Oberlin Stories Project
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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![Abigail Lofchie](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/abigail_lofchie_12.jpg?itok=82Q6GZQ5)
On being a biology tutor
“I like... seeing students become comfortable with the material so that they can enjoy it instead of just seeing the class as a source of stress.”
Abigail Lofchie ’12
![SciFi residents gather around a hoard of toy laser guns and light sabers spread out on a pool table](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/julie_lopresto_12.jpg?itok=dlt2fEMT)
On living on SciFi Hall
“...when I step out my door, there will be a friendly face around the corner. I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had there, and have found what I’m proud to call my home at Oberlin.”
Julie Lopresto ’12
![Taiko drummers and drums.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/yue_qiu_14.jpg?itok=BMlNcpLC)
On being a part of OCTaiko
“...being a good taiko drummer is not so much having the perfect techniques; it is more a commitment to being part of a group that shares the same energy and tries to figure out the key to ki...
Yue Qiu ’14
![A group of friends at night, some of them sprawled on the grass](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/emily_brennan_15.jpg?itok=WWEnTEPg)
On making friends
“The benefits of the meaningful conversations I had with my new friends outside of the classroom were robust... My friends became my teachers — a true Oberlin education.”
Emily Brennan ’15
![Rachel at a French canal.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/rachel_ippolito_13.jpg?itok=dcF-MU4c)
On studying abroad in France
“I was lost. But rather than moping around in disappointment, I decided to embrace the novelty of all that was around me.”
Rachel Ippolito ’13
![At a table with sign Christ Cares for Cancer stands a group of people wearing tee shirts that say Relay for Life: Hope](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/amanda_turley_10.jpg?itok=F6g2Sgix)
On fighting back
“My freshman year, I joined the planning committee for Oberlin’s first ever Relay for Life. For the event, I started my own team: the Pirates Dueling Cancer, decked out in black and red pirate attire...
Amanda Turley ’10
![A college student reads to agroup of attentive preschoolers](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/leah_awkward-rich_17.jpg?itok=jOd70HxH)
On tutoring at Head Start
“I witnessed the kids I spent several hours a week with mature emotionally and personally, and I was given the opportunity to participate as they learned brand new concepts.”
Leah Awkward-Rich ’17
![A quarterback releases the ball toward a receiver](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/greg_mangan_09.jpg?itok=8DFHy9wx)
On his roommate, Mike Loll, during their first pre-season
“He knew all the plays. He knew where to be at all times. He moved effortlessly through the logjam of the field. He was a natural.”
Greg Mangan ’09
![Sam at the dinner table with his host family.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/sam_good_09.jpg?itok=4rQIurJm)
On studying abroad
“I have dozens of hilarious stories that encapsulate a year of cross-cultural misunderstandings with a group of genuinely caring people who went out of their way on an hourly basis to make sure I was...
Sam Good ’09
![Group of students stand together](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/arjuna_pettit_14.jpg?itok=8f_CI2Fx)
On pushing boundaries
“I still remember the sense of accomplishment that I felt after completing the final exam for Bio 100. I had conquered the beast.”
Arjuna Pettit ’14
![Maggie with a friend.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/maggie_killman_13.jpg?itok=xxFzsOWe)
On becoming a Latin major
“I realized how passionate everyone around me was about the exact same things ... they all shared the exact same joy I felt from studying such an obscure but wonderful language and culture.”
Maggie Killman ’13
![Jacob hugs a young panda](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/jacob_myers_12.jpg?itok=MNJdRPBe)
On Oberlin’s life preparations
“Oberlin’s crash course in cultural understanding gave me open eyes, open ears, and an open heart, and at the end of the year, that’s what helped me learn the most from my own experience.”
Jacob Myers ’12