<p>Oberlin has a rep for welcoming hipsters & self-styled "different" kids. My son is totally comfortable with kids of all kinds, but he's down-the-middle mainstream in terms of appearance, interests & personal style. Will Oberlin be a comfortable environment, or is the hipster vibe so dominant that mainstream kids feel marginalized?</p>
<p>I think the mainstream kid does just fine at Oberlin. Your son should definitely visit and see if he feels comfortable. I have a creative, but pretty mainstream, son who has been very comfortable and happy in his first year at the Con, and one of his best friends from home feels the same at the college. I think its just a very accepting environment vs. “hipster” oriented.</p>
<p>My own son, a first year college student, is intellectual and arty and liberal but not a hipster at all. He is very happy and feels that Oberlin is a very supportive, friendly and lively place. Of course, yours should visit and confirm that he likes the vibe. As someone who is “down the middle”, he might fit in quite well. Again, what is distinctive is the supportive and accepting environment where students are free to do their own thing in an intellectual small liberal arts college environment that also offers the Conservatory. In fact, my son, who himself is interested in studio art and neuroscience and many other things, was suprised by how creative and interested in the arts and music many students are (not just the Conservatory students). But that is just a general sense. One does not need to be creative to fit in but needs to enjoy or appreciate those qualities and type of students. Does that make sense???</p>
<p>Though there is a “hipster” contingent at Oberlin, it is by no means the majority. Any type of kid will fit in at Oberlin, except perhaps for one who is unwilling to be accepting of others who may be different from oneself. I am so, so happy at Oberlin, and I am a pretty mainstream kid.</p>
<p>Being interested in the arts is definitely a plus, as a lot of activities on campus revolve around some aspect of them, but is certainly not necessary. There are people interested in everything at Oberlin.</p>
<p>There are all kinds of kids at Oberlin, including conservative, born-again Christian types. Now, Oberlin is NOT Washington and Lee. If you want center-right, that’s the place to go. It’s also not the bastion of hippiedom, either. The school is definitely moderate to liberal, but not to an extreme degree. On our first visit, I was expecting Woodstock in the midwest, but that’s not what I found. Needless to say, I was relieved.</p>
<p>In some ways, Oberlin is a challenging place. For nearly my entire first year, I wanted to transfer, I felt as though I didn’t fit in, as though I had a more conservative/mainstream background. Now, I am completely in love with Oberlin, and the thought of graduation drives me crazy. It’s an adjustment that can be difficult, but I think that Oberlin has a way of making nearly everyone feel at home, with enough time.</p>
<p>If pure evil like Michelle Malkin could graduate from Oberlin, anybody should feel welcome at the college. Heck, Charlie Manson might feel the warm fuzzies.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yeah, only conservatives use rhetoric to foment hatred and intolerance. Oh wait, she didn’t, you did.</p>
<p>Required reading for ■■■■■■ like you:</p>
<p>[Mark</a> Davis: The dubious logic linking Tea Parties to racism | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Columnists: Mark Davis](<a href=“http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/columnists/mdavis/stories/DN-markdavis_0331edi.State.Edition1.2b0c949.html]Mark”>http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/columnists/mdavis/stories/DN-markdavis_0331edi.State.Edition1.2b0c949.html)</p>
<p>Thanks, speihei…</p>
<p>■■■■■? 830 post vs. 166 Takes one to know one, I guess. I stand by my comment about Malkin because it highlights my point very well: Oberlin is tolerant of all points of view. But since I’m not a student, I don’t have to be tolerant of Michelle Malkin. </p>
<p>By the way, speihei, if you read a little more carefully you would know that I didn’t accuse Malkin of being a racist, or a Tea Partier, or even mention Tea Partiers, so your little article post is a non-sequitur. I said she was pure evil. Do you have anything to refute that? I guess not since you’ve exposed yourself as a Tea Party defender for no apparent reason.</p>
<p>Tea party defender on the Oberlin sub-forum??</p>
<p>Evidently they have been greatly expanding their outreach efforts.</p>
<p>@ monydad You have a nice sense of humor.</p>
<p>@ Plainsman You just called someone “pure evil” which strikes a bit intolerant or, to your point, less tolerant than Oberlin. A more civilized, tolerant comparison would be noting that Malkin doesn’t fit the Oberlin stereotype without resorting to calling her Satan and using a reference to Manson in the same post.</p>
