<p>My DS has just started researching colleges for next year. Oberlin looks like a fit in many ways. He is unpretentious, friendly, free-thinking, loves intellectual discussions and ideas, and is passionate about conservation and outdoor pursuits. He is an Eagle Scout, has a prestigious leadership position in a national organization in scouting, certified rescue scuba diver, certified first responder, mountain search and rescue team, mountaineer, and has over 750 volunteer hours with his passion in conservation. He is going next semester to live and go to school on a rural organic farm in Vermont. He makes his own clothes sometimes and has started making book bags out of recycled plastic. Has sold quite a few. He has been known to wear a kilt on occassion.. LOL!!</p>
<p>Anyway, I feel like he would LOVE Oberlin in a lot of ways. The problem is that most of the other colleges that he has been looking at have an outdoor club that he really wants. Do you think he would be happy in other ways if he couldn't find his outdoorsy buddies. BTW... he has mentioned to me several times that he was thinking of joining a circus... he was somewhat kidding but after finding the Ocircus he was VERY excited. He juggles, has done trapeze a lot, slacklines, tumbles, and can walk on his hands. Yes, he is somewhat unique.. he really just wants an inclusive environment where everyone is okay with being whoever they are.. quirks and all.</p>
<p>Then he has definitely found the right college in Oberlin. No one will even blink if he chooses to wear his kilt to class and across campus. I’ll leave it to others to comment on the “outdoorsyness” of Oberlin.</p>
<p>Oberlin’s Outings Club is alive and well! They just woke up from a long hibernation, but they’ve been doing some cool stuff: overnight trips over fall and spring breaks, short hikes during the semester, and workshops on things like low-impact camping. They’re really receptive to students who want to organize events – they’ll lend out equipment and help coordinate (and fund) transportation, etc. Your son can get in contact with their officers through their [Facebook</a> page](<a href=“Facebook Public Group | Facebook”>Facebook Public Group | Facebook) to find out more about what they do.</p>
<p>Beyond that, there’s a lot of potential for other outdoorsy activity, but it’s pretty seriously restricted by logistics – mostly transportation. There aren’t many organized opportunities for skiing, boating, or climbing, though if someone came along and wanted to put something together, I’m sure the Outings Club would be receptive. There are many natural areas near Oberlin, including Findley State Park and the Cleveland Metroparks, but they’re hard to get to without a car.</p>
<p>Bottom line: I don’t think your son would have any problem finding outdoorsy people at Oberlin, or things to do in and around town. Whether he’d be satisfied with the range of outdoor activity depends on what, specifically, he wants to do, and how much time/energy/motivation he has for expeditions out of town. (Biking? No problem! Kayaking? A little more complicated. Mountaineering? Not going to happen in Ohio.)</p>
<p>Also, from what you’ve written, it sounds like Oberlin would be a really good fit for him :)</p>
<p>Thanks so much for those links dave72! My S would also definitely be the one starting something if there was outdoor stuff to be had. It looks like there is at least some hiking and kayaking not too far away. I figure he could always go do his mountaineering stuff on his breaks and summer. He would also love to be able to teach all the stuff he knows in ExCo. He already teaches a " Leave no Trace" class here at home to a bunch of people.</p>
<p>WOW quaere!! Thanks for all of the info. It sounds like he most definitely would not have a problem finding stuff to do in the outdoors. He can always come back home… we live in CA, on breaks and do his serious mountaineering stuff. It just sounds like all the schools that fit his kind of quirky personality are in the midwest. He is looking at some schools in the East but I just don’t think he will jive as much with the students. He is not interested in sports at all and would actually prefer a school that had almost no emphasis on them. That is also hard to find in the East Coast. He fell in love with Reed but I’m worried it will be just too intense for him. He likes to be involved in tons of activities and I think all they have time to do there is study. He would be miserable. He is a good student and loves to learn but there has to be more to life for him.</p>
<p>My daughter went on a spring break trip rock climbing in the New River Gorge in West Virginia. She had a great time. There is also a cycling club that goes on 20+ mile rides most days. The biggest problem for outdoors enthusiasts is that the immediate area surrounding the college is flat and boring.</p>