New Buckeye Week offers perks in Short North

Trevor Simpson
Fri, 20 Sep 2019 02:03:31 +0000
Arts & Life, Events, News, axis, axis nightclub, Buckeye, Buckeye Week, Corepower Yoga, local cantina, Office of Student Life, short north, short north alliance, short north stage, The Candle Lab, week

Ohio State students pose in the Short North Arts District. Credit: Courtesy of Office of Student Life

A BuckID is all you need to stretch your money in the Short North Arts District next week thanks to a new promotion by the Ohio State Office of Student Life.

Ohio State students, faculty and staff can receive discounts at select businesses in the Short North during Buckeye Week, a new collaborative event between the Short North and Office of Student Life from Sept. 23-29.

Some of the businesses offering discounts include Local Cantina, The Candle Lab, Short North Stage, CorePower Yoga and Axis Nightclub, according to the Short North website.?

Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance, said she was thrilled when the Office of Student Life contacted her with the idea. Pandora said the event is designed to mesh and build relationships between the Ohio State and Short North communities.

“The Ohio State University and its campus is such an integral part of the Short North community,” Pandora said. “We want to help build more connections for people in the Ohio State community so they can discover the Short North all the time.”

University spokesperson Dave Isaacs said while the event is mostly geared towards students, staff and faculty can also take advantage of the discounts and opportunities presented during Buckeye Week.

Isaacs said Buckeye Week is an extension of the Columbus Welcome Event, an opportunity presented to first-year students to explore the Short North and other Columbus areas following convocation.

“There’s so much to offer [in the Short North] and so many opportunities for internships and jobs and those sorts of things, but also for service and for entertainment that we want students to become familiar with what’s around,” Isaacs said.?

A popular misconception among students is that the Short North is out of walking distance from campus, but it’s a lot closer than they believe, Pandora said.

“I don’t think people necessarily appreciate just how close we are and how accessible we are,” Pandora said.

The Short North is home to more than 300 businesses, most of them local, according to its website. Pandora said Buckeye Week could be the first of many opportunities in forging memories in the Short North during Ohio State students’ tenures.

“If you are new to campus, if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to experience the Short North Arts District, this is the perfect way to do so,” Pandora said.

Isaacs said the Office of Student Life will meet with the Short North Alliance following this year’s festivities to discuss how to further improve the experience. While there are no current plans for next year, he said he believes it could become an annual event.

The Short North Arts District lies south of the university, beginning at the intersection of High Street and West Fifth Avenue. Students can take the COTA bus to the area for free.

Buckeye Week will take place from Sept. 23-29. To receive the discounts, students must present a valid BuckID and mention the offer, according to the Short North website. More information, in addition to a full list of participating businesses, can be found at shortnorth.org/buckeye-week-in-the-short-north-arts-district/.