<p>it is M-O-N-Y dad, not $$$</p>
<p>Sent 2 kids to private colleges, 3rd on the way.</p>
<p>There is no $$$.</p>
<p>As I understood him, Plainsman does not go to Oberlin, was not pretending to be tolerant and feels he can be intolerant if he wants to.</p>
<p>Ah, I get it. It’s monydad because he doesn’t have an-E.</p>
<p>I think Plainsman, who has been a generally helpful contributor here, was using hyperbole - but here is what Wikipedia says about Michelle Malkin’s take on Oberlin:
“In 1988, Malkin enrolled at Oberlin College. She later described her alma mater as a “radically left-wing, liberal arts college”.[3][7] While at Oberlin, she changed her major from music to English and began writing for an independent newspaper, the editor of which was her future husband, Jesse Malkin. In her first article for the paper, she attacked Oberlin’s affirmative-action program and received a “hugely negative response” from her fellow students.”</p>
<p>She married an Obie…who won a Rhodes Scholarship. But I would imagine that she is hardly typical - Oberlin is firmly in the affirmative action camp - the President of Oberlin litigated the affirmative action case for U of Michigan; Oberlin has a long legacy of diversity, including the first to admit African-Americans in the college and the conservatory.
I would think that someone of Michelle Malkin’s ilk would enjoy Oberlin because she likes to challenge others and prides herself on her outspoken conservatism and “intolerance” (which I put in quotes because from what I’ve seen of her, she is an entertainment-politico) But most students there are moderate to liberal politically, with a modest number at the left and right ends of the spectrum.
As to the OP’s question: Most Oberlin students I’ve met and observed are quite mainstream in terms of the way they dress and interact with others. They are generally tolerant and friendly - and best of all, they are mostly very happy there (unlike Michelle).</p>
<p>Thank you, mamenyu and monydad. I’m just a parent who provided a very vivid example of Oberlin’s extremely high level of tolerance for obviously intolerant former students like Malkin. Everyone is welcome at Oberlin, but if you’re going to spout “pure evil” about something 90% of Oberlin students and faculty probably support, be prepared for a “hugely negative response.”</p>
<p>Thanks all and especially those whose comments were, um, more directed to my question.</p>
<p>Dear Stressed: I wish I could say our D’s experience at Oberlin has been a happy one. She was one of the mainstream kids at her HS, where “hipsters” were definitely in the minority. Now that the opposite is true, she has had a VERY hard time finding like-minded friends. Her freshman dorm (Dascomb) is populated with immature drinking, pot smoking kids. She has even considered transferring. Now, as her first year comes to a close, she is accepting the fact that the academics at Oberlin are superb and has basically resigned herself to staying (knowing that one full year will be spent abroad). Our son LOVES his college; our daughter tolerates hers. As always, YMMV.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear that your daughter is unhappy. Surely there are activities outside of Dascomb that can be challenging, rewarding, and engaging. My goodness - why doesn’t she write for the Oberlin Review, or take a fun Exco course, or learn an instrument, or act in a play, or do Contra dancing, or join a coop, or go to a game night - no hipsters at most of those places…there is no need to hang around the dorm if she doesn’t like her floormates. The percentage of hipsters at Oberlin is low and it is easy to find non-hipster friends. My kid was never a hipster - didn’t become one at Oberlin - loved Dascomb, and has had a wonderful social experience - many friends he finds smart and interesting - loves the academics too, but it is the social experience that stands out as most compelling.
On the other hand, it could be a good idea to visit the place to get a feel for it before attending. And if a place turns out to be a poor fit, nobody should “resign” themselves to a college at current rates.</p>
<p>CBParent, I too am so sorry that your daughter is finding it hard to find like minded friends. My daughter is a first year and she decided not to live in the dorms as the typical freshman experience was not of interest to her. She has been living in a coop (Tank) and will continue to live in a coop (Old B) next year. The coops have a range of ages and maturity levels. She is not a hipster, nor interested in the immature drinking, pot smoking focus of many first year students. Living with juniors and seniors who are involved with their academics and quality extra curricular activities has been wonderful for her. Perhaps your daughter needs to find a different living situation as a base?</p>