A student walks to class past the large multi-bedroom houses and red-leaved tress that line East 18th Avenue. Credit: Nick Roll | Campus Editor

A student walks to class past the large multi-bedroom houses and red-leaved tress that line East 18th Avenue. Credit: Nick Roll | Campus Editor

Nick Roll: North side

Living north of East 15th Avenue doesn’t get a lot of hype. It’s stereotyped as quiet, boring and not necessarily where the party is. However, after living up north for two years now, I wouldn’t choose anywhere else.

It’s indisputable that the north side of campus has the best bars — Out-R-Inn, The Library and the bar in Donato’s Pizza all blow the south-side bars out of the water. Respectively, $1.50 double wells, $1.75 mug nights and easy access to pizza make these bars the best places to imbibe on campus. Additionally, I’m more than fine with living as far away from Midway or Big Bar as possible (life comes at you fast, freshman-year me).

As far as pizza goes, Sicilia’s Fine Italian Specialties is more than enough to convince someone to sign a lease near Frambes Avenue. It is, hands down, the best pizza in the Ohio State campus area. And if you live on the north side, it’s never more than a few blocks away.

I live on East 18th Avenue, a relatively quiet street with few people walking through who don’t live there. The house I live in is a spacious eight-bedroom home, with three porches (one in the front, and a double-decker in the back) and a parking lot. Rather than being swarmed by hordes of freshmen trying to make their way into a random house party, I can relax on a quiet street in a house more than big enough for parties.

But what about academics? Isn’t that the reason I’m living in the University District in the first place? I’m happy to report that most of my classes are on North Campus, a quick walk from my house (and Buckeye Donuts is always on my route).

North side rules, south side drools.

Jacob Myers: South side

 

As a first- and second-year student at Ohio State, I spent a year in Morrison Tower and a year in Residence on 10th. Now, as a third-year, living on Chittenden Avenue has all the aspects of South Campus that I enjoyed during my first two years at OSU, without having to drearily walk back to dorm life.

The Gateway is arguably the best attraction of the south side of the off-campus area because of Mad Mex, World of Beer and Ugly Tuna Saloona. Not to mention, the south side received a large upgrade last year with the relocation of Raising Cane’s to the corner of North High Street and East 11th Avenue. It’s your go-to “It’s after 1 a.m. and I’m hungry” place to eat.

The south side is also closer in proximity to the Short North, where one can find just about anything to please an appetite. Whether it be Mexican, pizza, Italian or dessert, the Short North has the cure for those midterm blues.

Nick might argue that North Campus has the best bars — I would agree with that — but despite having Big Bar and Midway near you on the south side, you can’t really beat having a Chipotle just a couple blocks away.

I live between North High Street and Indianola Avenue on Chittenden Avenue, which is one of the most popular areas on Saturday gamedays in the fall. People are always out on their double-decker porches, sharing the space with neighbors over drinks on weekends. The high concentration of people in such close quarters make for a great opportunity to meet new people. Sure, East 15th Avenue and the north side of Indianola are home to fraternity tailgates before Buckeye football games, but a little walk never hurt anyone.

Oh, not to mention, most streets north of Chittenden require the purchase of parking passes. To that I would say, you’re a college kid, you pay enough as it is. Chittenden and all of the streets south of it that run east and west have free parking. There’s also the added convenience of a parking garage adjacent to Barnes and Noble on East 11th Avenue.

Plus, I heard Harbaugh lived on the north side.