In mid-December, thousands of Ohio State University students will head home for the several-week Winter Break. But many will opt to stay in their Columbus rental house or apartment. If you haven’t decided whether to stay or leave, consider the pros and cons in this article. (In some cases, an advantage might be the same as a disadvantage; it just depends on how you look at it.
This year’s OSU Winter Break runs from the day after finals (Dec. 17) to the first day of winter classes (Jan. 10). And lest we imply that you just have two choices in this matter, many students mix and match their Winter Break. They might stay in Columbus for part of the break, and head home for another part (usually Christmas/New Year’s).
‘Cons’ of Staying in Columbus for Winter Break
• If your house- or apartment mates head home for the holidays, that means you’ll be all alone in your Columbus rental. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you rank on the “social scale.” If you’re an especially gregarious person, wandering around a big empty house or apartment, with only yourself and your imaginary friends to talk to, might not be such a great experience. One ironclad rule of soloing in your Columbus apartment or house – under no circumstances watch Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” at night by yourself.
• You won’t have as many friends to hang out with as you do during the school year. Yet, you’ll still be in better shape than if you were attending a residential campus in Athens or Oxford, for example. Plenty of your pals at Ohio State live in the Columbus area, so you can get together over break.
• Many OSU recreation facilities close during break. So you’ll have less to do than when classes are in session.
• If you’re alone in your off-campus rental housing during Winter Break, you’ll probably have to pay 100 percent of the utility bills for that month. Let’s hope that mom and dad don’t ask you to contribute to utilities at their place!
• Along the same lines, you’ll have to buy and prepare all of your food during Winter Break if you stay in Columbus. No free food, none of mom’s delicious home cooking. If you do decide to remain in your student rental, you should at least drive home for Christmas eve and day.
The Advantages of Staying in Your Columbus Rental
• You just might have your off-campus apartment or house all to yourself. Dress like a slob. Don’t dress at all. Eat whatever you want. Watch crummy TV shows that your housemates despise. Ignore household chores. Rummage through your housemates’ closets and dresser for incriminating evidence.
• You’ll have no lines at your favorite High Street drinking establishment. You might finally get a chance to chat up the attractive server who’s always too busy to give you the time of day during the school year. (Though more likely, you’ll be disappointed to realize that she also went home for Winter Break.)
• Columbus likely is a more fun place to hang out than your boring hometown (unless your boring hometown IS Columbus).
• Take the time to explore all of the great attractions that Columbus has to offer, all the stuff that you never have time to do when classes are in session – The Conservatory, the Zoo, the Bluejackets, the Metro Parks, COSI, etc. etc.
• Staying in Columbus rather than heading home means you won’t risk running into the potentially violent ex-girlfriend or boyfriend from home who’s still angry that you dumped her or him last summer.
• You will have so much parking for your car that the sheer magnitude of your options may leave you paralyzed.
• When it comes to Christmas shopping, you’ll have a major city’s worth of stores – big, small and medium – from which to choose.
Make Your Own Decision on Staying or Leaving
Whether you decide to stay or leave Columbus during Winter Break probably will hinge on how strongly you feel about the assorted pros and cons presented in this article. However, the situation at your parents’ house also is an important factor to consider. Boiled down to the question’s essence, will it suck to be stuck in your old bedroom in Cowpatty, Ohio, for a month?
One last thing – don’t forget you have the option of compromising on this decision. Stay in your Columbus rental house or apartment for part of break, and go home for the other part. You really don’t want to miss mom’s Christmas dinner, do you?