Login Register

Ohio University
- Local Atmosphere

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Yes, let this school know
Maybe, bookmark for later
No, get better matches
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

We will attempt to notify this
school of your interest.

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Jump to a section:

Grade
Quick Stats
Student Author Overview
Student Reviews
Student Polls
Facts
Listings
Take A SurveyWrite A ReviewUpload A PhotoLink Up A VideoWrite The Guide
Ohio University - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.46

Local Atmosphere

B
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. Athens is notoriously haunted; from the spooky Ridges, which used to be an insane asylum, to the five cemeteries that form a pentagram around the city. Athens was even voted the 13th most haunted place in the world by the British Society for Psychic Research. Athens was also featured on FOX's Scariest Places on Earth TV special.
  2. There are tons of unique, fun festivals in Athens County throughout the year, including Parade of the Hills, the Ohio Paw Paw Festival, the Bead International Festival, and the Jambalaya Jam.
  3. The new 17,000-square foot Athens Skatepark was designed by award-winning Grindline Skateparks and partially funded by the Tony Hawk Foundation. It was even featured on the MTV show, Viva La Bam, when broken in by the show's star Bam Margera during a 2004 episode.
  4. Athens is a paradise for hikers, bird watchers, and nature lovers. The city is surrounded by several state parks (Burr Oak, Lake Hope, Lake Snowden, and Wayne National Forest), making it easy to take a weekend hiking, backpacking, or camping retreat.
  5. Thousands of partiers head to the small town every Halloween to partake in what has been called the "Mardi Gras of the Midwest."
Notable Natives
  • Dow Finsterwald – champion professional golfer
  • Maya Lin – architect of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
  • David Wilhelm – campaign manager for Bill Clinton and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Points of Interest
  • Athens Skate Park
  • Burr Oak State Park
  • Hocking Hills
  • Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp
  • Kennedy Museum of American Art
  • Old Man’s Cave
  • The Ridges
  • Splash Down
  • Stroud’s Run
  • The Wilds

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

OU students agree: Athens is unique. A small town built around a college, it is full of distinctive personalities. There are small, specialty shops and great restaurants that you won’t find anywhere else. Practically any student you ask will say that the atmosphere is one of the greatest parts of going to OU. Athens is the epitome of a college town: tree-filled greens, colonial architecture, brick streets, all of which makes for a very quaint and comfortable learning atmosphere. However, at times, it can seem like Athens is closed off from the rest of the world (when a Wal-Mart finally opened a store in Athens a few years ago, students rejoiced). Shopping can be really difficult (the closest mall is about 45 miles away in Lancaster) and most students resort to online shopping or driving an hour and a half to Columbus. There are plenty of exceptional, cheap thrills in and around Athens, though, such as the haunted areas and the skatepark.

The residents of Athens are very tolerant of the rowdy OU students and, for the most part, friendly (part of their patience might have to do with the fact that their businesses rely a great deal on the students). “Townies,” as they are affectionately known, range from upper-class citizens to hippies, creating an eclectic and downright weird community. A great college town, it’s hard not to love Athens; just be prepared to escape to the “real world” every now and then when you need a Target or Starbucks fix.

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Ohio University Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Local Atmosphere at Ohio University

kittyrific

Geology and Earth Science '14

4.6
A

Country

Athens is a small town with a big party school. There's always something going on and tons of stuff to do outdoors.

Mar 22, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at Ohio University

Deya210

Cinematography and Video Production '14

4.2
A-

Surprisingly Awesome Athens

Ohio University is sometimes described as located in the middle of nowhere but there is quite a lot to do. Cheap movies, local camping/hiking/fishing/swimming locations, two large cities with great dining and shopping are located within an hour. And the city itself hosts frequent activities, everything from cultural extravaganzas to dances to movie nights to concerts and guest speakers. The campus is very safe, and police presence is noticeable. Local shops have have everything from vintage knick-knacks to movie posters and costumes to designer clothing, and the local food is delicious. Ohio has some of the best recreational sports programs around, and their sports teams are all very talented (and games are free to students!). The 'Townies' as we call locals love us! Athens is the epitome of a college-town, and the perfect environment to live in.

Feb 27, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at Ohio University

MDCwithJ3

Music '15

3.5
B

Beyond School Limits in Athens, OH.

Upon my first visit to Athens, Ohio, I was immediately struck by the gorgeous scenery. Everywhere you look makes a perfect snap-shot. However, Athens is a small town. And outside of the University, there is not much to do as far as activities are concerned. On multiple occasions, my family has come to visit me here at school, and we have had very little to do, aside from walk around campus and view my classrooms. There are countless attractive restaurants, but for entertainment purposes, top-notch restaurant choices are not quite enough to amuse guests for a weekend.

Jan 23, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Page 1 of 11
User rating for Ohio University - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 32 user reviews.

Photos of Ohio University's Local Atmosphere

College Students:
Register now to upload photos of YOUR school and show what it is really like!
Ohio University - Court StreetCourt Street
Photo by CBPoindexter
Court Street Court Street is the main strip of Athens' nightlife. Packed with shopping, food, bars, and more, the long street connects from the student center (Baker) all the way to Carpenter Street. In addition to having many bars, restaurants, and stores, this is where the Halloween Block Party happens.
Link to this photo
Photo by CBPoindexter
Ohio University - FootballFootball
Photo by briceg
Football The opener
Link to this photo
Photo by briceg
Ohio University - Peden StadiumPeden Stadium
Photo by ohio2011
Peden Stadium
Link to this photo
Photo by ohio2011

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Athens Mall
  • River Valley Mall
  • University Mall
Major Sports Teams
  • Cleveland Browns: football
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: basketball
  • Cleveland Indians: baseball
  • Columbus Crew: soccer
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Cleveland: OH: 4 hours
  • Columbus: OH: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Athena Grand
1008 E. State St.
Athens
(740) 593-8822

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Nash Bober
Hometown
Berlin Heights, Ohio
Major
Management information systems/Marketing

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

Buy the eBook "Ohio University 2012: Off The Record"
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoogleSmashwords
Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)

Find a college

Find a major

Scholarships

Reviews

Search College Prowler

Company

How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.