Life Hacks: Ohio State Version

By this time of the school year we’ve figured out the basics of surviving college–but what about all those tips and tricks that make your life just a little easier? Peer Leaders provide their insights on the hacks they’ve discovered during their time at Ohio State. Feel free to comment with your own personal Ohio State hacks!

Academics

  • Canvas has an app that makes it significantly easier to access your grades and class information from your phone? The app is just called “Canvas” and can be downloaded for free from the App Store.
  • On a Canvas grade page, you can click on the check+ and see where your grade compares to the average, high and low scores for your class.
  • Lots of times you can get cheaper textbooks by buying them directly from older students–ask around or check social media pages to buy used textbooks from older students.
  • Tired of not finding a seat at Thompson? Check out another hidden gem on campus such as the Fine Arts Library or the Geology Library! Check out this link for the full list of library hours and locations.
  • You can reserve a study room at the library–check out this link!

Entertainment

  • Follow OUAB on Twitter or other social media to find out about events before all of the tickets are gone!
  • Take advantage of D-Tix! (Did you know you can get Gateway Movie d-Tix at the Union for $3?)!
  • Take advantage of FREE group fitness classes at the university recreation facilities (check out the full schedule here).
    • Be sure to get there a few minutes early to make sure you get a spot!
  • Venmo makes life easier for paying back friends/splitting costs.

 Transportation

  • When it comes to bikes: “cheap bike, expensive lock”
  • Don’t bike on the Oval.
  • Lots of off campus parking meters are free on the weekends—check the meters if you have friends or family coming into town!
  • Don’t jaywalk (especially on Woodruff) by Scott.
  • The COTA bus now provides real time updates of when they’re coming on Google Maps and the COTA transit app.
    • Sometimes it is quicker to ride the COTA around campus than a CABS bus (and it’s free with your BuckID)
  • Always carry an umbrella…at Ohio State you should be prepared for all 4 seasons in one day!

 Dining/Food

  • Get creative with the food in the dining halls to change things up. For example, you can build your own buffalo chicken wrap at Traditions at Scott (chicken from the breakfast station, buffalo sauce and lettuce from the grill station, and a tortilla from the Mexican station).
  • Having a Brita pitcher for water in your residence hall room will save you lots of walks to the water fountain on your floor!
  • Food apps (such as Hooked, Tapingo, PostMates, and UberEats) make getting food super easy and convenient!
    • You can even use your meal plan with Tapingo!

So What’s The Deal With Housing Reselection?

At this point, you have hopefully received an email with your housing re-selection information. Here are 5 things you should know to set yourself up for success in your second year!

1. Housing contracts are due by 11:59 p.m. on March 3, 2017. Make sure yours is in on time!

 

2. Housing is being done by a lottery system this year! This means once the portal closes on March 3rd, you will be assigned a random number to determine the order you will select your room. No need to stress about this–everyone has an equal chance to select their room!

 

3. Roommates: Whether you absolutely loved your roommate(s) this year or not, with the housing re-selection process comes the time to figure out who you want to live with next year.

  • I have my perfect roommate! What do I do? In the housing re-selection portal you can request one roommate. The roommate request must be mutual–which means they will accept and approve the roommate request.
  • I want to live with 7 of my friends! What do I do? If you want to live with a group, during the re-selection process you will form a “group” and select one person to be the group leader who will assign you into rooms once your lottery number is reached.
  • I have no idea who I want to live with! That’s ok! The best piece of advice I was given regarding roommates was that, “you don’t have to be best friends with your roommate, you just have to be roommates.” Sometimes best friends won’t actually make the best roommates (sometimes they do though!). Also, if you decide you don’t want to have a roommate next year you will also be able to request a single room in the housing re-selection portal.

 

4. STEP: The Second-Year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) was definitely one of the highlights of my second year. Personally, my favorite parts about STEP were getting to know a really awesome professor on an individual basis, getting to know the other 2nd years in my cohort (and hear about all the amazing things they were doing), and completing my Signature Project (through which I actually got to go to Costa Rica!). Had I not participated in STEP, I wouldn’t have that great connection with my STEP faculty mentor nor would I have had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica (which definitely was a life-changing experience for me!). When you fill out your second year housing re-selection contract, there will be a checkbox for you to opt out of STEP. More questions? Check out the STEP website or talk to your Peer Leader!

 

 

5. Food! Did you know that as a second year you will have an additional option for a dining plan? Check out the dining website or the chart below to decide which meal plan is right for you for your second year! If your current meal plan is working for you, you can just go ahead and select it again for your second year (makes life easy, right?). Lucky for you, if you change your mind, you can change your meal plan until the 2nd Friday of next semester.

Component

Unlimited Scarlet 14 Gray 10

Declining Balance

Weekly Traditional Visit Unlimited 14 10 Not Included
Traditional Visit Exchange Not Included Included Included Not Included
Dining Dollars $100 $200 $200 $1,310
BuckID Cash Option to add $150 $150 Option to add
Available to all residential students? Yes Yes Yes Only available to second years or higher

Five Facts: FAFSA and Financial Aid

Second semester is underway–you’ve figured out how tuition payments work (hopefully!) and you’re well on your way to a strong second semester! Now what?!

You NEED to fill out the FAFSA this year.

Even though you likely filled it out last year, you must fill it out again this year in order to keep (or receive) your financial aid for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The FAFSA deadline has CHANGED!

The priority deadline is now February 1, 2017! This deadline is fast approaching, so be sure to start working on your FAFSA application so you don’t miss the deadline!

Earlier, easier, huh?

