Columbus, OH

[yin-bodhi]

I have lived in Ohio all my life and I will graduate from OSU. If you have any questions about the area, I would be happy to try and answer them! If I can't answer your questions, I will ask someone who can or investigate myself! 8)

[rising_star]

Is it true that crime has been increasing in the area? What's the campus like? Are there lots of things to do off campus?

[yin-bodhi]

Yes, sadly, crime has increased in the area. Around Christmas, there were a TON of break-ins. Tonight on the news, there was a story on this creep who has been breaking into women's apartments (mostly college students) and watching them sleep. One woman said he woke up to him touching her leg. My history prof got beat up and robbed a few months ago. My boyfriend has started dropping me off and picking me up when I have night classes. However, one girl in my class got robbed in the middle of the day on campus a couple of weeks ago. They stole her laptop. I had a creep follow me around the Ohio Union on Monday, but I gave him a dirty look and he left me alone.

However, if you stay in a group, I do not think anyone will bother you. If you live in an apartment close to campus, buy one of those $20 magnetic alarm systems where if they magnets break a loud noise will sound. That should scare people away. Also, know that our homeless are not as bad as people make them out to be. Most are nice and won't bother you. One even sings to everyone; he's actually pretty cool. Sure, we have our troublemakers, but most wil leave you alone.

The campus is HUGE. There is just no other way to put it. We have our own bus system (CABS) because it's impossible to get around the campus at times without one. There is a hospital on campus and that always makes me feel good. There are a ton of places to eat without leaving campus... we have everything! If you want healthy, we've got it. If you want Wendy's... well... there are Wendy's EVERYWHERE around here. If you come to OSU you must love Wendy's and football. North High Street also has a ton of places to eat, so the choices are endless. Our campus is nice. It's not drop dead beautiful, but it's peaceful and pretty laid back. OSU is a half liberal, half conservative campus, so you won't find many protests. Everyone seems to get along okay and when I first came here, everyone was so helpful in making sure I knew where to go. For the first few weeks, you will need your map; so, don't feel stupid walking around with one. Parking is bad at times... You have to be super careful when you drive because people speed alot around campus. Be careful walking as well because sometimes people don't stop so you can cross the street.

Off campus is okay, but it depends on what you like to do and whether you have a car or want to take the bus anywhere. Like I said, there are always new places to eat since there are so many around here. The "Short North" is our art district and every first Saturday of every month they keep the art shops open and have a gallery hop. It is a lot of fun! I love going to the Short North and sitting outside on summer nights at a coffee shop. The Gateway District is coming along nice as well. It's right by campus and has some bars, shops, places, to eat, and a movie theater. They just built it this summer, so it's brand new. North High has a lot of bars, but there aren't a lot of places to dance. The bars either have a rock theme or hip-hop theme. A couple do electornic music and Bento Go Go (sake bar/Asian food) has some techno nights. There are other events around here, such as The Pet Expo is going on this weekend. There are also a fair amount of concerts too. Of course, we have a hockey team and baseball team here in Columbus... and you can always go to OSU games. I, personally, like to go to Bento Go Go and coffee shops.

I hope this helps! If you want to know more, let me know!

[Guest andyecon]

Hi, I'm considering OSU for econ. I was wondering two things:

1. How far does the fellowship (about $12,000 I think) stretch?

2. How important would it be to have a car? I won't, so this is important to me.

[yin-bodhi]

Remember, you are in Ohio and we have the worst bipolar weather. One day you might not be able to ride because everything is icy and the next day may be fine. Our storms can get quite nasty as well, so make sure you can keep your bike inside. Oh, and DO NOT chain your bike up to a lamp post or our OSU cops will lock it up themselves and make you pay a fine to get it back. If you don't OSU will take the bike or someone will steal your tires.

Natural food stores... well, I have heard people talking about them and I get flyers in my mailbox, but I've never been to one. Organic foods are semi-popular around here. We do have the North market (http://www.northmarket.com) which is right by the Short North. We also have a natural foods restaurant/bakery. OSU has a department of agriculture and I know they make their own ice cream and sell products at different times of the year. Plus, the Kroger stores around here (huge 24-hour grocery stores where almost everyone shops) have an organic section where you can buy organic products. It's a decent sized section and I recently started trying organic foods... yummy! I'm sure natural/organic foods won't be hard to find around here.

