Coming To Columbus? Let LGHL Be Your Guide

Graduations have just about finished up all over the country, which can only mean one thing: tons of advice-to-graduates columns by journalists. Ohio State is a big place, and it can be overwhelming at first. Don't worry, your friends at Land Grant Holy Land won't let you be the awkward freshman, clutching a map on The Oval,completely lost (just kidding, we totally will. I have no idea where everything is either). DJ, Luke ,and I weighed on the best parts of Campus, what you should do at Ohio State, and what you should avoid. Disclaimer, its been a few years since any of us lived on campus, but hey, you get what you pay for.

1) What is the best campus area bar?

Luke-Out-R-Inn on Sundays and Mondays, Bier Stube all other times. Little Bar can be fun in the right contexts. Oh and Hendoc's forever. Lucky's was a long time personal favorite too.

Matt-I actually don't drink, so my advice could be totally worthless. My favorite bar in Columbus is The Thirsty Ear, er Northwoods Tavern, which regularly has blues jams and great music, but that isn't technically campus. I liked Out-R-Inn and Little Bar too. When the wind blows the right way, I'm pretty sure I can smell the Stube all the way in Chicago, so read into that what you will.

DJ-The Bier Stube is pretty much the greatest bar in America. If you don't like cheap beer, the smell of stale piss, and an atmosphere in which you think you might get stabbed.... then I don't like you.

2) What is the best thing in Columbus to visit outside of campus?

Luke- Surely peruse/drink in or around Short North and/or the Arena District, no? I hear Huntington Park is gorgeous but haven't been yet. Definitely looking forward to the casino.

Matt-Huntington Park opened right as I moved, but I've been there a few times since then and loved it. The Short North is pretty fun to walk around. I also loved going to Crew games, and they're usually pretty cheap.

DJ-The Casino, when it opens up this fall.

3) Where is the best place to live off-campus?

Luke-100 Chittenden Avenue at the corner of Chittenden and Indianola is the best bargain on all of campus. I only lived there for a quarter and a half, but it's cheap (was around $200 a person for 3 people), modern furnishings, and is literally across the street from the South Campus Gateway.

Matt-It's funny you mentioned that...my first apartment in Columbus was just a few doors down from you, and it's been the crappiest place I ever lived. I had homeless people banging on my door, my appliances didn't work, and neither did the heat. My friends called it Shittenden and refused to visit me. It was stupid cheap and close to everything though.

I lived a little south of Summit and 20th after that, and happy with that. It wasn't too long of a walk to campus, it had COTA and CABS coverage, and I think most of the apartments would even pass inspection.

DJ-The 1800 Block of Summit Street. FUCK SIGMA CHI though.

4) Recommend a campus organization or club

Luke-Write for Land-Grant Holy Land where you can hone your chops, network, and make inroads towards your dream job instead of just hobnob with folks that probably didn't like you anyways (in full-disclosure I worked a lot of events held by almost every club on campus; more than two thirds of them are insufferable and/or beyond fake and while they probably helped pad some already loaded resumes, I'm incredibly skeptical anyone in them got where they are post-college because of any reason other than the combination of hard work and luck).

Matt- I loved being in Alpha Phi Omega, OSU's co-ed service fraternity. It's full of cool people, you get to do something for others, and you get to ring the victory bell. I agree that most other clubs (especially the business orientated ones) are kind of insufferable, but with a school of eleventy billion people, I'm sure there are other good ones. I mean, the BBQ club can't be that bad right? What could possibly be bad about getting together to eat grilled animal?

DJ- I hate organizations and clubs.

5) What is the worst part about Columbus?

Luke- 315 on Saturdays? Probably that there's so little to do not involving Ohio State.

Matt-Yeah, even though Columbus is actually a fairly big city, it can feel really small sometimes. I grew up about 30 miles from the city, there isn't a whole lot going on outside of the Arena Distict, the Short North, and Campus. When out of town friends came to visit, we'd end up going to see something like a 7-story basket (which is near my hometown). I think this is starting to change though.

DJ-The shitty rap station where they play nothing but shitty R&B, Drake, and Lil Wayne.

6) What is the worst campus area bar/restaurant?

Luke-I've never been to The Sloppy Donkey, but the absence of Larry's pains me greatly. /Pours out 40 oz super strong margarita

Matt- I don't think anybody should go to a place called The Sloppy Donkey.

DJ-Eddie George's Grill is the most overpriced and overrated spot on campus, but it's not a decadent pit like the entire Gateway Complex. If somebody bombed it, I would probably cheer.

7) What is the best campus area bar/restaurant?

Luke-It's sacrilege since I'm actually from a place with real Mexican (and Mexifusion) food, but I really loved Mad Mex. Solid southwestern affair at a reasonable price plus a tremendous beer menu (maybe the most diversely beer snobby draught wise anywhere I frequented near campus). Really dug Cap CIty for special occasions and still miss Brazenhead Wednesdays every week. Every week.

Matt-Brazenhead on Wednesday *is* great. The last time I was in Columbus, a buddy took me to Graffiti Burger, which was awesome. I know these are cliche and all, but I loved Flyin' Pizza and Buckeye Doughnuts. They're popular because they're tasty, dammit. I'm also a little embarrassed to admit that now that I live in Chicago, I kinda miss Canes. I don't know they put in that sauce, but it is addicting. Me and my roommates used to buy cups of it, take it home, and make CANESadillas. In other news, I was a disgusting person as a college student.

DJ- Waffle House Double Waffles with extra Peanut butter chips. Side of hash browns with a glass of chocolate milk.

8) Do you have any advice for an incoming freshman?

Luke- Take your plan and throw it out the window. Do things that take you out of your comfort zone and try to meet someone new and interesting every week. Buy football and basketball tickets every year and go to every game you can. Act as though you'll never get the opportunity again. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Matt-The wonderful thing about going to a huge school is that you really can try everything...so make sure you do. Go see a water polo game. I joined a steel drum band.Take Yiddish for a quarter. Write for the school paper (or better yet, write for us). Take a Megabus trip to Chicago. Jump in the Lake. You won't get a chance to try so many different things again, so make sure you take advantage of it.

DJ- Do drugs and skip class. Fuck college.