Yes, you’ve probably been hearing that this year the FAFSA is “Earlier, Easier, and More Accurate.” This year you will use your 2015 tax information to file your FAFSA. For more information on changes for this year, check out the Student Financial Aid website!

Scholarships!

There are SOO many great opportunities for scholarships. Personally, I have always found it beneficial to check my college’s website for major specific scholarships (or asking my academic advisor). Other scholarships you might want to look into:

  • Ohio State Special Scholarships Application
  • Edward S. “Beanie” Drake Student Leadership Endowment Fund
    • DUE: February 5, 2017
    • WHAT: The purpose of this scholarship is to provide funds that enable deserving students to participate in campus activities when need might otherwise make it impossible for them to do so. There will be multiple scholarships awards at a minimum of $2,500 divided over 2 semesters.
    • APPLICATION: Edward S. Beanie Scholarship Application
  • Student Alumni Council Scholarship
    • DUE: January 31, 2017
    • WHAT: 5 scholarships (3 for current first years and 2 for upperclassmen) for students who have expressed excellence and leadership both inside and outside of the classroom
    • APPLICATION: Student Alumni Council Scholarship Application

Still confused?

You’re not alone–we totally understand that this can be a confusing and sometimes stressful process. If you have specific questions about financial aid or the FAFSA, Student Financial Aid has lots of helpful resources on their website!

  • More questions? Contact Buckeye Link
    • In Person: First floor lobby of the Student Academic Services Building (281 W. Lane Ave)
      • 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday
    • Call: 614-292-0300
    • Email: buckeyelink@osu.edu

Trending Tuesday

What’s trending on campus this week?

1. Officially survived your first semester of college!

2. One week down of spring semester!

3. We can finally walk across campus without fear of slipping on ice!

4. Still looking to get involved with a student org? The Spring Involvement Fair is this Thursday (1/19) from 4-7 at the Union.

5. Students made their day off a day on by serving Columbus at the MLK Day of Service!

6. It’s time to register for spring intramural sports!

Trending Tuesday

What are the trending topics with the class of 2020?

1. Election Results

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2. Trying to get that perfect class schedule for next semester

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 3. Balancing life and classes is hard…

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 4. Starting to think about roommates for next year

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 5. No school on Friday was much appreciated

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 6. Ready for Thanksgiving break!

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Trending Tuesday

What topics are trending with the class of 2020 this week?

 

1.Voting Time!

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2.  Waiting for spring semester scheduling windows to open!

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3. Thinking about changing majors (or have already done so!)

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4. Trying to avoid the cold (and other sickness) that is plaguing campus

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5. Starting to think about whether to go Greek

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6. Halloween events across campus!

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7. Can’t complain about the beautiful weather on campus!

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Trending Tuesday

What’s trending with the first year class this week?

1. Fall Break is almost here!

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2.But really…plans for fall break:

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3. Author Wes Moore inspired the first year class

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4. Homesickness is becoming a reality

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5. Time to bounce back after a rough midterm

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6. Working hard to finish midterms out strong!

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Trending Tuesday

What’s going on with Ohio State’s Class of 2020? These are the top trending topics from the past week with Ohio State’s first year class!

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1. First time being sick away from home

sick1

2. Have you registered to vote?

vote

3. First Chemistry midterm

science

4. Calculus midterm scores came back

calculus

5. Even more midterms are coming

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6. OUAB events are the place to be (and for free!)

movie

7. North Rec Center (NRC) is the place to work out

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8. Laundry! It’s expensive and time consuming

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Comment below with your own thoughts about how you are feeling at this point in the semester!

Unpack your bags: Settling down at Ohio State

Spring break is over and finals are in sight, which means your first year is almost over. So, now what? About this same time during my first year I had the opportunity to attend a retreat with a student organization I am involved in on campus. At the end of the retreat the director gave a very powerful message about how as the first year was coming to a close and it was time for first years to settle down and “unpack their bags.” After spending a year exploring various options for involvement, if they had felt they had found their place in this group it was now time to settle down and dive deeper into the organization to provide the next generation of leadership for the group.

Bags

It’s no secret that the success of a student organization is often due to strong leadership from upper class students. Thus, it is crucial for the next group of students to step up to take on leadership roles and dive deeper into the organization. That’s not to say that you should take on leadership roles in every organization; instead, you should think about stepping up to lead in areas where you feel passionate. I am a firm believer that stepping up to lead does not necessarily mean that you have to have an official leadership title or position, but that you lead by example. For me, there were two juniors that I met during my first year who did not have any official position of leadership in our student organization, but to me they were two of the strongest leaders because they led by their examples. They went above and beyond to make me feel welcome and a part of the group. As a result of their example, I have worked to do the same for the students who are coming after me. Being devoted and a consistent member who is fully present is sometimes the most significant way to contribute.

As you think about areas where you may want to dive deeper and “unpack your bags” make sure that you evaluate WHY you are doing it. As a college student, I understand the temptation to take on a positional leadership role simply so you can list it on your resume. If that is your motivation to take on a leadership role, I urge you to think twice about the role. Work to find something you are truly passionate about, you believe in, and that excites you. If you are passionate about what you are doing, it will be easier to be motivated to do a good job. If you don’t care about the organization or your position, you will likely struggle to stay motivated in the role.

While some may have found a niche on campus where they feel they belong and can call home, it’s alright if you haven’t! As my first year came to a close I still wasn’t 100 percent sure where I belonged and I continued to explore a few involvement opportunities at the start of my second year. I think it is much more important to find meaningful involvement than just any involvement, so if it takes a little longer to find the perfect place, that is okay!