How far does $12,000 stretch? Well, depending on where you live, it should give you the basics you need to survive. Keep in mind OSU does not have any sort of meal plan, so you're on your own for food no matter what. This can get expensive since OSU students eat out all the time. Think of it this way... you will have $3,000 a quarter. A quarter lasts 10 weeks, then a finals week, plus you need to add in a few more weeks for breaks. Columbus is not as expensive to live in as Cleveland or Dayton. If you need an idea about how expensive apartments are, go to: offcampus.osu.edu and do a search. Remember: Buckeye Village and University Village have busses that run to and from campus. Also, check out the "East Residental" route for CABS if you want to live where OSU busses to take you to your house: http://www.tp.ohio-state.edu/cabs

I hope this helps! Feel free to keep the questions coming!

[yin-bodhi]

I feel the need to talk a bit more about Ohio weather. If you have bad sinus problems, Ohio is not for you. Monday is was snowing and today we have Severe Thunderstorm Watches looming about. I remember last fall in November we had Tornado Warnings one day and then the next week a Winter Storm Warning. This is Ohio. Plus, our summer storms are fun. A few times over the summer, when I left for school, it was nice and sunny. Then, after lunch, this HUGE severe thunderstorm would roll in, destroy us all, and then 10 minutes later it would be sunny out again as if nothing happened. OSU is a huge campus and by the time you get from one side of the campus to the other, the weather can change. One time, I was riding the bus to the other side of campus and it was sunny when I got on the bus and three minutes later, there was a huge downpour and I had to get off the bus in lighting, heavy rain, and our streets starting to flood. By the time I walked 50 feet to the building, I was soaked to the bone and my bookbag was full of water. Our bathrooms don't have blowdryers in them, so that was no use. I had to go to my car after class and turn on the heat (in 90 degree weather) just to dry off. Of course, the sun was only half out that day, so I couldn't get dry in the sun. Other times, it will thunder a lot and get black, but nothing happens. Needless to say, our weather is annoying. It's pointless to watch the weather and try to plan for the next few days because, more times then not, the weather predictions are wrong. I remember a few times it was supposed to get warm or cold, but it didn't because some high/low pressure system missed us or hit us. Also, remember, we have a lot of ice here instead of snow. Oh, and if it is freezing cold, it won't snow. It will be cloudy or sunny and in the teens because that's just how Ohio works.

This isn't to scare anyone away from coming to OSU, I just wanted to make sure you know what you're in for if you decide to come. Some places of the country may not have seasons or weird weather. Plus, out in the plains, you can see storms coming for miles and miles. Here, even though it's flat as flat can be, you just don't see those storms coming. Even on the weather radar, they pop up and go away very quickly.

Okay, so that's my rant about the weather! I hope this helps someone! I know people who actually ENJOY our weather. One kid came up here from down south and he thinks our weather is the best thing ever! No kidding... I think he's crazy....

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There's one more thing everyone here should know about. When I first enountered this, it scared me. On every single nice day (and on days when we have student visits), we have Father Dan out on the quad. Now, Father Dan is harmless, but he might be a bit creepy at times. He stands out there, with his Bible, and preaches about how all women are sluts and all Jews are going to hell. If you're a woman and you have on shorts or a skirt, he will single you out and yell at you for being a sinner. Oh, and you better not wear your jeans too tight! He hates that! This guy is crazy, but I've actually gotten used to him. He is good for a laugh. If you're having a bad day and walking around, just the sound of him screaming will make you giggle. I actually notice when he isn't around sometimes because everything can be so quiet. He's sort-of part of the landscape. OSU cops leave him alone and everyone either ignores him or laughs. Everyone knows who he is and everyone talks about him as if he's just another thing that comes along with going to OSU. So, if you come for a visit, and hear this crazy guy out on the quad screaming his lungs out about God, sluts, and Jews... you'll know who I'm talking about and you can laugh it off just like everyone else.

