Buckeye Blizzard will blow through campus this quarter, providing activites to help keep graduates, faculty and staff busy and free of the winter blues.
“There is life outside of the classroom. Part of the college experience is not only an academic career, but developing personally away from the classroom,” said Kai Landis, coordinator of student involvement for the Council of Graduate Studies.
The Buckeye Blizzard has been broken into three areas of interest: Daytime Programming Series, Graduate and Professional Student Programs and A Place for Community Dialogue.
Every week of the quarter has been given a theme, with activities and events relating back to it.
The daytime programs are geared toward getting the commuter population of Ohio State more involved with the university. Stress Recess is a daytime series featuring activities such as finger painting, African dance and hand massages. Other daytime events include life skills and creative expressions.
The last Friday of every month is Happy Hour at Woody’s for graduate and professional students.
A Place for Community Dialogue is a program with many opportunities for students to become involved with campus. Speakers have been scheduled to discuss an array of topics. Candace Bushnell, the writer of “Sex and the City,” will be at the Ohio Union on Feb. 14 to speak about her endeavors.
“I’m really excited about Buckeye Blizzard activities because more people know about it and there has been more publicity trying to get students involved this year,” said Karen Luther, an undecided junior.
Luther did not participate in Buckeye Blizzard events last year, but said she thinks being involved this year will give her a closer connection to campus.
Patty Cunningham, a first-year graduate student, was chairwoman of Buckeye Blizzard activities last year.
“Buckeye Blizzard was really successful for its first time last year,”Cunningham said.
Activities are meant to get students out of the residence halls and out of the negative attitude many people get during the winter.
“Blizzard is a great way of bringing everything together,” Cunningham said. “Get involved. There is something to meet everyone’s interests.”
There are opportunities to explore the city of Columbus. For a reduced price, students can see the Broadway production, “Beauty and the Beast” and go to a Columbus Blue Jackets game.
The Buckeyethon dance marathon is one of the activities expected to have high attendance this year.
Cunningham and Landis both see Buckeye Blizzard as a new tradition at OSU.
“Students can do great things at Ohio State, and we’re giving them the opportunity to start,” Cunningham said.
