Brendan Nuse ’17 and Frances Casey ’17

Hi! I'm Brendan Nuse and I came to Oberlin from West Windsor, New Jersey. I'm a third-year at Oberlin, but this semester I am studying at Yunnan University in Kunming, China. I met Frances during our first year at Oberlin when we were both living in Barrows. I'm an East Asian Studies and Environmental Studies major, so I clearly spend a lot of my time studying studies. Outside of class, I've participated in a variety of other activities in my time at Oberlin. This includes everything from singing in the Oberlin College Choir to a (disastrous) attempt at playing intramural soccer.

My life in China is obviously very different than my life at Oberlin, but I am still an Oberlin student at heart, and I hope that I can instill some of my love for Oberlin in the readers of this blog.

Hey, I'm Frances (she/her/hers), a third-year student from the San Francisco Bay Area. In Northern California, nobody knows where Oberlin is. Some people may not even be able to find Ohio on a map. But why would they need to? They already live in a glorious paradise of temperate weather, liberal politics, and fine Latin American cuisine! (People from the Bay Area are really pretentious about where they live. And how good their food is.)

Despite what my friends back home may think about a tiny town in Ohio, I love living here. I really like the local Oberlin community and, of course, the college. Being here has already taught me how to incorporate words like "neoliberalism" and "anarcha-feminism" into everyday conversation, how to make jokes at capitalism's expense, and of course, how to combat a freezing winter. I live in Baldwin Cottage, and you may also find me procrastinating in Mudd or enjoying a meal in Harkness. I am passionate about reproductive justice issues and taking selfies with my cats.

True to my Californian roots, I am literally obsessed with food. If you plan to start a conversation with me about foods I like, get comfortable. When I'm not here in Oberlin, I'm usually cruising through the Bay Area blasting music, indulging in delicious food truck fare, or hiking on Mt. Tamalpais and taking in the view.

I came to Oberlin because it's just as weird as I am, and nothing so far has proven me wrong. I'm mighty excited to share my experiences with you!