People around the nation and across the globe celebrate Valentine’s Day in their own way, but the average college student’s Valentine’s Day could take out a Victorian-era child and probably disappoint everyone’s grandparents. And in Pullman, things can get really creative.
With a limited amount of restaurants, events and activities, students have to plan ahead, make reservations weeks in advance and sometimes get downright strategic just to make Valentine’s special. Despite Pullman being crowned the second-best college town by Barstool Sports (it was totally rigged, by the way), the Valentine’s Day opportunities are sparse.
Valentine’s Day is stereotypically full of fancy five-star hotels, fondue dinners and all expenses paid trips to Ibiza. For college kids, being able to afford a sliver of Cougar Gold for their significant other on Valentine’s Day is a win.
This Valentine’s Day, three Pullman boyfriends have a special jam-packed schedule planned for their sweethearts, proving that even in a town where Coug corndogs count as a luxury, romance can be ambitious. These WSU boyfriends are not letting the surrounding wheat fields isolate them, or the fact that there is not much to do, stop them from planning a Valentine’s Day to remember.
For second-year music education major Johann Udasco, Valentine’s Day comes with a busy afternoon full of adventure and quality time with his Valentine.
“I’m going to pick her up and we’re planning to go thrift shopping and walk around some shops in Moscow,” Udasco said. “Later in the day, we’re planning to go ice skating, go out for dinner and then go home to bake desserts together.”
Valentine’s Day for the two is less about one big moment and more about packing the weekend full of memories. With Udasco’s girlfriend frequently out of town for an internship, he knew that planning a full day of experiences was the perfect way to spend their blissful time together.
Like many Pullman couples, Valentine’s Day for students is about making memories, an abundance of romance and enough pink and red decorations to make your cheeks blush like the clock tower at night. Fourth-year art major Tyler Punch has a similar plan lined up for his Valentine’s Day.
“I’m going to take my girlfriend to the Lover’s Lane event in Downtown Pullman. We’ll finish the night with dinner and drinks at Maialina in Moscow,” Punch said.
Punch was drawn to the quiet and rustic atmosphere of Maialina and he knew that it was the perfect place to dine on a romantic and memorable night like Valentine’s. The restaurant’s interior has exposed brick, dark walls and cozy lighting illuminating the mysterious space, and it creates the perfect environment to wind down after a romantic day. For Punch and his girlfriend, there is nothing better than Italian cuisine and wine to end the night.
Will Kytola, a fourth-year environmental science major, is taking his Valentine on a quick escape north to explore a different environment and try their luck at winning a little cash.
“We are going to the casino and then I’m taking my girlfriend to dinner on the water in Lake Coeur d’Alene,” Kytola said.
Kytola and his girlfriend of three years have spent most of their time together at WSU, building a relationship full of shared experiences and campus memories. For them, spending time outside of the Pullman bubble is the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day, combining a little adventure, gambling and a peaceful dinner on the water to end the day.
Whether it’s exploring shops in downtown Moscow, strolling Lover’s Lane or getting out of town for the day, Pullman couples are showing that Valentine’s Day isn’t about $400 bottles of wine or fancy trips to a foreign country, it’s about making unforgettable memories, in the most Coug way possible. From pink decorations to cozy restaurants and local events, the town may be small, but when it comes to love, students are going big… and maybe even a little overboard.
