Final Art Rental

February 27, 2021

This year, there was no need to get up early to try to get a top spot, and here’s why.

Things I Love

February 14, 2021

Today is Valentine’s Day.

Special-est Special Meals

February 2, 2021

Happy memories all around.

Annie's White Cheddar Mac, and Other Oberlin Food Stories

January 6, 2021

At Oberlin, food has become synonymous with community.

A Different Pace

November 27, 2020

It’s a very different Oberlin life from the one I’ve lived before now. But in many ways, it’s been a slower, calmer, and happier one.

Halloweekend: COVID edition

November 3, 2020

Even though times are weird, there are still so many fun events happening on Oberlin’s campus.

Babble

October 19, 2020

At Oberlin College, we like to talk about the phenomenon of the “accidental minor.”

Ode to Ohio Summer

September 23, 2020

I have a renewed appreciation for my surroundings and the green bubble that is Oberlin, Ohio.

Where Are They Now? Part Four: Kameron

September 2, 2020

The fourth and final installment of a series of conversations with former Oberlin bloggers.

Where Are They Now? Part Three: Hanne

July 22, 2020

This post is the third installment of my “Where are they now?” series, a collection of conversations with former Oberlin bloggers about their first years as Oberlin alumni.

Where Are They Now? Part Two: Teague

July 9, 2020

While at Oberlin, Teague was a Dance and Computer Science double major and was heavily involved in the circus and dance scenes.

Where Are They Now? Part One: Kira

June 30, 2020

Kira Findling was one of my favorite bloggers when I was in high school.

learning, unlearning

June 21, 2020

The events of the past few weeks have been challenging. It’s clear that things need to change in our society in a major way.

All Roads Lead to Zoom: COVID-19 and Admitted Student Engagement

May 27, 2020

This year Oberlin couldn’t host All Roads. Instead, the college did something really clever, if I do say so myself.

and then it was summer

May 20, 2020

I’m thinking of this as a time capsule.

Oberlin Spring Favorites

April 21, 2020

Spring in Oberlin is really magical.

A Day in the Life: Quarantine Edition

April 14, 2020

Of course, every day is a little different, even when sometimes they all feel the same.

adventure cut short

March 18, 2020

I think emotional vulnerability and sharing are key in moments like this when we need to be separated due to the circumstances of the outside world.

Missing My Major (and other things)

March 6, 2020

This semester, I was very much looking forward to the prospect of taking a little break from the technical and empirical world of psychology.

(Oh)Berlin!

February 25, 2020

I’m not in the bustling metropolis of Oberlin, Ohio, but in the actual bustling metropolis of Berlin, Germany!

Pots

February 3, 2020

I had an amazing month making art that I can use, connecting with people and my landscape, and learning to trust both myself and the clay I shaped.

Ask Ruth's Friends: Winter Term 2020

January 25, 2020

The sky is pretty much the limit with winter term.

Oberlin Thanksgiving: The Sequel

December 3, 2019

Now that the pie- and carbohydrate-induced sluggishness has been slept off, it’s time I write a blog post about my second Oberlin Thanksgiving.

My Dad Came to Visit: An Oberlin Parent's Perspective—Part 2

November 20, 2019

The last post in a trio of various family perspectives on my life at Oberlin.

Snow, Time, and Other Miscellany

November 10, 2019

This semester, I really identify with my area of study, and I feel involved more than ever before.

My Doppelgänger Comes to Visit

October 18, 2019

I happen to have a doppelgänger. Her name is Rosa, she is 17, and we share 50 percent of our DNA. Last weekend, she came to Oberlin. That’s right, my (taller) younger sister visited me to see my big girl college life.

How I Acquired a 15th Century German Manuscript

September 15, 2019

Art rental is a treasured Oberlin tradition.

In Which I Spend 8 Weeks in the Woods (of NH working at a therapeutic camp)

August 20, 2019

Fun drives growth.

