Oberlin College - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Students often joke that Oberlin is situated in between two cornfields, affectionately referring to it as “the Harvard of the Midwest.” While Oberlin is a typical small college town, its unique history and cultural assets lend it a distinctive air. Some of the best things about the town are its cozy, peaceful atmosphere, its numerous green areas, its quaint, old movie theater, and its thriving cultural scene. In terms of the arts and music, much of the cultural life in Oberlin is generated by the college and the conservatory, and students often spend more time on campus than they do in the surrounding neighborhoods. When they do manage to get off campus, students tend to make the 40-minute drive into Cleveland and take advantage of the free Art Museum, the Cedar Lee Theatre, excellent restaurants, and a general change of scene.

Despite the friendly vibe one gets walking into a small bank or shop in Oberlin, there is a noticeable divide between college students and locals. Oberlin’s economy depends largely on the college, causing some town residents to feel resentful towards the ever-changing crowds of students who rarely become a permanent part of the local community. Nevertheless, students can get involved with the local community through activities such as tutoring, part-time jobs, and even organic farming. Every spring, the Big Parade links town and gown in a fun and creative way, allowing students to mingle with children from the local public schools, and share in a diverse community of people of all ages.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Tiny town, and it’s the only... Tiny town, and it’s the only university around for at least an hour. There isn’t specific stuff to visit, since it’s so small, you end up going everywhere anyway, but there are definitely parts of town you want to avoid—some townies really dislike us. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

I think the college is the biggest... I think the college is the biggest influence on the town itself. You don’t really run into people from other schools (though both the Cleveland universities and Wooster are only about an hour away), and so the Oberlin-bubble feeling is pretty pervasive, especially if you don’t try and interact with the town itself. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Don’t assume that you’re always... Don’t assume that you’re always welcome on your neighbors turf; do your best to be respectful and remember that some people live there year-round, and don’t think your loud parties are awesome. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

There are big universities in... There are big universities in Akron and Cleveland, but students don’t tend to visit them. Oberlin is surrounded by pretty and boring farmland, and you should take advantage of the availability of cheap, fresh, local produce. Oberlin itself is fairly diverse, in that the kids in the college are often wealthy and white (with many exceptions, and it has a significant population of people of color, but this is the national trend of who is going to college), and the town is primarily black and lower income. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Oberlin’s a really small town and... Oberlin’s a really small town and has only one bar. This means that you can’t really avoid anyone, so you better not burn your bridges. But it’s actually a pretty nice small town, and it’s really worthwhile to seek activities that involve town residents (i.e. tutoring kids, working at town businesses, the Bike Co-op, community projects—check out the big parade that happens every year). 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Oberlin:

• Oberlin College was the first interracial and coeducational college in the United States.
• The first women in the United States to receive bachelor’s degrees graduated from Oberlin in 1841. Later, in 1862, Mary Jane Patterson graduated from Oberlin—the first African American woman in the United States to receive a BA.
• Oberlin was once a major stop on the Underground Railroad. Today, you can see the Underground Railroad sculpture on South Professor Street, across from Oberlin College’s Conservatory of Music. The railroad tracks that emerge from the ground were designed and installed by students.
• The Allen Memorial Art Museum was founded in 1917. The collection now contains more than 11,000 works of art that span history. It is the largest collection held by an undergraduate institution, and the third largest held by any educational institution after Harvard and Yale.
• Aluminum was first extracted in Oberlin in 1886 by Charles Martin Hall. Today, Oberlin still benefits from the money made by ALCOA.

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