First Year Experience

The Best Things for Your First Term At The Ohio State University

(Recommended by current students)

DOWNLOAD THESE PHONE APPS

  1. Ohio State App

  2. Wellness App

  3. MyHealth

  4. Rave Guardian

  5. Park Mobile

  6. Lyft Ride

GET AROUND CAMPUS WITH EASE WITH CABS-CAMPUS AREA BUS SYSTEM

  1. There are many different bus routes
  2. Also connects to the COTA bus system so you can get all over the city!

TUTORING – BECAUSE YOUR CLASSES ARE GOING TO BE CHALLENGING! 

  1. Younkin Success Center – general tutoring services
  2. Academic Coaching in Engineering (ACE)
  3. Math and Statistics Learning and Tutoring
  4. Physics Tutoring – THIS will be an important one!
  5. Chemistry Tutoring
  6. ECE Course tutoring
    • HKN tutoring lab – 267 Caldwell – hours will be posted outside the door at the start of each semester

STUDY SPACES ON CAMPUS – LIBRARIES!

  1. Reserve books for classes
  2. Find quiet study spaces
  3. Reserve rooms for group study or projects

YOUR PROFESSORS ARE APPROACHABLE - THEY ARE HERE TO HELP YOU SUCCEED! IF YOU ARE UNSURE HOW TO PROCEED, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO... 

  1. Your advisors! 
  2. Student Advocacy Center
  3. Take advantage of office hours – they are listed as a time the instructor or teaching assistant will be available to answer any questions or assist you with your class.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT 

  1. Embedded Counseling Therapists in the College of Engineering!
  2. Group Services
  3. Drop-in Workshops beginning Fall semester
  4. 1 on 1 drop-in consultation
    •  Drop-in, first-come and first-served FREE and CONFIDENTIAL 15-20 minute support and consultation sessions

OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE 

  1. 40+ departments dedicated to creating an extraordinary student experience for all students                

ACADEMIC CALENDAR - IMPORTANT DATES CALENDAR IS A GREAT ONE TO DOWNLOAD EACH TERM! 

  1. Add and drop dates
  2. Breaks
  3. Payment dates
  4. Any questions on dates and deadlines – come and see your advisor!

STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS - GET INVOLVED! 

  1. Also – see the Student Involvement Fairs! – there is no better way to feel connected on this big campus and to make it feel smaller than to get involved with a group or organization that aligns with your interests!

ENGINEERING CAREER SERVICES - YOU'RE IDEALLY HERE TO GET A JOB, RIGHT?  

  1. Register with ECS
    • Internships
    • Jobs
    • Resume and Cover Letter help – FREE!
  2. Career Fairs – Meet employers and practice networking!  

CAMPUS MAP 

  1. How to get around
  2. A building list – and a link to what they look like (note – many of them are brick!)
  3. And my favorite – Google Maps – you can get walking, biking, and bus routes for all the locations on and around campus!

Words from a Wise Student on a few things he wished he would have known sooner:

  1. I wish I would've realized how approachable professors at OSU are. They want you to succeed and are very willing to assist with many different aspects of your learning.
  2. Take advantage of office hours. Everyone says it, but it's true. Even if it's a smaller question, properly understanding the topic being covered will help prepare you for any exams in the future. 
  3. With exams and tests, more spread out, it's more difficult to gauge how well you're understanding a topic. Looking back, I would check how well you really understand a topic, so the midterms don't catch you by surprise. 

Jackson Trigg, 2022 Freshman in Electrical and Computer Engineering