Torry
No. At least not the dirty, grungy hippie one. If you've heard about 'those really smart kids at Oberlin who work too hard,' that's probably more accurate. The majority of students have trouble focusing on one interest and are typically overwhelmed with the amount of activities they're passionately involved with.
Carrie
For the most part, they are. But I don't think that's a bad thing. Sweeping generalizations in any context don't always apply, but the student body of Oberlin College tends to engage in life more intentionally than the average college student, and most everyone has a not-so-mainstream passion that they're not afraid to share.
Simon
Hippies/Hipsters: When I arrived, there were lots of hippies. When I left, there were lots of hipsters. I would say this stereotype is generally accurate, although your idea of whether there are 'lots' of either will depend on your tolerance of them. People who hate hippies/hipsters seem to think they are unavoidable, when in actuality you don't have to see them if you don't want to, for the most part.
Ultra-liberal: I will say that I met few if any 'conservative' people on campus, but most of my friends were quite moderate liberals, if not moderate overall. I rarely interacted socially with people who were ultra-liberal and outspoken about it.
Lots of gay people: Again, 'lots' will depend on your experience. Certainly, I would assume, more than at other schools, but that is a good thing, no? When I say 'more than at other schools' we're probably talking like, 4{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students at most.
Sam
Let's just say that if you are a somewhat shy introvert, you are going to lose your mind at Oberlin.
David Arnow
The stereotype is a joke and has undergone little change in 40 years but there is truth in a joke. Just don't be surprised to discover it disproved in some way in every person you meet at Oberlin. Except in the case of Rachel. She is the one granola-munching, showerless vegan in Oberlin who ... just kidding. And be prepared for the occasional massively politically incorrect College Republican type.
Dylan
Some are. There is an acceptance of "hippies", though most students neither identify as such nor would be considered hippies. There is pot, but no more than any other college I have visited. Many students do have an interest in one or two projects to make the world a better place, but are pragmatic enough to remain well-rounded and maintain social ties outside of their work.
Ahmad
Clothing stereotype is correct but not that much. Whatever, I didn't find any major defeciency on college level. Interestingly, some students are weird but still the most intelligent which is what college is all about and is a new experience.
Lorie
Not really. These kids do exist here, but so do plenty of other kids. Also, even the students with the most extreme views are accepting of virtually anyone else's viewpoint.
Oh, and we all like sex. We just can't all get it.
Will
By and far, this is not COMPLETE absurdity. Sure, in comparison to the average state school Oberlin may have more of "this kind" of student, but all in all this is ridiculous. Obies are free-spirited on the whole, but on average are simply representative of the more liberal side of any place in the country.
Jenny
It depends on who you're asking. In general, I would say that Obies are incredibly versatile, inquisitive, and extremely creative. Furthermore, no matter what kind of persona you choose to adopt, Obies tend to be very accepting of you and even genuinely friendly and interested in you as a person.
Torry
We are a nerdy bunch of people and we are fairly odd.
Harper
Mostly, yes. But the professors are *awesome* and enough students are reasonably normal that the whole thing is definitely worth it.
Alex
Very liberal--yes. Quirky--not really. I find the population very homogenous, there is much less diversity than one might suspect, especially ideologically.
Harper
To some extent, yes. But while they are people who make their own clothes, don't shower every day and study environmentalism, there are also people who dress in business casual clothes, are registered as Republican voters and so on. There are a wealth of people and ideas at the school, but I think we all share a love of learning for its own sake, the desire to go out and make a difference in the world in whichever field we love so well, in whatever scale we can make a change. People are inquisitive and friendly and very humorous.
Sydney
As with any sort of stereotype, the reputation that oberlin carries is not entirely accurate. The school is indeed a very liberal place, and extremely progressive-- it definitely lives up to its history of forward-thinking and being on the cutting edge of social and environmental change. But the students aren't totally weird- we're totally normal, I promise!
Justin
For the most part yes but Oberlin does have a diverse student body and the only thing you can say for certain is that we're all smart. When we first arrived my roommate and I were shocked at how many jocks lived on our floor in Dascomb. We had no idea that there would be the typical chest beating musclebound athlete at Oberlin but there are quite a few.
It is of course an exaggeration that we're all gay but we may have more LGBT folks per capita than in most places. I find that Oberlin is paradise for Lesbians but gay guys struggle a little more. Because Oberlin is so excepting there is little need for community and the gay groups on campus leave much to be desired.
Bryan
For the most part, yes. Of course, not everyone falls under the "ideal" Obie - however, everyone finds their niche here and they find a way to become part of the community, without their own input. It will suck you in.
Tristan
Not really. There are some people with conservative outlooks. There are also some people that have really liberal views on one subject and conservative views on another, depending on their past experiences and backgrounds. There are some hippies. They're great.
Carrie
Kinda, but it makes for a much more open and interesting society! Ha, we're not all "awkward", we're just not conventional. And that makes us look awkward to the outside world.
Chris
It's kind of true, at least as far as the socially awkward and hippies. Of course, now that the college has its new "Fearless" ad campaign, it's attracting a different kind of student - more "mainstream," I suppose, and definitely more hipsters. And while I'm certain that my class feels entitled, it seems like the classes below mine are just more so. That said, there is not a person who doesn't deserve to be at Oberlin, though at times it seems like some dumb themselves down in social situations. Even people who claim "slacker" status are only slackers by Oberlin standards, and would be the hardest workers at some other schools. And woe to the person who tries to get into an argument without knowing what he's talking about, because every student at Oberlin is extremely intelligent, at least as far as their major is concerned.