What College Is Really Like, as Told by Oberlin Students

Think today's undergraduates are all about sleeping late and youthful experimentation? Think again.

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http://youtu.be/BHW84H9ahSE

There’s nothing in this video, published by Oberlin College on its YouTube page, that’s shocking or surprising. It’s just about the drudgery of everyday college life. The reason why it’s been picked up at places like Buzzfeed and Jezebel and is “trending” elsewhere online, is because it takes a slightly more candid look at the mundane realities of college life than most college brochures would care to admit.

“I have three classes tomorrow, like, meetings all day long,” says one resigned-looking student. “I went to bed at 4 am, got up at 7 am and then I had my macro [economics] exam,” goes another reply. “I finished finals, I’m not stressed anymore because I really don’t give a s**t about how I did–because I’m done,” observes another. You get the picture.

It’s worth noting that this definitely isn’t an Oberlin college admissions video. Per the “Stress @ Oberlin” YouTube description, it was made by a student for a class and links to the school’s Office of Student Wellness. Which helps explain its candid feel versus the more stylized admissions clips that usually highlight smiling, striving-yet-relaxed undergrads.

But now that it has gone relatively viral it’s served a different function (the clip now has 19,000+ views, many times the clicks that other Oberlin videos have received). Viewers everywhere can project their own college experience onto the mini-stories that were shared. So, feel free to get a little misty-eyed for the days when you only had to worry about final exams. Or be glad that you said “good riddance” to your college days long ago.

(More: How Colleges Really Make Admissions Decisions)