On living a multifaceted life

Question: What does Oberlin allow me to do that no other place could?
Answer: Pursue my interests, no matter how varied.

I have played soccer my whole life. Part of my college decision came down to the question of whether or not I wanted to continue playing competitively for my college. I have never regretted my decision for a minute; Oberlin Soccer has been everything I could have hoped for. We are the most successful men’s varsity team on campus; we are aiming for a conference championship next year. Normally, to be on a college team with that level of success, a huge time commitment is required. Soccer must be your life. That isn’t the case here. Soccer is only a part of the mosaic of my life at Oberlin.

At home, my two best friends and I formed a group called 3DI to collaborate on original music production and DJing. Our music blog, No Potatoes, has gained some distinct notoriety. Our two mixtapes of original mash-ups have spread across the Internet, and we each have made names for ourselves as DJs at our respective colleges. While I take great pleasure and enjoyment from my musical endeavors, I do not have any wishes to turn these ventures into a professional career. My heart lies with acting.

Each semester at Oberlin, I have participated in acting classes. As audition-based courses, each year they shrink in size. My first class contained 64 people; next semester, my Shakespeare class holds 12 people. By the end of this school year, I will have starred in three student films. I am currently writing a script for a movie to be shot my senior year, and plan on starring in another movie next semester, which I helped write and produce.

I could not have accomplished any of these things without the support of my coaches and teachers. In a college setting, it is rare to have so many mentors when dealing with non-academic circumstances. The two who are most present in my life at Oberlin are Matthew Wright, my acting teacher, and Blake New, my soccer coach. While guiding me to success in their respective fields, they have also encouraged me to pursue outside interests. They have offered me advice and wisdom, which cannot be replicated.

It is only in a place like Oberlin that I could succeed in academics, athletics, and extra curricular activities. The level of support I feel is unparalleled. The message should simply be: if you put your time in, you will get that, and more, back. I am a double major in law & society and sociology; I play varsity men’s soccer; I am heavily committed to acting; I produce music and DJ on a regular basis. These experiences will only allow me to succeed to a greater degree in my life after college. I have no doubt it my mind that Oberlin has allowed me to do things I never could have done at another school.