Ohio University Reviews

OU is much safer than other...

OU is much safer than other campuses in Ohio, mostly because it's the off-campus environment at other schools that causes problems. Schools such as OSU and UC, which have urban crime problems, don't compare to the safer, more suburban atmosphere of OU. Just use common sense, and you'll see that the Athens PD and OUPD are just here for safety. Halloween is the only time that things can get iffy, but when the population of a town more than doubles, I guess that comes with the territory.

There are a lot of people who...

There are a lot of people who smoke, which is sometimes surprising since there are a lot of people who smoke and don't have the usual "hemp-covered" look. Other drugs are used in various groups, but OU students loves their bars, so drugs are just another way we keep our party reputation. Locally, there has been some noise made about heroin, OxyContin, and crystal meth use among some of the townies, but it isn't common with students.

Brunch is the best meal served...

Brunch is the best meal served anywhere on campus, especially if your dining hall has waffle makers.

The best thing about Ohio...

The best thing about Ohio University is that everything is within walking distance! There are some buses, but I have never had a need for them at all.

Uh, don't be stupid, thats all I...

Uh, don't be stupid, thats all I have to say. Compared to my friends at other schools, the police are surprisingly good about things here. In my experiences, you really REALLY have to try to get in trouble by doing one or more of three main things: 1) Getting into a fight, 2) mouthing off to a police officer, or 3) urinating in public or something equally as offensive. As long as you aren't an idiot, chances are they'll leave you alone. This is a party school, so the police in this town are used to putting up with drunk college kids and tend to have a fairly good sense of humor with antics such as random bits of furniture in the streets, loud music, and shouted obscenities.

If you pony up for a parking...

If you pony up for a parking sticker, you'll be in good shape. Otherwise, you'll have to get creative with where and when to park.

Sports are definitely on the rise...

Sports are definitely on the rise at OU. Our men's basketball team always has around 20 wins and competes for the conference title. The game atmosphere is usually pretty rockin! Football has been up and down, but the team has had some great moments like almost beating Ohio State and going to the GMAC Bowl.

I love OU! This is the greatest...

I love OU! This is the greatest school ever, and I wouldn’t transfer if you paid me. I have made the most wonderful friends a girl could imagine, my teachers have been wonderful, I’ve learned so much, and I feel so prepared to go out into the real world and get a job in my major. And I have wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. I could not be happier with my decision to go to school here!

The campus police are not very...

The campus police are not very strict about drugs or drinking. I think that this is because students are smart about things and so are the police; if we do not cause any trouble, we are usually left alone.

The parking situation at OU is a...

The parking situation at OU is a nightmare. I dreaded driving uptown or having visitors and trying to find a spot. There just isn’t enough parking at OU, plain and simply. Tow trucks roam the streets just looking for cars parked in illegal spots. It really does suck.

There is public transportation,...

There is public transportation, but you don’t really need it.

Drugs are present.

I loved, loved, loved my OU...

I loved, loved, loved my OU experience—I miss it terribly. OU is what I always envisioned my college experience would be like. Athens is a total college town. Everything is so close together and convenient. I made so many great friends that I’m sure will be my closest friends in life. Oh, and I got a good education, too!

I found that most of my teachers...

I found that most of my teachers were both laid-back and approachable. Most teachers were more than willing to meet with you after class or to set up a meeting with you. I can’t think of too many teachers that I disliked.

The dining halls didn’t seem like...

The dining halls didn’t seem like they had the best food in the world when I ate there my freshman and sophomore years. It was just a great place to socialize! Although, when I moved out of the dorms, everyone I knew missed the dining hall food. I really missed the mashed potatoes!

The food on the campus is varied....

The food on the campus is varied. I never had a problem with the dining hall food. I felt there was always much to choose from, and there were many options if you did not like something.

The food in the dining halls is...

The food in the dining halls is really not that bad. There’s a huge variety, so everyone can find something to eat. They really try to accommodate peoples dietary needs.

I loved West Green. We had coed...

I loved West Green. We had coed floors. Most of West is upperclassmen. We had air-conditioning, and we were extremely close to uptown; it was just awesome. Those are the only two specific dorms I can talk about because they’re the only two I have lived in, but I would recommend living on East or South Green freshman year and West Green sophomore year. Those seem to be the popular choices for most people, and I would have to agree.

At Ohio University, all students...

At Ohio University, all students are required to live in the dorms for the first two years, so the house hunt does not begin until after sophomore year. My suggestion is to start looking fall quarter of sophomore year, and ask around; it is much easier to find a place through a friend or a friend of a friend, than to start knocking on doors.

The dorms here are awesome. I had...

The dorms here are awesome. I had great experiences both years that I lived in them, and I would have stayed there longer if everyone had been willing to live there with me. The dorms are just so convenient. They’re close to campus and uptown, regardless of which Green you live on. The dining halls are around the corner (or sometimes even just downstairs). And all of your friends are right outside your door. It’s a great arrangement, and I really loved living in the dorms. I lived in Jefferson my freshman year and Sargent my sophomore year. Both dorms were great. At first, I was disappointed that I was in an all-girls dorm freshman year, but it turned out to be fine. I made great friends there, and we got to know plenty of the boys in the neighboring dorms. We didn’t really miss out all that much. Everything about living in Sargent was pretty amazing.

I would say I had just as many guy...

I would say I had just as many guy friends as girl friends at OU. So the guy situation, for the most part, was good. Of course, I did run into a few jerks along the way.

Basketball and baseball are...

Basketball and baseball are probably the two biggest sports on campus. Basketball games are probably the most fun to watch because OU typically has a good team. The popular club sports are rugby, lacrosse, and hockey. (If you want to see a fast-paced game with lots of action, go watch the hockey team at Bird Arena.)

The guys are hot and the girls are...

The guys are hot and the girls are cute, but that’s definitely no indication of relationship potential. I have tons of friends who met guys/girls at OU that they totally fell in love with and will most likely end up marrying. I personally have not had that experience, and I’ve had bad luck dating guys on campus, but that’s not to say you can’t find someone wonderful. Lots of my really close friends already have.

My overall experience was a...

My overall experience was a wonderful experience of growth mixed with knowledge and lots of drinking. If I had the chance, I would never have gone to any other school. Athens is definitely a place that will stick with me forever and a place where I have met some of my best friends in life. The only other complaint I had from OU is the lack of stores and businesses that Athens seems to try and keep out, but this is quickly changing. I do not wish that I had gone somewhere else. Athens is a rare place that you never seem to want to leave and everyone is eager to just hang out and have a few drinks. It is a very laid-back place to be, where you can walk anywhere you want. Many of my friends from other campuses loved to visit, go to the block parties, enjoy the good food and the many activities that always seem to be going on. I can’t believe people actually go to school at other places besides OU.

Maybe I'm in the Right Place?

I have questioned why I attend Ohio University because sometimes I feel like everyone just wants to drink. I am not into that. But everything else at Ohio is great- the people are friendly, the faculty are generally helpful, the facilities are great, and the campus is beautiful.