[Guest andyecon]

Ok, I'm ignorant. How does the quarter system work? How many classes per quarter would grad students take? Is it more intense than semesters (i.e. would I have less time for a social life?)

Is there a vibrant theater community? Live music scene? Do the grad students hang out in bars, clubs, etc that the undergrads don't frequent or is everyone mushed together?

I know there's some on-campus housing for grad students. Is it a bad deal? Am I better off looking for housing on my own? Thanks again yin-bodhi for all of your help!

[yin-bodhi]

Quarter systems are fun. Classes are five hours a week per class for ten weeks. Most graduate students take three classes; although some departments make you take an extra 1-2 credit hour introducation class that really isn't much of anything (no work to do, just listen and plan your program). Undergrads take 3-4 and once in a while you'll find an insane person, like me, who takes five. If you have a major paper due at the end of the quarter, you better have a rough outline by week three. Quarters are very intense, but you still have time for a social life. Most departments have events they attend together (dinners, football games, basketball games, football games, football games... oh yes, and football games).

There is somewhat of a theater community, but there's more of an "art" community. Like I said, there's a gallery art hop the first Saturday night of every month. Plus, we just built this huge art center with a nice film viewing room that can hold about 400 people. There's a place to hear live music across frm campus and they have rock bands every week. We also have a TON of local groups that rotate around the bars. If you're into local rock, then Columbus is a good place to live. I've been to a few shows and they're not too bad. At Shi-Sha lounge (coffee shop where you can smoke hookahs until 4am every day), they have a movie night on wednesdays and every friday they have a weird live music act for free. Usually, it just a couple of guys with guitars screaming about how much they hate Bush, but it's a good time. Most of it is improv and not meant to be taken seriously. I love to go to Shi-Sha because there are all kinds of people. At Bento Go-Go, they have live DJs spinning different types of electronic music, depending on what night you go. I love going there in the summer because I like electronic music. Columbus also has water fire on the mile (http://www.waterfireonthemile.com/) and several art festivals.

OSU is a party school, so everyone is mushed together. However, there is some division. Most grad students take advantage of the coffee shops and hang out in the Short North because it's a little more classy (except for the gay strip club with guys dancing in the windows). You can get dressed up, have a nice dinner, and then go to an upscale bar. Undergrads stick to bars right across the street from campus and don't venture all the way up to the Short North unless it's gallery hop night. There's a small bad area between the campus and the Short North and it's not safe to walk at night (although, remember, busses are free).

Okay, I don't know anything about the dorms. I also don't know any grad students that actually live in the dorms.

Here is a link to check them out: http://housing.osu.edu/halls.asp?type=4 ... on=gradpro

Here is pricing: http://housing.osu.edu/gradpro_fees.asp

[rising_star]

Thanks for the great info. I'm a bit wary of Big 10 football, having grown up as an SEC football fan (Go Gators!) and a FSU hater (problematic since I grew up in Tallahassee). It would be nice to be in a football atmosphere again. Is it difficult to get student tickets to the game? (I think of how until FSU revised their system students would camp out for half the week to get tickets to the games, particularly UF v. FSU). Who is OSU's biggest rival in the Big 10?

Is there a strong religious preference on the campus (besides Father Dan)? If so, what is it like?

Do you have any idea where most grad students live?

[yin-bodhi]

OSU is not just a football atmoshphere, it's a football lifestyle. You go to any bar and you'll hear some drunk guy screaming about anything OSU football. It's the off season and every other day, the news has an OSU football story. It gets to be too much sometimes. OSU hates everyone in the Big 10 and we'll turn everyone into a rival... but, of course, the University of Michigan is still our biggest rivals. We even have a "Beat Michigan" week. Every year, an insane amount of people get drunk and jump into Mirror Lake to awaken the spirit of some dead football coach to ask him for his help in beating Michigan. This year, they had to break the ice to jump in and there were bloody footprints everywhere. Homecoming is NOTHING here... beating Michigan is EVERYTHING. If we beat Michigan, something is going to get lit on fire and a lot of people are going to get drunk. If we don't, people will cry and still get drunk. Students get pre-sale tickets to games, but people who have had passes to OSU games for 20+ years get first pick. You cannot get Michigan tickets no matter what... they are sold out years in advance.

