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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![Lauren with Prof. Belitsky and another student](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/lauren_choban_16.jpg?itok=Ov9SINhT)
On opportunity
“At Oberlin, there is something—a club, a research lab, a play—for everyone to take part in, succeed in, and, best of all, enjoy.”
Lauren Choban ’16
![A student touches a transparent globe that contains bolts of electricity](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/gabrielle_walsh_18.jpg?itok=kV_g0J50)
On a foundational winter term project
“Under Professor Matlin, I gained confidence in my lab work and got to befriend older student researchers who were already engrossed in the chemistry department and greater scientific community.”
Gabrielle Walsh ’18
![2 women look at a menu](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/anne_hoffman_08.jpg?itok=so6FJofC)
On habits developed at Oberlin
“I spent mornings at Black River, nursing coffee and developing an addiction from which I have no intention of recovering. I read political theory that made my brain feel like it was on fire. I read...
Anne Hoffman ’08
![Rosie and friends, costumed as The Avengers.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/rosie_hertzman_15.jpg?itok=jnOL_b4Y)
On the power of Harry Potter
“In a society that looks down on childlike excitement over anything, OHPA taught me that it’s okay to be unapologetically enthusiastic about popular culture and that passion, no matter what form it...
Rosie Hertzman ’15
![Ma'ayan adjusts the focus on a camera.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/maayan_plaut_10.jpg?itok=vAmRBUjt)
On her passion for photography
“Being at Oberlin and loving the arts go hand in hand, and luckily I get to translate my love of people, music, theater, and dance to a medium that serves both as a reminder and an inspiration to...
Ma'ayan Plaut ’10
![Hip-hop dancers at rehearsal](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/isabelle_harari_17.jpg?itok=rls76EgZ)
On performing with Oberlin’s female and trans* hip hop dance group And What!?
“Our identity as dancers makes sure our audiences leave with material to ponder, discuss, and continue to engage with after our shows.”
Isabelle Harari ’17
![Standing by a hillside with hands raised and mouth wide open](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/beth_rogers_07.jpg?itok=-n_31UKs)
On moving to China
“I struggled in basic conversation, couldn’t communicate emotion, couldn’t deal with the subtleties of the language at all, and couldn’t read anything ... in some ways I think I re-discovered the...
Beth Rogers ’07
![Sarah with a group working in tall grass.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/sarah_willette_16.jpg?itok=N5Vmz-_Q)
On an eye-opening class
“I’ve found during my time at Oberlin that, when faced with the crossroads between easy ignorance and more strenuously acquired knowledge, most Obies choose the hard but ultimately more rewarding...
Sarah Willette ’16
![Megan and a friend.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/megan_macdonald_13.jpg?itok=2P0XCA1u)
On spending a winter term in France
“There was certainly a lot I didn’t know when I got off that plane in the Paris airport. If my time in France taught me anything, though, it’s that there’s a certain beauty in not knowing.”
Megan MacDonald ’13
![Three students at a table with calculators. One holds up a card.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/jiayu_lin_11.jpg?itok=9425nJhW)
On being a member of Oberlin Student Finance and Investment Club
“All club members learn together in various forms: an ExCo, themed discussions at meetings, and, most often, the teamwork involved with putting together the stock presentations.”
Jiayu Lin ’11
![A group of women dressed for an evening event](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/chelsea_de_souza_16.jpg?itok=UQ0bum2D)
On learning to choose
“Oberlin has helped me with something that I have struggled with my entire life — the strength to make choices and believe in them despite any regrets that might follow.”
Chelsea de Souza ’16
![Stewart plays an unusual, curled horn.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/stewart_edelstein_70.jpg?itok=9HrAUGsq)
On his education here
“Oberlin presented such a rich environment for multifaceted self-discovery that my college experience instilled in me the awareness that exploration in multiple and divergent directions is the path...
Stewart Edelstein ’70