Buckeyes for Life: Our Family’s Campus Area Date Night

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The Ohio State University Campus has always been a special place to my family. When people think of Columbus, many think of the University in its urban setting with its physical presence at nearly 2,000 acres. I remember during the fall of my senior year of high school the exact spot on campus where I made the decision that’s where I wanted to spend my next four years. Two years later, as I was beginning my sophomore year, I met my husband at his fraternity house on the day I moved into my sorority house. And the rest was history.

 

We made many memories together as we studied in the library, walked across campus to class, and attended sporting events (including his intramural glory days). My husband graduated in December 1998 and I followed in June 2000. We were married a year later and have remained in the Columbus area. We’ve returned to the campus area countless times over the years (not just for football games), as a couple and with our children. But we had never taken our kids onto campus and really shared our history until a few weeks ago when we made it a family date night. It was a great way to spend a midsummer Saturday evening while the campus was still quiet. As we shared how our hopes and dreams as a college student had come true, it was neat to think about the new Buckeyes that will soon walk those streets with their own hopes and dreams when classes resume this fall.

Family Fun on The Ohio State University Campus:

The campus area has a lot to offer families with eateries, shopping on High Street, and the history of Ohio State. We picked up our favorite pizza at Adriatico’s and carried it to the Oval where we told stories and explained the significance of each of the surrounding buildings. The Orton Hall chimes rang. We laughed a lot. Our kids danced to the Buckeye Battle Cry. We took the Long Walk from Thompson Library to the seal at the east end. We walked through the Ohio Union, which has been completely renovated since our days on campus, to check out the iron Brutus, and reminisced about our favorite High Street spots. We passed by the athletic facilities and visited our fraternity and sorority houses. I think the kids were most interested in where we met on our family campus tour.

 

We ended our evening with a stop at the famed Buckeye Donuts, which is open 24 hours a day, and it didn’t disappoint! If only Mirror Lake had been open, it would have been the perfect evening. Check out our family’s list of things not to miss when visiting The Ohio State University campus and area!

 

 

Be sure to check these spots out when visiting The Ohio State University Campus:

  1. Use The Ohio State University Self-Guided Walking Tour. It allows you to visit whenever and be your own history buff! This was super handy for us as we did our best to remember the names of every building. The guide states it will take 90 minutes if you do it in its entirety.
  2. Hop on a Zagster Bike Share. With more than a dozen spots around campus, and with a daily rental fee of $6 a day, you can pick up a bike and zip from one end of campus to the other in no time. Rides under two hours (or three on the weekends) are free. After that, it’s $3 per hour. The side by side bike is great for cruising with a friend or kiddo!
  3. Visit the arts and culture venues. The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at Sullivant Hall is free to the public and houses the world’s largest collection of materials related to cartoons and comic books. The Wexner Center for the Arts has a variety of year-round programs and offers different membership levels. The school of music hosts free concerts for the public throughout the year. The Gateway Film Center is just off campus on High Street and plays the latest movies.

 

There is no shortage of activities and places to visit on – and off – the Ohio State campus. After all, football season is just a few short weeks away too! Go Buckeyes!

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Heather Blausey
Heather Blausey bleeds scarlet and gray. Born and raised in Columbus, she is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she met her husband of nearly 16 years. An avid Buckeye fan, she began her public relations career in sports communications, before transitioning to an advertising firm focused on health care and pharmaceutical clients. Heather has spent the last 14 years working in community relations at Lifeline of Ohio, sharing the stories of transplant recipients and donor families, to inspire the public to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. Heather shares her home and life in Pickerington with her two amazing children, ages 11 and 6, her husband and their two dogs, a husky and a beagle. She enjoys decorating her home, serving through her church and traveling to Haiti on missions teams.