No, there is not a strong religious preference on campus. We have religious groups for just about every religion you can think of. We even have a strong athiest group who always holds meetings and has special panel discussions. We also have good Buddhist and Muslim groups. There are several inter-faith groups that get together and try to promote religious understanding and they hold several events per year. You can bet that if Christians start holding too many events, the athiests and inter-faith groups will respond in a big way. Oh, and the Christian groups are mainly moderate and liberal here. I would say most people here are Christian (we have a decent sized Ethipoean Christian population too), but remember, this isn't the Bible belt. Everyone thinks Father Dan is psycho and no one agrees with him.

I don't know where most grad students live. I know one of my profs (grad student) lives in Upper Arlington, a couple peole live in/by the Short North, but I see most people wandering around High Street. I don't know if they're undergrad or grad students, though. There is an insane amount of housing around campus, so I'm sure you will find something to your liking. My advice is to go through OSU off campus housing because they only work with people they know won't screw over students.

Off campus housing site: http://offcampus.osu.edu/

University Village: http://www.universityvillage.com/ (provides free transportation to and from OSU)

Married? Have kids? Check out: http://buckeyevillage.osu.edu/ (provides free transportation to and from OSU)

[rising_star]

OSU is not just a football atmoshphere, it's a football lifestyle. You go to any bar and you'll hear some drunk guy screaming about anything OSU football. It's the off season and every other day, the news has an OSU football story. It gets to be too much sometimes. OSU hates everyone in the Big 10 and we'll turn everyone into a rival... but, of course, the University of Michigan is still our biggest rivals. ... Homecoming is NOTHING here... beating Michigan is EVERYTHING. If we beat Michigan, something is going to get lit on fire and a lot of people are going to get drunk. If we don't, people will cry and still get drunk. Students get pre-sale tickets to games, but people who have had passes to OSU games for 20+ years get first pick. You cannot get Michigan tickets no matter what... they are sold out years in advance.

OMG, that sounds just like home. I don't know if you know anything about the Florida State-University of FL rivalry but that's pretty much what it is. I grew up in a football town and I actually miss the hoopla and having ESPN's College Gameday come to town and all of that. (I mean, this is Tallahassee where we kicked the reporters covering the 2000 election recount out of their hotels because football fans had booked those rooms 2+ years in advance. The reporters were offering money to anyone and everyone in their desperation to find some place to stay within 50 miles.) Soooo exciting.

And being out of the Bible Belt will be nice too.

I just realized that my OSU visit is this week (Thursday-Saturday afternoon). They haven't given us an itinerary yet. Any suggestions on things I should make sure that I see or do?

[yin-bodhi]

Come see me and we'll smoke a hookah! I'll actually be taking my last final Thursday morning.

Ummm... go see the Wexner Center for the Arts. Something tells me they'll drag you over there anyhow, but go see it if they don't. Also, go see the RPAC and climb the rock wall. OSU is all about fitness here. Okay, you should probably go see The Horseshoe and pay homage to the football team. If it's nice, go sit by Mirror Lake for a while and people watch; see the cow duck (it's a duck that looks like a cow... I hope he's still there, I haven't seen him in a while). The best way to get an overview of OSU is to get on a Campus Loop North or South bus and ride it once around the university. The busses are free and you don't have to show ID.

If you can, catch a bus up (actually down, you have to go south on High Street) to the Short North. It's safe to walk down there during the day. Check out the art shops, the more upscale bars, the dominatrix shop, watch the guys at the gay strip club dance in the window, and grab a cup of coffee. Oh yes, we are an odd bunch here in Ohio. Okay, so I've never actually been into the dominatrix shop because it looks a bit creepy, but maybe you're a bit more brave than I am. If you don't feel like walking all the way down to the Short North, you can at least walk to the South Campus Gateway to look in the shops and grab a bite to eat. The Short North is about half a mile from the Gateway. Do NOT go into the smoke shop with the Playboy bunny and the joker painted on the side of the building. I made that mistake once... all I wanted was some clove smokes... I didn't need to see... errr.... not normal adult products....

