Ask an OSU Senior

<p>ohiostate17:</p>

<p>I know a few students who work at the RPAC and they love it. At the beginning of the year they went to the main desk in the RPAC and asked about working there and were given an application. Make sure that you apply within the first few days at OSU because alot of students want to work there. From what I’ve heard, if there aren’t any open spots they might hire you and have you work at one of the JO gyms for a few months until a spot opens up. If this doesn’t work out I highly recommend working as an OA in your dorm for next year. It’s literally the easiest and most convenient job on campus that also allows you homework/study time.</p>

<p>Thank you TomServo!
I am trying to work at the RPAC so that I am always motivated to get my fitness on haha.</p>

<p>So. Can anyone give me the low down on Drackett Tower?
I want to know the great and the not so great!
I just got assigned there to live in a quad.
How packed will it feel living with 3 other people?
I understand that the bathrooms are cleaned by the students living in it, but is it gross to begin with? (Rusty pipes, moldy tiles)
Should I buy a rug to go into the room?</p>

<p>TexasBuckeye7,</p>

<p>Your response is greatly appreciated!
I have already called there and hopefully will have an interview lined up soon.
Your information about working at any of the other gym facilities until a spot opens up at the RPAC is very helpful.
However, I will keep an OA job on the back of my mind!</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

<p>If you’re looking for a job and don’t care what it is, the dining places are fairly easy to get into. The best part about them is you usually get a free meal at the end of your shift :)</p>

<p>Is Norton house a nice place to live in?</p>

<p>@ohiostate17</p>

<p>I lived in Drackett as a double and it was a great place to live, however, a quad will definitely be more crowded. We had a couch / chair provided that I’m assuming will not fit with 4 desks in there. However, the built in desks are really nice and I’d recommend getting there before your other roommates to claim them; the non-built in desks are kinda crappy. </p>

<p>I would definitely buy some carpet (and get your roomies to chip in); we had a rug in the doorway for shoes, a piece in the main area, a piece around the beds, and a bathroom rug. Really makes it feel more clean and comfortable. The bathrooms are fine but just know that the University staff will only clean them once / semester, so you’ll be on your own for that. Bring the cleaning necessities. </p>

<p>@ohiostate17 and dwright23</p>

<p>Dining / RPAC jobs are nice, I still highly recommend the OA job because you can do homework very easily, especially during night shifts. Working at the dining facilities will be a bit busier and you’ll definitely not be able to get anywhere near as much done. But like dwright23 said, free food.</p>

<p>@darkerthankuroi</p>

<p>Norton is pretty typical of the North campus dorms. It is (or at least was) part of Norton-Scott-Archer (NSA) complex, so there are often large activities provided for these 3 dorms. There is a workout room and a bike room in Norton, ping pong table in Scott, and a very nice, large, windowed study area in Archer. </p>

<p>Hope that helps everyone!</p>

<p>Thanks OSULolz! Also, how does a freshman typically go about buying textbooks?</p>

<p>My very first quarter, I got them ahead of time from B&N because I was a bit nervous and didn’t want to add textbooks to that stress. </p>

<p>However, after that, I mostly ordered them from Amazon to save money. I would usually wait until the first day of class before I even ordered them and then used the free 2-day shipping via Amazon Prime. Also, check for your textbooks on Facebook–you can get REALLY good deals from those who had the same class. Especially easy to do this for general courses that many students have to take</p>

<p>You can find the list of textbooks needed for each course on the syllabus on <a href=“http://www.carmen.osu.edu%5B/url%5D”>www.carmen.osu.edu</a> or [Your</a> Customized Textbook List - Barnes & Noble - The Ohio State University Bookstore](<a href=“Find Course Materials | Barnes and Noble @ The Ohio State University”>Find Course Materials | Barnes and Noble @ The Ohio State University)</p>

<p>Wow thanks. I was wondering if EVERYBODY has to do a math course? Or only the majors that require math?</p>

<p>Most majors require some Math, it just depends on how high. Obviously science based majors take more, but I had to take through Calc II as a business major as well.</p>

<p>Other majors probably require up to pre-calc or lower…specific info is available online for each major</p>

<p>Thanks! I looked at the semester fee breakup and I noticed that there was a COTA bus fee included. Does that mean I get an all-you-can-use bus pass?</p>

<p>You can ride the COTA bus for free by scanning your BuckID when you walk on.</p>

<p>Cool. Thanks. Is there a freshers party for which we have to wear costumes or something?</p>

<p>Are there any computer store, like Apple Store, around the campus? And will there be any discount for students? I’m considering buying a computer there.</p>

<p>@inthecollege</p>

<p>There is a store in the central classroom / Barnes and Noble central classroom area; it’s called WiredOut. ( [WiredOut</a>, The Tech Store @ OSU: Homepage](<a href=“http://wiredout.osu.edu/]WiredOut”>http://wiredout.osu.edu/) ) I’m sure they advertise a ‘discount,’ however, I would check online for much better deals before coming to Columbus</p>

<p>Do know if it is less expensive to live in an off campus apartment than it would be in a dorm on campus?</p>

<p>I’ve been lurking for a long time and this thread has really been helpful.</p>

<p>Can I order packages to my OSU address before move-in day? I’m currently in India and I want to order some stuff before I move in so it’s ready once I get to Columbus. Also, if I order stuff early, can I pick it up the day before I move in?</p>

<p>Msil20-
It depends on the location of the apartment/house but for the most part yes. My house next year is only costing $300/month plus utilities. This will cost me about $4,000 for the entire year including utilities whereas in Morrill Tower I was paying $3,750 a semester.</p>

<p>Thank you TexasBuckeye7! That’s good news. Does anyone know any info about doing work study vs a regular on campus job? Which is the better option and why?</p>

<p>Can’t speak for the work study jobs, but the on campus stuff is pretty cool. I had 2 jobs last semester, and they were awesome! They’re definitely willing to work with you on your scheduling and stuff as long as you’re reasonable. You can only work 29 hours a week though. Plus, as stated above, if you work at a dining facility, you get free food!</p>