Aggressively Matter-of-Fact

May 23, 2019

Everything feels like it’s where it should be, and it feels like it’s going as fast as it should be, too.

A Very Oberlin Weekend

May 6, 2019

Three concerts, one parade, a poetry slam, and a trampoline.

Where I Work

May 2, 2019

A (somewhat condensed) list of my favorite homework haunts on campus.

Baby's First Conference!

April 16, 2019

One of Oberlin’s (many) strengths I considered as a prospective student was its small size and access to professors and undergraduate research opportunities.

In Which I Spend 6 Days in the Woods: Part 2

April 1, 2019

This past week, I found myself in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in southern Kentucky.

My Mom Came to Visit: An Oberlin Parent's Perspective

March 20, 2019

There is something so special and fun about showing off your college life to your family members.

Everything Hurts and I'm Thriving

March 7, 2019

This semester, I’m doing even more to explore different ways of moving and to push myself to try new things that scare me.

I Made It Through OSCA Interim Week and You Can Too

February 18, 2019

Oberlin is known for its co-ops.

I Read 5 Books for FUN

February 2, 2019

Some things that weren’t assigned to me on a syllabus.

I Shadowed Psychiatrists for a Month

January 31, 2019

This Winter Term gave me a lot of insights I didn’t expect to leave with, and was really rich and valuable for a lot of reasons.

Ask Ruth's Friends: Winter Term 2019!

January 23, 2019

What my friends did for Winter Term.

An End of Semester Reflection

December 26, 2018

Much of my fall semester felt like an uphill bike ride from Tank to campus during a small blizzard.

Things I Learned as a PAL

December 7, 2018

I hope to do it for the rest of my time at Oberlin.

Tanksgiving

November 24, 2018

The meal was abundant and nourishing—emotionally and physically.

In Which I Spend 6 Days in the Woods

November 6, 2018

Going into nature for my break was such a good choice.

What I'm Up To

October 1, 2018

I’m doing a lot, as always.

On Adjustment

September 18, 2018

There’s still an adjustment period, even when you’re no longer a first-year.

Orientation Survival Tips

August 25, 2018

Orientation is just around the corner!

A Year Ago Today

August 20, 2018

Certain aspects of attending Oberlin are poetic and cyclical, often in unexpected and pleasantly surprising ways.

Meditation on Ludwig and Liberal Arts

May 19, 2018

The Fairy Tale King is following me.

Taking the Plunge

May 11, 2018

After yesterday’s meeting, I reflected about how much I have changed in the past year; how unafraid I have become.

Julie-O

April 15, 2018

This weekend, I had the pleasure of performing in my first ever Student Dance Showcase.

How to Navigate a Mini-Crisis: Adventures in Extracurricular Learning

April 10, 2018

I expected to learn a lot in college. What I didn’t expect was just how much I would learn outside of the classroom.

At Least (thirty)Seven

March 17, 2018

Exactly 365 days ago, I was visiting Oberlin for a second time.

Swing, Swang, Swung

February 18, 2018

I ushered in my weekend with a small, dance-related existential crisis.

Winterreise

February 5, 2018

Some numbers to summarize what I accomplished this past month.

Amicitia Pulchra Est

January 12, 2018

One of the (main) reasons I came to Oberlin was because of the people.

Freshbaby's Guide to Surviving Finals Week

December 19, 2017

How I made it through my first finals.

Lebensmüde: Thanksgiving Musings

November 28, 2017

This Thanksgiving break, instead of flying home to Albuquerque, I took a bus to NY City.

Stress Hike

November 13, 2017

If you’ve read my bio, you’ll know that I promised my readers a healthy dose of angst regarding declaring a major and deciding what to do with my life.

We Are the Blogs: You Will Be Assimilated

November 2, 2017

If you had told a wee 16-year-old Ruth that she would be moving to a small town surrounded by a LOT of corn in just two short years, I would not have believed you, not even for a hot second.

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