We have collected hundreds of personal narratives from students, alumni, faculty, and staff that explain the merits and strengths of Oberlin through the eyes of those who have experienced it firsthand.
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On passion
Anna Arays ’10
“I spent my junior year working in Special Collections: looking at rare books, taking them apart, putting them back together, petting, and loving them. The job was fantastic: this is what I’d always...
On the Oberlin student body
Sandy Waters ’71
“My Oberlin friends came from... all over the place. All races and all faiths, they had attended both public and private high schools... they were independent, intellectually curious, intelligent,...
On the universal language on soccer
Max Hovey ’13
“Intramural soccer has given me a new knowledge base... I’d be lying if I said that my current appreciation for soccer hadn’t solidified my choice of pursuing Hispanic studies at Oberlin.”
On her 4-6 a.m. show on WOBC, the student-run college radio station
Hillary Swiss ’11
“Walking to and from Wilder in the middle of the night was extremely surreal, and I remember vividly how excited I was to share music with whoever was awake during my “rite-of-passage” first-year...
On there being too much to do at Oberlin
Ben Ferber ’11
“I always thought I was good at time management, but handling five classes, three plays, two student organizations, an RA job, a radio show, and a social life as an Oberlin sophomore is a little like...
On practicing problem solving
Sophie Newman ’17
“It wasn’t until I joined the Oberlin Bike Co-op that I realized just how satisfying finding an answer can be.”
On merging dance lives
Molly Gorin ’16
“I never thought I would be able to put a rapper dance side by side with a contemporary duet, but here I am today.”
On his voice teacher, Kendra Colton ’83
Jeffrey Hill ’09
“She taught with a firm, guided, and encouraging hand, but always listened openly to my thoughts and ideas. She allowed me to find my own voice instead of telling me what I should be.”
On living in tiny communities
Celina Siegel ’18
“They are exhausting and overwhelming and stressful in a way that only intense familiarity can be. They are also wonderfully intimate and deeply comforting and rewarding.”
On the connections between college and the future
Thanisa Durongkaveroj ’18
“I start to see my college experience as part of my overall life experience; classes become more applicable, and I become more competent to enter the professional world.”
On meeting neighbors
Noah Morris ’12
“I heard several shouts of “Come in!” and someone opened the door slightly. I’d braced myself for a lot of possibilities, but what I found still surprised me. As I entered, I found myself in a full-...
On his January spent underwater
Joshua Levy ’94
“Thanks to the Winter Term opportunity at Oberlin ... I’ve had the opportunity to see a manta ray in Hawaii, turtles in St. John, garden eels in Saba, docile sting rays in Cayman, and the most...