Welcome to campus, transfer students. In the short time you’ve been here, it has swung between warm, no-jacket weather to 20 degree, bundle-up-like-the-Michelin-Man weather. (If you are new to Ohio, welcome to Ohio weather.)
In order to make your transition a little easier, though, I’ve come up with some things that I would have liked to have known my first semester at Otterbein. Hopefully, you will find some of them helpful.
Long lines between classes at the Roost Express in Roush and the OtterBean in the library are the norm around lunch time. You might have trouble getting through the line in time to get to your next class. If you get in line in the first few minutes of the gap between classes, you will probably get in and out with no trouble. (An aside: if you have evening classes in Roush, get a pick-me-up snack during your break from Noreen.)
Another bit of wisdom that you might already know: buy books from the campus bookstore only if you want to spend more money. I bought all of my books from the bookstore my first quarter here. (We were still on the quarter system.) I spent about $430 for those textbooks and novels.
In the three years and 28 classes since, I haven’t spent nearly that much. Order used textbooks from Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com and Chegg.com, and you might save a couple hundred dollars a semester.
The last two semesters I have spent $134 and $92 on textbooks.
I must confess that I buy the previous edition of the book unless the professor specifically asks for the current one, which saves a lot of money. Even online, used copies of the latest editions can get expensive. If it is possible with your major and the class, look into getting an older edition.
If you have a car on campus, don’t go near the Main Street crosswalk during the 15 minutes we have between classes. This is the section of Main where Courtright Library and Towers are across from each other. The crosswalk has a steady stream of students and faculty who continue their noble quest to absorb and impart knowledge.
Few cars get through in the height of the rush. It looks more like a parade of people that have car spectators lined up to catch the candy thrown to them. Save yourself some time and take the side streets. I like to use West and Home streets. There is still some congestion with pedestrians, but it’s much less frustrating.
If you have some free time (or are annoyed with the Main Street crosswalk,) meander around the second and third floors of the library. You’ll happen upon some books that you never knew existed and find, sometimes quirky but always informational, books on familiar topics, authors and titles.
My favorite spots so far: the Tennessee Williams aisle with “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and the aisles with the old volumes of Time magazine and Life magazine. Study time is much more enjoyable when I spend it looking at old issues of Time and Life.
Recently I discovered books that compile print ads from the 1920s to the 1980s. Talk about a lesson in history. Ads are a window into the attitudes and values of the time.
Exploring the library is a pleasant way to spend free time (or study time,) and you’ll likely wander through some cool areas. Just make sure you remember where your favorite finds are. I’ve had trouble finding things again.
I hope these tips might have made the wild swings in the weather more welcoming for your first weeks on campus. Maybe you’ll find them useful and save you a headache and a little money. And if you have some tips for me, please pass them on — I am all for fewer headaches and more money. You can find me reading in the Tennessee Williams aisle.
