I have only spent one summer living in Pullman. Right now. This summer. Whether or not I will spend most of my time here has yet to be determined. I feel like most people go back to live with family in the summer, but I do not know for sure because I usually was one of them.

Ava Pearson, senior viticulture and enology major, said she is currently staying in Pullman for the summer.

Pearson said that where she lives on the west side is not close to wine country, so staying in Pullman has given her the opportunity to find an internship within driving distance. 

Having roommates stay the summer as well, Pearson said, helped cement her decision. One of my roommates is also staying, and I think Pearson is right. Living in an apartment alone all summer would be a bit dull. 

Generally, Pearson said she thinks most students might enjoy the dry and sunny weather Pullman offers and the connectivity between students. She said the students who do stay are always willing to hang out with each other. 

I wish I had her perspective on the weather — it is so hot!

There are nice places to visit though. Pearson said she enjoys going to the Moscow Farmers Market.

“Pullman-wise, I like going to the water tower by the hotel or the observatory,” Pearson said. 

I have frequented both of those places before; they are nice spots to just relax. My roommate and I also go to a landing by Wawawai County Park often because there are fire pits by the boats. For indoor activities, Pearson said classes through University Recreation or the art studio in Moscow are good options.

Pearson said the separation between home and school might also be nice and is, in part, why she came back to Pullman even with classes being online. Staying in the summer also influences work opportunities.

“I always had a hard time trying to find a job over here,” Pearson said. 

Given the number of students, it is no surprise. 

This summer, Pearson said she found her winery internship and a second job quite easily. Both of her roommates found jobs fairly quickly as well.

In terms of negatives, Pearson said the lack of people and activities, in general, could be a con, but it also allows students a lot of creativity.

Isolation is what Pearson thinks might be the biggest drawback because there are fewer people. For students without cars, you are kind of stuck in Pullman. 

Pearson said separation from family may also be difficult for students.

Isabelle Crownhart, junior Japanese major, is also staying in Pullman for the summer. For Crownhart, her biggest pro is being away from home and having space from her family. She said she thrives on independence.

The biggest con Crownhart has noticed is the location of Pullman itself. 

“Pullman is pretty far away from everything. I can always pop over to Moscow, but even then, it’s still a little bit of a small area,” Crownhart said.

I can understand her point. When I renewed my license, I had to do it in Spokane because Pullman had no appointments. The drive to a bigger city was a bit of a pain. 

While the transportation within Pullman is great, I am unsure how good public transport is between Pullman and other places. Crownhart said the bus outside of Pullman is generally expensive and seemingly non-existent between Pullman and Moscow. 

Crownhart said she can tell Pullman has a pretty good community and thinks that the beautiful summers make being away from city life a pro. 

I think that generally, having easy access to the resources of a city without living in one is probably the best balance of peace and convenience. 

Given our location, Crownhart said she feels that once you have seen and done everything, you really have seen and done everything. 

Crownhart noted that the only big store we have is Walmart. She expects Target to liven things up in Moscow.

Crownhart disagrees with Pearson on the availability of jobs, however. Crownhart said she has a job, but her hours were cut so much she started looking for a second one, to no avail.

“The people who do have jobs are sitting pretty while everyone else is struggling,” Crownhart said.

As Crownhart needs a seasonal job, she said those jobs seem to be mostly in fast food and get snapped up quickly. 

Like Pearson and I, Crownhart does like to explore Pullman. For Crownhart, her favorite place is a little knee-deep stream by the railroad tracks running through town. 

She also enjoys walking through the neighborhood near Rancho Viejo because it is pretty and has a wholesome neighborhood atmosphere. 

I think the charm of Pullman is in walking through it, enjoying the fact it is a nice little town. But people who need to be kept busy may have a hard time here. 

Whether most of my summer ends up spent here or with family, I doubt I will have anything to complain about. Even so, it is not the location for everyone.