6 New Places to Study for Finals

With finals week approaching, Thompson Library can get pretty full, and sometimes it is hard to find a seat. However, no need to worry: Ohio State features many other great study locations on campus!

Residence hall study lounges

All of the residence halls have places for students to study, with 24-hour quiet hours during finals week. If you live on campus, this is super convenient because there is no reason to leave the building. I recommend studying in your building if you plan on being up late; that way, you don’t have to worry about walking back alone in the dark.

18th Avenue Library

18th Avenue Library is great because it is open 24 hours. Nobody is going to ask you to pack up and leave when you are on a roll. Whether you are planning on studying all night or just stopping in between classes, this is a great location!

Loft above 12th Avenue Bread Company

The space above 12th Avenue Bread Company (adjacent to Kennedy Commons) houses a study room with some large tables and some comfy chairs. There are rarely many people there and it stays pretty quiet. I find this to be a great place to spread out if I have a lot of papers and books. And once you are finished studying you can reward yourself with a great meal from Kennedy!

Cafés all over campus

If you don’t mind a little noise, the cafés can be a great place to get some studying done and enjoy a nice cup of coffee. My favorite is Connecting Grounds on north campus because not only is the coffee delicious, but the chairs are super comfy.

Smith Laboratory

There is another great study room in Smith Laboratory. This room has a lot of tables and chairs, as well as a ton of outlets to charge your computer. There are also some great group study rooms here. Check this out when you need a change of scenery!

Other libraries

If none of these places are your cup of tea, you can find the whole list of campus libraries–as well as extended hours for finals week–on the University Libraries website. I’m sure you can find library that works well for you!

5 ways Ohio State is changing this fall

Ohio State will look and feel a bit different when you return to campus in August.

Classes start on Tuesday

For years, the first day of autumn classes has always been Wednesday, but the autumn 2015 semester will begin on Tuesday, August 25 in order to accommodate a new calendar that now includes an autumn break (see below). Many Welcome Week events–like the Student Involvement Fair and the President’s Convocation–will still occur in the days before classes begin, but you will likely see other Welcome Week events moved to different days to accommodate the earlier start date. Check the Welcome Week website later this summer for an up-to-date listing of 2015 events and opportunities.

Autumn break

Students and faculty will have two days off from classes–October 15-16–giving many the opportunity for a long weekend in the middle of the semester. In addition to starting classes one day earlier, the term will also extend one day later in order to accommodate this mid-semester break. Classes will end on Wednesday, December 7 and final exams will begin on Friday, December 9. The university’s academic calendar includes future autumn break dates through autumn 2019.

North residential district transformation

Four new residence halls on North Campus–Scott House, Torres House, Bowen House, and Raney House–are expected to open this fall, accommodating nearly 1,800 additional students living on campus. Two new dining facilities will serve students on North Campus: Traditions at Scott and Curl Market. Additional facilities are expected to open by autumn 2016 in order to accommodate both first- and second-year students with the university’s new 2-year on-campus living requirement. Follow the progress and get updates at the what’s growing on? website.

Dining plans

Beginning this summer, new plans offered through University Dining Services allow students to choose the option that best fits their lifestyle, eating habits and personal needs. Most plans include a combination of weekly traditional visits, $5 exchange (which allows students to exchange a traditional visit for a $5 purchase at any non-traditional dining location, or for a “Market Meal Exchange” at Ohio Union Market, Marketplace and Curl Market), Dining Dollars (similar to BuckID cash, but used only in dining facilities at a 10% discount; rolls over until graduation), and Buck ID cash.

Bike sharing

Ohio State is partnering with Zagster to bring a bike-sharing system to the Columbus campus, enabling students to navigate campus and surrounding neighborhoods via a one hour checkout on weekdays and three hours on weekends. This initiative fulfills a request by Undergraduate Student Government to have a bike-sharing program in place by fall. Zagster currently operates programs at Yale University, Princeton University, Santa Clara University and California State University, East Bay.

We are excited about these great changes taking place, and we hope you are, too–it’s a great time to be a Buckeye!

How to become an RA — and why you should

Every Ohio State student on who lives campus has an RA.

RA

These people ARE really awesome, but RA also stands for Resident Advisor.

