The Ultimate Freshman Guide to Living at OSU

Going into your freshman year of college can be a really stressful time with everything going on. This is the ultimate guide to living at OSU to help you!

What is the best way to get to know your campus and become acclimated to living there? Especially as a freshman? Well obviously the best way to learn is to be on campus and experience things firsthand for yourself. But if you want to be at least a little more prepared for living on the OSU campus, then here is the perfect guide for you! Keep reading for the ultimate freshman guide to living at OSU!

Prepare to live at school.

Sometime around mid-July, you’ll find out where you’re going to be living this fall! While it may or may not be the best place on campus, you’ll want to find out what to prepare yourself for. Do some research and figure out how big your room is going to be and what kind of space you’ll be sharing with any roommates you might have. OSU has floor plans for most of the rooms in each hall so you have an idea of what to expect.

Will I have air conditioning?

Next, make sure to find out if you have air conditioning or not because you will want fans for those first few weeks of class. The rest of the year you should be fine! You will also want to know what to expect for the bathrooms and showers. Shower shoes are highly recommended no matter what, and you’ll probably want a shower caddy too.

What kind of necessities do I need to pack?

Another thing to think about is what you’re going to pack. Every room comes with a microwave and a fridge, so that’s one less thing to worry about. But what about a TV? Rug? Printer? Any furniture? Be sure to communicate with your roommates too in order to extras of larger items, and try to share what you can! Use the internet to find ideas for different room layouts and styles too; Pinterest is a life saver. And you won’t want to forget to invest in Twin XL sheets and a mattress topper to make your bed as cozy as it is at home! If you do forget anything, Target is just a quick bus ride away so it isn’t the end of the world.

What kind of clothes do I need to pack?

Try to think ahead when it comes to packing for the seasons too. Fall approaches quickly and you won’t want to be stuck with a closet full of summer clothes. It’s Ohio, the weather is different every day and there will be weeks where you need shorts and a winter coat over the course of a few days. Closet space is limited, so pack smart!

Prepare to live with your roommate(s).

For many freshmen, it’s their first time ever sharing a room with someone. You’ve probably heard tons of roommate horror stories, and you might be a little nervous. Luckily, Ohio State gives you an email address and phone number to contact your roommate! So, strangers or not, you will hopefully be able to communicate with your roommate and get a good start and even coordinate a little bit with your room if you want!

Communicate with your roommate and establish certain boundaries.

Some ideas of things to talk about with your roommate might include sleep schedule, class schedule, whether or not they plan on having friends over a lot, if you’re allowed to share anything like clothes or shoes, how often they plan on going out, or what their study habits are. Remember that you don’t have to agree with each other on everything, it can be good to have contrast!

If you don’t get along with your roommate, don’t force it.

Even if you don’t end up being best friends with your roommate, chances are you will still be able to get along and live together. Having to change roommates is pretty rare and you shouldn’t worry too much. Plus, you’ll have an entire floor and residence hall full of people that you can become best friends with! Just because your roommate isn’t your best friend doesn’t mean that your dorm experience is going to be bad.

Find a job on (or close to) campus.

If your parents want you to get a job in college, or you just need a little extra cash for going out on the weekends, you’re in luck because there are tons of easy jobs that you can apply for that will still allow you to focus on school. All jobs will definitely work around your class schedule so you won’t need to worry.

Office assistant jobs or secretarial work are common on campuses.

Office assistant jobs are probably the most popular and easiest, you can talk to people and make friends, and usually do your homework whenever there’s downtime. But these positions are limited so you have to apply very early. There are also jobs in the libraries and various offices all around campus which would be easy desk work.

Restaurants, coffee shops, and dining hall jobs are always common as well.

All of the dining halls are also always hiring if you’re interested in a job that keeps you moving and on your feet a lot of the time. Coffee shops and small food places are good to work at as well. And if you’re more interested in a job off campus, you have a wide variety of places to choose from on High Street. So there’s a job for everyone on campus, no matter how demanding you want it to be or how much of a commitment you want it to be.

Try to attend at least one university-held event a week.

One of the best parts about going to such a huge university is that there is always something going on. The first few weeks of the school year are especially packed, there is the Welcome Week concert, Involvement Fair, Buck-I-Frenzy, and more. It’s usually the time that you get the most free stuff like t-shirts and food as well, so enjoy it while it lasts!

See what is happening around you through flyers/promotions around campus and the Union website.

But throughout the year, there are also frequently events like movie nights, karaoke nights, guest speakers, dining hall specials like steak nights and breakfast nights, and more. Sometimes there will even be movies on the oval or special showings of football games! The Union website is one of the best ways to find out about these events, or look out for flyers around campus.

Don’t forget to check into what events your residence hall is may be hosting.

Many residence halls also host their own events like movie nights, karaoke nights, guest speakers, and more. And there’s normally free food as an added incentive, and you get to meet people in your residence hall at the same time. And if that isn’t enough for you, you have the entire city of Columbus to explore! The Short North has tons of shops and places to eat, Easton Town Center is a short drive away, and there are always concerts and events downtown too.

Last bit of advice…

You’ll never have any reason to say you’re bored in college. There is definitely never a dull moment at Ohio State and you won’t want to miss out on anything. You have an exciting year to look forward to as a freshman!