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!
