Student Legal Services located at 20 E. 11th Ave. Credit: Michael Huson | Lantern File Photo
The energy of Ohio Stadium on game day, the chimes of Orton Hall and the sweet smell of Buckeye Donuts are all things students count on at Ohio State.
But beyond school spirit and local bites, students have another, less welcome tradition: searching for off-campus housing a year before their move-in date.
George Kanellopoulos, owner and manager of OSU Properties, said students used to lease only a few months before the new academic year.
“When we had a quarter system, we used to rent in June or July before school started. Then, every year, it got moved up earlier and earlier by 10-15 days,” Kanellopoulos said. “Eventually, we started renting in January, and then November, and then October and now September.”
The housing process was modified during the summer when the university temporarily expanded housing exemption criteria, allowing returning second-year students to live off campus for the 2020-21 academic year due to COVID-19.
In an unusual year when almost every part of student life has changed, the stress of searching for a home is just one more challenge, Connor Thigpen, a first-year in biology, said.
“Between midterms, assignments and simply trying to go out to find your people, I haven’t had the time to start looking,” Thigpen said. “I haven’t even adjusted to the dorms yet, let alone an off-campus house. But COVID-19 has been so unpredictable that I want to be prepared for anything, I just didn’t think I’d have to start looking so early.”
The early timeline has caused many to start looking far before they feel comfortable, and Student Legal Services advised Ohio State students in a September statement to wait “until at least the spring” to sign off-campus housing leases due to the uncertainty of what impacts COVID-19 will have on students next fall.
For those who don’t take the advice of SLS, there are many resources to aid in the search and signing process, such as lease reviews, roommate agreements and notices to repair.
Despite the statement by SLS and the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, Kanellopoulos said students are going ahead with the leasing and lease renewal processes.
“If you do wait, you will find something — it just won’t be in a good location, as well-maintained, well-cared for, or managed by a reputable company,” Kanellopoulos said. “The earlier you look for off-campus housing, the better chance you have to get the house or apartment you really want.”
Students can visit the Student Legal Services website for access to various off-campus living resources or to make an appointment.
