Office of Student Life

College in Columbus

Wellness

If you are looking to be and live well, Columbus is the place to be. The city has plenty of ways to tap into your nine dimensions of wellness, from taking to the trails or finding your spiritual community.

Environmental Wellness

The environmentally well person recognizes the responsibility to preserve, protect and improve the environment and appreciates the interconnectedness of nature and the individual.

Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks 

The Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks offers more than 20 parks with over 200 miles of trails for both beginner trailblazers and veteran runners. Terrains vary from flat fields and rocky ravines to breakneck bluffs and rugged ridges. The parks and trails are beautiful any time of year from the changing of leaves in the fall to the blooming of flowers in the spring.

Columbus Recreation and Parks

The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department offered more than 400 parks on 12,000+ acres, with 29 community centers, five athletic complexes, six golf courses, 120 miles of trails, five splash pads and interactive fountains, eight pools and an indoor aquatic center, fourteen nature preserves, three reservoirs, five dog parks, a skate park and have a range of programs for toddlers to seniors.

The Olentangy Trail

The Olentangy Trail offers a seamless route from Worthington to downtown Columbus. This trail winds through several neighborhoods along the Olentangy River, with trailheads at several major city parks, including Antrim Park and Whetstone Park. The path also travels through the heart of the Ohio State University campus.

Scioto Mile

Located in the heart of downtown Columbus, the Scioto Mile is an urban oasis comprised of more than 175 acres of lush parkland. Stretching along the waterfront from the vibrant Arena District to the natural beauty of the Whittier Peninsula, our riverfront parks connect downtown to the Scioto River through an integrated system of parks, boulevards, bikeways and pedestrian paths.

Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens 

Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens is an extensive, urban, green reserve of over 60 acres located within the 1,600 acres of The Ohio State University.

The Dawes Arboretum

The Dawes Arboretum is dedicated to enriching lives through the conservation of trees and nature.  Founded in 1929 by Beman and Bertie Dawes, The Arboretum was inspired by the couple’s love of trees and nature.  Today we remain dedicated to our mission through providing exceptional educational programs and events as well as maintaining incredible horticulture collections on nearly 2,000 acres of beautiful grounds.

Physical Wellness

The physically well person gets an adequate amount of sleep, eats a balanced and nutritious diet, engages in exercise for 150 minutes per week, attends regular medical check-ups and practices safe and healthy sexual relations.

Marathons and Races

Find runs and races near you with the Columbus running calendar. 5k, 10k, half/full marathons, ultras, road/trail and everything in between.

Ohio State Rec Sports

Student Life Recreational Sports offers members of The Ohio State University community an extraordinary experience to live active and meaningful lives while on-campus. Programs and services range from group fitness, aquatics, adventure trips, climbing, drop-in fitness and recreation, intramural sports, sport clubs, personal training, disc golf and many other activities. Recreational Sports is enhanced by its award winning indoor and outdoor facilities, including five indoor locations and spacious parks and outdoor space. Learn more

Spiritual Wellness

The spiritually well person seeks harmony and balance by openly exploring the depth of human purpose, meaning and connection through dialogue and self-reflection.

University Interfaith Council

The Ohio State University Interfaith Association stands ready to support your faith journey through a group of diverse congregations campus ministries and student organizations. Our mission is to encourage and support spirituality and the faith development of students and the Ohio State community while promoting interfaith cooperation and understanding in a religiously diverse academic community. Learn more

Creative Wellness

The creatively well person values and actively participates in a diverse range of arts and cultural experiences as a means to understand and appreciate the surrounding world.

Greater Columbus Arts Council

The Greater Columbus Arts Council funds artists and arts organizations and provides marketing services that support artists and organizations through the ColumbusMakesArt.com event calendar and Artist Directory.

Arts in Columbus

The art scene in Columbus is constantly growing with budding artists, professional troupes and artists-in-residence creating an incredible place to live. Art in Columbus spans various mediums. Learn more