Seeking Home? Find It Here.

Imagine a glimpse into the future: fall 2023. Oberlin College has admitted yet another record-sized class in a row and converted half of its dorms into First Year Residential Experience buildings. Where’s an upperclassman to live? Fear not, for we have taken the liberty of compiling a list of the hottest alternative places to live around Oberlin:

1. The shack above the Bike Co-op

A literal condemned structure, what’s not to love about this little shack attached to the back of Keep Cottage? The years of graffiti and the gappedboard walls give the place an undeniable sense of character and charm that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else on campus. Plus, due to aforementioned gaps between boards in the walls, it’s extremely well-ventilated — perfect for those hot summer nights we regularly enjoy in Oberlin.

2. In between the outside of the windows and the concrete frame of the King Building

If you like living life on the edge in the fullest sense of the word, these perches on the King Building are perfect for you. At roughly 3 feet wide and 12 feet long, they provide all the space a college student could possibly need. Located conveniently outside every King classroom, you couldn’t find a more central place to live. Who doesn’t want to sleep just 4 steps away from their classroom? You’d even have a built-in alarm clock in the form of a 9am politics class full of overconfident white boys who just loooooove the sound of their own voice!

3. The window nook in the art library

This is an incredible place to live for so many reasons. It’s the only place on this list so far that includes a bed and table. It even has pillows on the window bench, so all you’d need to provide at move-in are blankets. The views here simply can’t be beat, as you have a 24/7 look inside of one of the best college art museums in Ohio. You’d even have the coolest roommate in all of Oberlin: a cast of the Venus de Milo!

4. Next to the Conservatory Koi Pond

Do you like camping? If so, perhaps you should take advantage of the premier camping ground on Oberlin’s campus: the koi pond. A natural oasis within a concrete jungle of mid-century architecture, this area boasts running water, tall trees, and local wildlife.

5. Inside of the half-empty jar of salsa that your roommate has left in the fridge since October.

Oddly lime-flavored, but the floor-to-ceiling windows are super nice!