We have a lot of music stores up and down High Street, so feel free to check those out. Make note of how many different places there are to eat around High Street. Some places are open 24-hours, or at least until 4AM. We have: American (we have a good deal of sub places... try Jimmy John's), Italian, Indian, Ethipoean, Korean, Chinese (do NOT eat at the "Number One Chinese Resturant" because they have had way too many health code violations), a 24-hour pizza place (Mad Dog's Pizza), a place that only sells chicken fingers, seafood, and many others! If you're not feeling brave, The Ohio Union has a good variety to pick from. If you want to try sake (Japanese beer) go to Bento Go-Go. It's on High Street before the South Campus Gateway.

That's all I can think of for now. If I hear of any events going on this weekend, I will let you know. ?

[Guest mary]

There IS a large conservative christian population on campus, but overall, it's pretty nice. I've been here for two years and like my department and the University as a whole. When I moved away from the campus area and into the Short North, though, I found myself a bit more happy to be in Columbus. (I guess this is my word of caution: if I were you I'd try to live in the four neighborhoods listed above. Stay away from campus if you're a graduate student - while North Campus is OK, that's where I lived for a year, it's just so much better being in Clintonville or Victorian Village.)

If you have any other questions, ask away. I'm a grad student here and can help you with what you need to know, especially regarding the city.

And, at least in my opinion, a car is necesssary for the city. Columbus is basically a city of SPRAWL (think of Atlanta but about 4X smaller) and while it's possible to get by without a car, having one makes life a lot easier. With that being said, I drive my car about once a week and either walk the 2 miles to school (I like to walk) or take the bus. Again, it all depends on where you live in the city.

[air_supply_fan]

yin-bodhi, thanks for all the info. it's been really helpful. i was wondering whether you know anything about the weather (or other stuff) in madison, wisconsin? is the weather (or other stuff) better than madison?

[yin-bodhi]

yin-bodhi, thanks for all the info. it's been really helpful. i was wondering whether you know anything about the weather (or other stuff) in madison, wisconsin? is the weather (or other stuff) better than madison?

I don't have a clue, sorry. I guess you could look things up on The Weather Channel's site. There are also sites where you can compare cities. Good luck!

[gradgirl]

Okay, so there's a good chance I might be coming to OSU for my Ph.D.... can anyone give me a clearer idea of where exactly "Short North" and "Clintonville" are? Are there street names that designate these areas, or are those street names themselves? What side (north, south, east, west) of the city are these areas in, and where is OSU in relation to them?

Probably preliminary I know, but I'd like to have a sense of where I might be living if I go there.

[popquizkid]

gradgirl said:

Okay, so there's a good chance I might be coming to OSU for my Ph.D.... can anyone give me a clearer idea of where exactly "Short North" and "Clintonville" are? Are there street names that designate these areas, or are those street names themselves? What side (north, south, east, west) of the city are these areas in, and where is OSU in relation to them?

Probably preliminary I know, but I'd like to have a sense of where I might be living if I go there.

OSU is located just north of downtown along a main corridor (high st.--on a map you might see it as SR 23, but the actual SR 23 jags around a bit so it might look a little confusing). clintonville is just north of campus along high st.; the short north is just south of campus on high st. so, as you're traveling south down high st., you'll see: clintonville, then campus, then the short north. as far as street names go:

clintonville: from approx. charleston ave. on the north end to approx. olentangy st. on the sound end. (see a map here: http://www.clintonville.com/areamap/areamap.html)

campus: from approx. lane ave. on the north end to approx. 11th ave. on the south end. (see a map here: http://www.osu.edu/map/)

short north: from approx. king ave. on the north end to approx. nationwide blvd. on the sound end (see a map here: http://www.shortnorth.org/map.php)

hope this helps!

[RF237]

I was wondering about the housing market in Columbus. Does anyone have advice on/has anyone bought a house and rented out rooms to other graduate students? Knowing I'll be there for 5 years or so (if that's where I decide to go), it seems like it could be a good idea. I'll have help with the down payment, so, ideally, the rent from the other rooms could cover the mortgage and slowly pay back the down payment. Any thoughts?

