Oberlin Blogs

In this post: whining, zingers, too many words, neuroses, a moral, unplayable atonal blah blah blah, a payoff for those who wade through 900-odd words.

As I mentioned before, I was back early as an academic ambassador, a friendly, name-tag-emblazoned helpful upperclassman to help the overwhelmed freshmen during their first academic duties. Other than the perk of arriving back on campus early, I got to meet a number of extraordinary new students.

On theater, travel, and the Oberlin connection.

I headed to a small coffee shop and discovered that it really is an Obie world after all.

Sure, there are a few bloodthirsty, ambitious climbers at Oberlin, and a few deadbeats content to coast on their parents' funds, but the majority have found a healthy middle path.

Think of it as essentially this blog (more long-form stories, anecdotes, photos), but with a slightly different focus. Now that I have graduated from my dear alma mater, I figured it was time to branch out a little on my own.

No matter how far away you go from Oberlin, you're still going to crave it.

It turns out that for a pair of liberal college campuses, both boasting large feeder populations from elite(ist) NYC high schools, Cornell and Oberlin couldn't be more different.

I've been working at the Decafe ever since, my hours fluctuating every semester, but I still keep signing up for hours because I truly love working there. I love playing with food, I love making people happy with their food, and I love being creative. And here is where the adjective sandwiches come in.

Say "commencement" and I think of the iconic hats in the air, traditions, pomp and circumstance, formality... But Oberlin students don't really DO traditional.

Holding that cap in my hands again this weekend and reading that message made me feel like I was getting hugged by my 17-year-old self.

If there is one thing I learned how to do better at Oberlin that wasn't advertised at first was that I am now very good at applause.