Inertiatic

Alright, so I've had a chance to visit OSU and Columbus, and here are some of my initial impressions: The graduate students in my department seemed happy and cooperative, and had good relationships with the faculty. I can't say if this attitude extends to all departments, but it's a good sign in any case. The campus itself is beautiful, very large and, for lack of a better word, "grand." A bus system runs through campus and the surrounding areas, which the students assured me runs on time and effectively. Columbus looks like a large suburban sprawl with OSU and the surrounding OSU-affiliated shops, bars, and restaurants at its center. The main street that runs alongside campus, High Street, contains shops ranging from your typical bookstores, eateries, and bars, to upscale restaurants and clubs as it nears downtown Columbus. Overall, my initial impression was good. If you have any questions about the view from a potential grad student, please let me know.

I don't know much about the history department personally, but I've had friends in the major that have nothing but the best to say about the faculty. The office is in the Keene-Flint Hall, I believe, which is on the north edge of campus. The airport is relatively far from campus, but a bus does go out there. Unfortunately, it doesn't pick up at campus, so you'll have to do some bus-hoping. Take a look at www.go-rts.com for the bus schedules and connector routes. For what it's worth, it looks like your best bet is to take the 24 to the main bus hub, then take the 5 to campus (which should put you out right the north edge). It's $1.50 for each bus ride, so make sure to bring a handful of singles!

I've lived in Gainesville for four years now as an undergraduate, and will be leaving at the end of the summer to continue on in my graduate studies. While I do have the perspective of an undergrad, I think that I can give you some useful pointers. Gainesville is really only the university and the shops and bars that associate with the university. If you drive ten miles in any direction from campus, you enter very small and sparsely-populated towns. Incidentally, most of them are huge speed traps, so beware driving through, for instance, Stark on your way to Jacksonville, if you ever have the need to! That having been said, I've really enjoyed living in Gainesville. I grew up in the massive and dull suburban sprawl of south Florida, so the fact that Gainesville caters specifically towards my kind of lifestyle (as a college student) really endears me to this place. The downtown area is relatively small, but there's plenty to do. For the indie crowd, there's a really nice little coffee shop, Maude's, where a lot of the grad students hang out and which hosts free live jazz shows every weekend. There's several theaters, but you'll want to check out the Hippodrome, where all the independent movies and plays are put on. There's a dozen or so dance clubs and about as many bars in the downtown area. You won't be able to escape the undergraduate crowd on Fridays and Saturdays, but you can find a few of the hang-out spots that cater more to an older crowd (for instance, Lillians and Market Street). My personal favorite bar is Durty Nelly's, a fake Irish pub with live music on Fridays and Saturdays. The weather in Gainesville is unpredictable - this week alone we've seen from the upper-80's to the mid-20's. The summer is undeniably hot and humid, and I think that's something that needs to be stressed. If someone has never lived in Florida or somewhere with similar weather patterns, the summer might seem like something of a shock. At times the air is so thick and heavy it's like stepping into a swimming pool! You get used to it, and learn to love the months of October through February, when the weather is much more agreeable. The bus system in Gainesville is fantastic and is free for students. You could probably get by without a car, but I wouldn't suggest it. The buses run on reduced schedules on the weekends and in the summer, which could make things difficult. Traffic in Gainesville is normally fine, but can be horrendous during peak-hours because of the road-layout, which as mentioned above, follows four main roads, Archer, 34th, University, and 13th (which essentially form a square around the campus and surrounding area). As far as living expenses, I know of graduate students who get by on low-paying stipends. Housing here isn't very expensive, as far as I know, but it really all depends on where you live. If you look around carefully enough, you can probably find a place to live for around $600 (after utilities and internet/cable are included) that's relatively close to campus. On the other hand, I live in a one-bedroom that's close to campus (not close enough to walk, but definitely close enough to ride a bike) in a complex called Piccadilly Apartments. It's an absolutely beautiful complex inhabited mostly by graduate students. The complex itself is fairly old, but expensive because of it's location and quiet atmosphere (I pay $600 a month for a one-bedroom, not included utilities or internet/cable). Gainesville also gauges you on utilities (at least compared to a few years ago, before they upped the rates), so expect to pay around $85 a month for electricity and water for a one-bedroom, even if you're sparing with the air conditioning. There are a few smaller complexes on Old Archer (which is immediately south and parallel to the main road in Gainesville, Archer Rd.) that you might want to look at. If you look further from campus (especially to the north), you'll find some cheaper, quieter complexes. On Archer Rd., west of 34th, you'll see Butler Plaza, a huge strip-mall with all your normal mass retail companies and chain restaurants. I've heard that they're putting a Whole Foods in there, if you're into that (which I would have loved, but it won't be up until after I leave!). The area immediately north and east of campus on University Rd. has all your independent restaurants, undergrad bars, and quirky shops. The one mall in Gainesville is your standard sized mall, nothing special. As for the campus itself: I think the University of Florida is beautiful. It's big, but not so big that you should have any trouble walking anywhere on the main-campus. You'll probably spend most of your time around the north-east of campus, where the main academic builds are. The plaza in front of Turlington (the main academic building on campus) and the Plaza of the Americas (the lawn in front of the main library) host most of your typical college protests, sign-waving, and booths, and you can find there the Hare Krishnas, who serve cheap vegan lunch every day. Also, keep in mind that on game days, campus essentially shuts down and most of Gainesville goes into "game mode." College football (and to a lesser extent, Basketball) is huge here, which is hard to find fault in since we've now won four national championships in four years between the two sports. You certainly don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy Gainesville, but it helps! Overall, I've really loved living here for the last four years and am sad to be leaving. May I ask what field you're going into? That way, I can point out which buildings, areas of campus, etc. you'll be likely to be working in.

I'll be visiting within the next few weeks, and I'll be sure to let you know my impressions of the area and the school.

I might be attending for Classics and I'll be visiting Columbus soon, which should help my decision. I'm nervous as hell though! I'll be straight out of undergrad and into the MA/PhD fire, so to speak. Best of luck to everyone still waiting on their acceptances.