Exactly one year ago I had never considered being an RA. After two years of living in a residence hall, I was going to move off campus with my friends and leave dorm life behind. But as I started to think about the effect I could have on potential residents, even in the smallest way, I knew that being an RA could really change my college experience for the better. It has been one of the best decisions I’ve made at Ohio State, and I would encourage anyone who is even remotely interested to apply.

So you may be asking, “What does a day in the life look like for an RA?” Well let me tell you.

We bring residents to events around campus.

IMG_0793

We plan programs within the residence hall (or on the Oval in this case).

Capture the Flag on the Oval!

Our complex played Capture the Flag on the Oval during Welcome Week.

We decorate the halls and build community within the residence hall.

IMG_0908

In addition to all this, we do rounds, discuss difficult issues with our residents, and work closely with our Hall Directors, Resident Managers, and other Resident Advisors. It’s a tough job, but it’s also really rewarding.

Now you may be asking, “How do I apply for this Really Amazing position?” Not to fear — there are 3 easy steps!

1. Attend an information session to get a more in-depth debriefing of the position. (There is one on November 13 at 8:30 p.m. in the Steeb basement of Smith-Steeb Hall.)

2. Get references from people who know you well.

3. Write unique essays that explain why you want the job and why you think you would be good at it.

And that’s it! My advice is to really think about why you want the position and how you think you can make a difference in the lives of your residents. You will be trained in every aspect of the job, but for now, if you have a passion for helping others and a good work ethic, this could be the perfect job for you.

The application deadline is November 21 — now go get writing!

 

 

Back to the Homestead: Tips for Moving Out

move out tips- messy room

Well, as hard as it is to believe (or not), it’s time to pack up the clothes, futons and storage bins into the family minivan and head home for the summer. For some, it will be nice to be rid of bumped heads from lofted beds and shared bathroom space with 87 million other people. For others, summer means babysitting little siblings and the return of the dreaded “curfew.” However you look at it, it’s goodbye to Ol’ Columbus town until August. To help make the summer transition a little easier, here are a few tips on how to successfully move out of the residence halls:

START RIGHT NOW.

Look through the junk drawers you’ve created (yes, you have at least one). Toss any Involvement Fair trinkets or giveaways from companies in the Union that you don’t use. That’s less for you to move later, and makes space for more important things, like those pink light up “sabers” we got at the breast cancer awareness football game.

RESEARCH LOCAL STORAGE UNITS.

This is a great option so that you aren’t forced to move that futon you “absolutely needed” all the way home and back in the fall. Don’t forget to ask the super muscular, totally cute guy on the third floor for help. If you are that super muscular guy, tough luck, better hide. Here are some Columbus-based storage options to explore:

  • Storage Squad – the fee includes the pick-up of the items to be stored, the storage throughout the summer, and drop-off of the items in August.
  • College Boxes – same concept as Storage Squad.
  • SpareFoot Storage Finder – if you have a way to move the boxes from here to there, this website can show you the various locations of self-storage facilities in the area. Search by campus zip code (43210).

EMPTY THE FRIDGE BEFORE MOVE-OUT DAY.

Mom doesn’t need to see the month-old milk you have been cultivating, or all of the Bagel Bites, Pizza Rolls and ice cream pints you acquired with your extra blocks at the C-Store.

rotten fridge

SELL/RETURN YOUR TEXTBOOKS.

Unless of course you find your chemistry book to be a nice “beach read.”

ASSESS YOUR ROOM FOR DAMAGE.

Time to own up to the “incident” where that basketball “accidentally” made contact with the overhead light fixture. Or that hole you made to hang the collage frame you got at your graduation party that just WOULDN’T stay with Command Strips. Do your best to fix what you can to avoid unnecessary damage charges.

DO SOME SORTING.

Start organizing the clothes and other things you won’t need until the fall, and separate them from the items you will definitely use in the summer. Yes girls, Uggs go in the fall pile. Resist.

FIGURE OUT YOUR MOVE-OUT ASSISTANCE

As much as I know you will want to see everyone, try to refrain from inviting the WHOLE family to come and pick you up on move out day. Things will go a lot smoother if you aren’t constantly chasing after your little brothers riding in the red “elephant” carts, or trying to find Grandma who got lost on her way to use the bathroom. It will make the process more efficient, and allow you to get home and see everyone faster in the end.

2000 windstar northamerica frdsafety