[ravinraven718]

rebeccafav said:

I was wondering about the housing market in Columbus. Does anyone have advice on/has anyone bought a house and rented out rooms to other graduate students? Knowing I'll be there for 5 years or so (if that's where I decide to go), it seems like it could be a good idea. I'll have help with the down payment, so, ideally, the rent from the other rooms could cover the mortgage and slowly pay back the down payment. Any thoughts?

You might try looking at the off-campus housing website (http://offcampus.osu.edu/) or craigslist if you want to split a house with other people. You'll want to look around Clintonville, Grandview, or maybe the Short North/Victorian Village as that's where most graduate students live. I think that you should rent an apartment for the first year you're in Columbus and once you've lived here a while and met some people (and become more familiar with the city) see if you want to commit to buying a house.

[liszt85]

Please also comment on whether it would be possible to support a spouse on a similar stipend (14K)

[Sibilance7]

liszt85 said:

Please also comment on whether it would be possible to support a spouse on a similar stipend (14K)

I did my MA at OSU and lived with my spouse there. He worked part time the first year and then quit the second year to focus on his own MA (at another school) more, and we got loans to help us through the second year. It really depends on your lifestyle - what you want to be able to spend money, what sorts of bills you have. As far as cost of living, everything is  reasonably priced - food, utilities, etc. You would be looking at rent around 500-600 for a nice one bedroom apartment. I've known people who spent less, but they were more tolerant of living in areas that could be a bit more sketchy or filled with undergrads. I lived in Clintonville, which is a really nice area. It's not as trendy at Victorian Village or the Short North, but I found that the rent for a comparable place was much higher there. My husband and I were not able to manage on just my stipend because we had credit card bills to pay. If you don't have extra stuff like credit card debt, a car payment, etc., you may be able to scrape by on the stipend. Let me know if you have other questions or if there are specific things about the city I can tell you.

[liszt85]

If I go to OSU, my wife would accompany me on a F2 (dependent) visa and that strictly forbids her from working. So we have to support ourselves with just one stipend. I will get a formal offer on the 10th (and will get to know exactly how much they'd give me). My final decision is going to be heavily based on living expenses and if I'd be able to support my wife on my stipend (in addition to all the other factors like research interests, etc). So your advice is greatly appreciated!

How is the music scene in Columbus? I would also like to continue taking piano lessons alongside my grad studies. Are there good private music schools in the area (that aren't too expensive, say I'd be willing to spend ~$150-$200 per month)?

[Sibilance7]

I think that if you don't have extra expenses and you need to pay for is rent, utilities, food, and the occasional fun activity, you will be okay in Columbus with a spouse on an OSU stipend. You can look at www.metro-rentals.com to get a sense of the prices of rentals, but I should mention that my husband and I found a cheaper place by driving around neighborhoods and just looking for "for rent" signs in front yards in areas we wanted to live in.

I don't know too much about the music scene, except that a friend of mine recently investigated getting violin lessons, and found a great violin shop that rented instruments and kept a list of independent teachers. Their business was doing quite well and there were a lot of instructors, so I'd imagine that the music scene is pretty good. Hopefully someone who knows more will chime in!

[ravinraven718]

I don't know if it would be more or less expensive, but you could take Music 101.01 (Piano for non-majors) to start with. Or, once you got here, you could always advertise for an instructor at the School of Music (largely confined to Hughes Hall). All the music majors I know at OSU specialize in other instruments (tuba, oboe, and violin), however, so I don't know anyone specifically who could teach you.

[liszt85]

I don't know if it would be more or less expensive, but you could take Music 101.01 (Piano for non-majors) to start with. Or, once you got here, you could always advertise for an instructor at the School of Music (largely confined to Hughes Hall). All the music majors I know at OSU specialize in other instruments (tuba, oboe, and violin), however, so I don't know anyone specifically who could teach you.

Thanks for the info. I would probably need to start with slightly more advanced classes that piano for non-majors. I last lessons I took were at the Vienna Conservatory, I've been playing for around 10 years now (but a lot of my practice methods were imprecise which led to some little technical flaws, some of which I corrected in Vienna). In any case, I believe, with the information that you just gave me, that I could find an instructor at the school of music.