So you’re starting Optometry school at THE Ohio State University….yes, for those of you that are not from Ohio, the precedent “THE” is a must. Here is a quick reference of where to go, what to eat, and what to expect during your first few weeks!
Orientation
We are just about a week away from orientation on Friday, August 19 and Monday, August 22!
What to expect: a few icebreakers, a LOT of new faces and names (students and professors alike), a round of introductions with an “interesting fact” about each student (think of yours now!), meeting after meeting, information about all of our clubs (that you will absolutely want to join), and a tour of our amazing campus.
What to wear: Refer to the orientation email you have all received!
Lunch: At least one of the days (if not both) you will be expected to get lunch on your own. We have listed above a bunch of awesome places to check out around Columbus, but what about around campus for a quick lunch break?
- Panera Bread: BRAND NEW. Located right by the hospital.
- BistrOH: Located in the hospital (enter through the main doors and go to the left all the way down to the end of the hallway, you should see a sign). They have a ton of options here ranging from pizza to salads to customized deli sandwiches.
- Wendy’s: Also located in the hospital.
- Bruegger’s Bagels: Located on Neil Avenue right by the Optometry School.
- The Marketplace: Located on Neil Avenue as well. Variety of options again similar to BistrOH.
- Mirror Lake Creamery: Enough said.
A Few More Things:
- Make sure to get your BuckID at the Ohio State Union before classes start. This is your student ID and is needed to get into some rooms around the optometry school. It also gets you some great discounts at places around Columbus such as the zoo!
- You will also be meeting some students in other professional programs during orientation such as the dental school, pharmacy school, medical school, etc. This is your first opportunity to mingle with these other students but there will be many others as well. The IPEP was my favorite part of orientation!
- Out of state people: you will have a mandatory meeting about achieving instate residency for your upcoming years at the optometry school. This is VERY important. Make sure to pay attention and take notes if needed.
- HAVE FUN! Chances are you won’t remember half the names of the people you meet right away, but within a couple weeks, these strangers will be your family.
Welcome Week
One of my favorite weeks of the whole year is the first week of school believe it or not! Welcome Week is an awesome opportunity to have fun with your new classmates and also get to know the Opt 2’s, 3’s and some of the 4’s. Here’s a rough breakdown of what Welcome Week consisted of last year (subject to change? I’m not sure):
Friday, August 19: Cookout at the EYE house after orientation. For those of you who don’t know, the EYE house is the optometry school’s very own professional fraternity. You will have the opportunity to join later in the year!
Sunday, August 21: Big sib/little sib picnic. Unless you personally know your big, this will be the first time (for most of you) that you’ll meet your Opt 2 big sib. Great (free) food, games, sports, and some people will even bring their puppies!
Tuesday, August 23: Welcome dinner at the Faculty Club. This is a formal event that includes more free food (yay!). You are assigned to a table with a few of your classmates, one of your professors, and an older student. You’ll get to know these few students pretty well and the professor too!
Thursday, August 25: Three words, Ugly Tuna Saloona. Great drink deals, great music, a balcony and dancing! One of my personal favorite bars in Columbus, you’ll have a great time with your classmates here!
Friday, August 26: Throwdown for your Hometown. This is another get together at a bar (last year it was Callahan’s) except it has a dress code: you have to wear a shirt that represents your hometown! For example, I’m from Pittsburgh, so I wore a Pirates jersey last year (despite the boo’s of some of my classmates).
–
For all things apartment/living related:
- Target: I wouldn’t recommend shopping for school supplies here during the first few weeks of school. It seems that everyone gets their school supplies from here and your selection will be very limited. However, grocery shopping here is fine (while a little more expensive than Walmart- which the closest Walmart is about 15-20 minutes away).
Address: 1717 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
- World Market: From window curtains to candles, chairs, bedding, coffee pots, dishes, decorations, even if you want to stock up on a few bottles of wine or bags of coffee, World Market offers a unique twist on your every day décor.
Address: 1655 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
- TJ Maxx and Home Goods: Always a good option to pop in here and see what you can find on sale. Anything from pillows, sea salt and knock off Ohio State t-shirts…they got you.
Address: 1871 Henderson Rd, Columbus, OH 43220
Grocery Stores Nearby:
- Giant Eagle Market District: One of my personal favorite finds! I’m not from Ohio and had no idea this place existed but let me tell you, I’ve never loved a grocery store so much before I found Giant Eagle. Open 24/7, you can get your staple groceries and kitchen necessities or you can head over to the café where the chefs can whip up a mean stir fry, or you can take your pick of BBQ, sushi, pizza, Pho, and a salad bar. And speaking of bars…in need of a beer after a hard day of moving boxes around? They have you covered! Enjoy a cold one on the patio on Friday nights while listening to live music, or enjoy a wine tasting with your parents. And if that’s just not your thing, head back inside for some cold gelato or delicious baked goods…seriously what’s not to love?
Insider tip: If you purchase any type of meat at the store, they have chef’s that will prepare it there for you and you can take it home to eat! Also the store is fully equipped with a pharmacy, dry cleaning and a STUDY lounge upstairs!
Address: 840 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212
- Kroger: Don’t have as much to say about Kroger, great grocery store and there are a few convenient locations near campus. Only thing I can say about Kroger is that it has Halo Top ice cream (if you’re into that).
Address: 1375 Chambers Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
Address: 1350 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201
Other notable places to visit:
- Easton Town Center: Explore this outdoor mall with fun shops and nice restaurants, it’s always a nice place to kill time
- Polaris Mall: Typical shopping center but also a great place to grab some yummy food!
- North Market: If you’re indecisive during the day and don’t know what you want to eat, head to North Market where you can take you pick of any delicious cuisines from around the world! There’s also a farmer’s market on weekends and cute little stands inside
Places to Eat!!! (Saved the best for last)
- North Star Café: For fresh great tasting food with seasonal twists, you MUST check out North Star for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or all three!
- Hangover Easy: Great brunch place on campus and it’s right down the street from the Optometry School!
- Katalina’s: Every tried stuffed pancake balls? Did I mention they’re filled with nutella?…yes you should go here.
- Marcella’s: Craving some Italian??? Look no further!
- Condado: Tacos and Margs
- Brassica: Mediterranean food (chipotle style) PERSONAL FAVORITE
- Fox in the Snow: Home made pastries and delicious coffee, great place for a coffee or brunch
- Stauff’s Coffee: Two locations in Grandview and in German Village, go pick out your favorite roast to take home and enjoy a delicious brew while you’re there!
- Cap City Diner: Its kind of famous…and you will hear Dr. Earley talk about it at least a dozen time (make sure to try the Maytag potato chips)
- Tasi Café: Another great brunch place you should definitely check out!
- Melt Bar & Grill: Craving a gourmet grilled cheese or just an enormous and delicious sandwich? I promise you that you will not leave hungry
- Pies & Pints: Pizza??? Did someone say Pizza? Yes go here for Pizza.
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams: Delicious and unique ice cream and their waffle cones are amazing!
- Whit’s Frozen Custard: BEST frozen custard you will ever have!
- Graeter’s Ice Cream: You can never go wrong with Ice cream here.
We look forward to meeting you all and hope this article was helpful and informative! Welcome to OSU Opt!
-Kelley and Steph!
