Braving the Cold in Columbus

It's no secret that the Midwest can get frigidly cold in the depths of winter, making everything much more difficult, especially when school and work start to get busy. As a current student that lives right by campus and travels by foot to work and class every day, the winter can be a dreadful time. One of my favorite things about Ohio State is the walkability. I enjoy getting exercise daily, unwinding, listening to music on the way, and getting the college campus feel only obtained by taking a stroll through. However, that only makes the cold, snow, and ice even more unbearable on the few rough winter days.

Recently, Columbus has been hit by several snowstorms, leaving the streets and sidewalks covered in ice, snow, and slush. Thankfully, the university does a great job cleaning up the campus walkways to ease students traveling to and from class, having campus busses running all day, and there's always a nearby spot to grab a hot cup of coffee to warm up. Graduate classes mostly in the same building also help as it limits the need to walk to and from numerous spots on campus, staying nice and toasty in Gerlach Hall. Additionally, on some days with unfortunate weather conditions, we now have the luxury to have class moved to an online format, where students can tune in from their homes via Zoom. Last week one of my professors graciously moved to the online format to accommodate the rough outdoor conditions for our safety, which was awesome. It also is nice to have that option to meet with classmates via Zoom for group projects this time of year, limiting the need to go out in the snow even further.

While it can be a challenge to stay warm during these chilly months, the snow makes the campus and the city of Columbus quite a beautiful sight. Tough to travel in and requires a hefty winter coat, but overall enjoying these last months of winter in Ohio!

You'll experience the beauty of each season at Ohio State. Find things to do at: https://visit.osu.edu/experience