iFor the last four years, Athens has been my home away from home. Whether it’s been my time at Ohio University, The Post, the places or the people, I’ve had some of the best times here and formed some great memories.
Lots of college is a blur, but I can still clearly remember when the entire class of 2021 marched from The Convo to College Green for the Involvement Fair. Now, I’m a half-step away from real adulthood. Looking back, I think part of me is even going to miss hiking up Morton and Jeff Hill. Maybe just a tiny piece.
It would be too daunting to recap all of my favorites from the past four years, but here are just a couple of my favorite memories from Athens:
Eating in dining halls with my friends
I’d be lying if I said dining hall food was immaculate, but regardless, the atmosphere in a dining hall is. Whether it was Nelson, Shively or Boyd, I also found myself full of laughter at the dining halls. Between the communal feel and the rounds of applause that follow someone dropping a plate or cup, dining halls don’t get enough credit for how they shape your college experience. To this day, I still miss eating the since extinct Shively sandwich Grab ’n Go at a South Beach picnic table.
Driving around Athens County
My best friends and I do this thing back home in Cincinnati where we just drive around the city with no destination in sight. This often leads us to marvel at homes we can’t afford, finding cool spots we weren’t aware of, listening to loads of music and having great conversations.
Transitioning that to Southeast Ohio, driving around here has been a joy. While I’m a city girl at heart, there’s something so calming about winding through the hills and greenery of Athens with the windows down.
Sitting at the various coffee shops
Sitting on College Green and working is nice, but there’s something so special about sitting at the various coffee shops around Athens. In fact, I wrote this column while sitting at Court Street Coffee.
If anything, my four years here have shown me the importance of celebrating local businesses. I’ve laughed, cried, grinded on homework and more at Athens local coffee shops, and I despise the day I won’t be able to grab a quick cup of coffee from them before work.
Going to Lucky’s
Oh, Lucky’s. Not to be that person that raves about their favorite college bar, but I hold Lucky’s Sports Tavern near and dear to my heart. Whether it’s the drinks, the cheese stix, the 25 cent pool or the wonderful people behind the bar, on any given week throughout my senior year you could probably find me there a couple nights.
My mom likes to joke and call me Norm from Cheers, but in reality, I just love the atmosphere and the memories that have come from spending time there. Sue me, I guess, because I’m going to miss that dive bar.
With a little over three weeks left in college, I’m hoping to cram in some more lifelong memories in Athens. But no matter how much I do in my numbered days, I don’t think anything will cover up the sadness I’ll feel when I leave because Athens is just that memorable.
Molly Schramm is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Molly at ms660416@ohio.edu or tweet her @_molly_731.
