August is here, which means the countdown to the first day of Ohio State University's fall semester is on.
Whether you or your student are packing up for the residence halls or living off campus with friends, here's what you need to know before your move (and perhaps when to avoid campus if you're not in college):
Moving into the dorms?
Ohio State's move-in officially begins on Aug. 20 and runs through Aug. 23. All residence halls will be ready for move in during that time.
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Students wanting to arrive on campus before their assigned dorm opens can pay for an earlier arrival date, as early as Aug. 14 for a $35 daily early arrival fee.
All students will need to sign up for an arrival day and time through the university's housing portal.
Room assignments and move-in instruction should have been emailed to students by the end of July, so now is a good time to touch base with your roommate to see when you're both planning to arrive. It's also smart to double check what is and isn't allowed in residence halls and discuss who is bringing what.
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Ohio State's Office of Student Life recommends bringing no more than two people to help with move-in.
Thinking about renting a moving truck? Think again. Due to the limited space to unload at each residence hall, the university said it can't accommodate commercial moving trucks like U-Hauls. Students can bring multiple family vehicles though, if necessary.
Living in off-campus housing?
Transitioning from on-campus to off-campus living can be a big jump, but Ohio State's Office of Student Life, the University District Organization and the city have resources and events available to make the move easier.
Trash bags and bulky items like mattresses and couches have historically clogged the University District's alleys in late July as students' leases expire and they move in and out of off-campus housing. Overflowing trash bins and bulk trash sometimes weren't picked up until September.
To alleviate a trash overload, the city will set up more than two dozen additional collection sites around the University District for bulk trash collection, recycling and donating unwanted items.
Director Kelly Scocco of the city’s Department of Public Service said in a statement that the extra collection sites "preserves landfill space and gives students convenient sustainability options."
The Move Out/Move In collection locations will be operated and serviced by the city’s Division of Refuse Collection from July 25 through Aug. 11.
On-street bins to collect bulk furniture, bagged household trash and smaller items will be located at:
2351 W. Patterson Ave. next to Tuttle Pool (plus a recycling dumpster)
243-247 E. 18th Ave.
28 E. Woodruff Ave. near Tuller Ave.
140 E. 16th Ave.
1943 Waldeck Ave.
293 E. 14th Ave.
225 E. 16th Ave. at end of the alley (plus recycling dumpster)
1570 Highland St.
Designated taped-off locations to drop off bulk items like furniture will be located in the alleys behind:
454 E. Northwood Ave.
176-178 E. Norwich Ave.
117 W. Norwich Ave.
1975 Summit St.
174 E. 12th Ave. (plus a recycling dumpster)
165 E. 11th Ave.
55 E. Blake Ave. in the Central Vineyard Church parking lot
Recycling-only dumpsters will be located at:
36 E. Woodruff Ave. at Ohio Stater Inn
442 E. Northwood Ave. at Iuka Commons
2351 W. Patterson Ave. next to Tuttle Pool
237 W. 8th Ave.
142 W. 8th Ave.
77 W. 10th Ave.
78 W. 10th Ave.
110 E. 12th Ave.
174 E. 12th Ave.
225 E. 16th Ave. at end of the alley
319 E. 17th Ave.
204 E. 14th Ave.
191 E. 14th Ave.
65 E. 18th Ave.
2471 N. High St.
Students can also have more peace of mind renting in the University District.
Ohio State created the Off-Campus Housing Network in 2023, which requires more than 100 participating landlords to commit to things like following various safety rules, regularly meeting with Ohio State officials, and having a percentage of their units randomly inspected by city code enforcement officers and the university.
The Office of Student Life also has a number of resources available online, including an interactive University District map, information on off-campus composting, and the "Smooth Move" renter's guide to living off-campus.
The annual Off-Campus Community Welcome & BLOC Party will be held on Aug. 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. at University Square, located at the corner of 15th Avenue and High Street. Students can enjoy free food, yard games and meet some of their new University District neighbors.
Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State move-in day is upon us. Here's what you need to know.
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