One of the most exciting parts about transitioning to college, is, getting to know all of the ins and outs of the place you consider, your new home. It may only take a few days, or maybe a week for you to figure out where your dorm is, that you actually need to study for exams, or how to do laundry for the first time, but learning the tricks of the trade takes time.
Since I am now a senior, I feel like I am qualified and obligated to give incoming freshman or transfer students some tips that I have learned from living in Athens for the past three years or so.
1. How to Avoid the Hills
I lived on South Green for two years, and I absolutely loved everything about it, except the long walks up Morton or Jefferson (Jeff) hill on a humid, rainy morning. If you didn’t already know, there are a few detours you can take in order to avoid some of the hills on campus. If you are trying to avoid an early morning muscle cramp from walking up Jeff hill, you can take the elevator inside Glidden Hall, or Seigfred Hall. If you live on West Green, and don’t want to climb up the Richland Bridge, you can always use the escalators in Baker University Center as well.
2. Best Time to Get a Workout In
If you don’t like to brawl it out with the person next to you for the next elliptical available at Ping, take some advice from me. I am the type of person who tries to avoid the crowd at the gym, so I try to get a workout in during the day. Ping is relatively calm anytime before about 4 p.m., so if you enjoy the peace and quiet, try to motivate yourself in the morning or early afternoon.
3. Signing A Lease
Finding a place to live in Athens is very competitive, so get on that sooner rather than later! If you are planning to live off-campus after sophomore year, you should start to work out details for your living situation the first week you get back to school in the fall, or possibly even earlier. Trust me, you DO NOT want to be living in a 50-year-old house with gum stuck to the floor, leaky ceilings, and doodles on the wall, it’s just not right!
Make sure to take these helpful hints into consideration in the future, and take the time to discover some of the ins and outs of one of the best schools around, Ohio University!
Athens Is OUr Town 