WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY, PULLMAN, WA :: Mom, Dad, Kristie and I made the trip across the state to visit WSU and celebrate my sister’s graduation. Five years ago, I had left Pullman and she had just arrived. I’m very proud and happy for her achievement. I know it’s not easy.
It was fun to revisit old stomping grounds and show Kristie all of the places I worked while I was in college. Sixteen jobs in all. I think the longest time I stayed employed at the same job was about eight months. The shortest job was a four hour shift stocking groceries. I spilled dried spaghetti all over the floor of Dissmores and never returned. My paycheck was $28 and some odd cents.
Despite being an undergrad Viking and a grad-student Husky (or as I like to call her, a husky viking!), Kristie was charmed by the Cougar pride that pervades the small town. Cougar signs, logos, murals, banners, flags, street art, sculptures and stuffed animals are everywhere. That spirit gets ingrained in you, and it’s the reason WSU’s vanity license plates outsell UW’s 2 to 1.
You can’t recreate the college town atmosphere in a city like Seattle, nor can you have the rolling hills of the Palouse. I love the mountains, trees and water in our region, but I miss being surrounded by a sea of wheat, waving in the wind… The Palouse landscape isolates the campus from the rest of the world, and there is hardly anything of interest for miles and miles around. In their seclusion, WSU students are inclined to become deeply philosophical. But more often out of sheer boredom: drunk… Or worse, both!
Before visiting, Kristie had the impression Pullman was overrun by cows. I kept telling her there are no cows, yet the bovine jokes continued. While we were there, she tried her best to find some. I think she counted two in a field near Colfax.
Susan has just a couple more summer classes to wrap up, and then watch out world, she’ll be looking for a job, armed with a prestigious WSU degree… If you know of a restaurant looking for a manager, I know of a young, smart, hard-working and dedicated Coug eager to start. Congrats, Sis!
It was fun to revisit old stomping grounds and show Kristie all of the places I worked while I was in college. Sixteen jobs in all. I think the longest time I stayed employed at the same job was about eight months. The shortest job was a four hour shift stocking groceries. I spilled dried spaghetti all over the floor of Dissmores and never returned. My paycheck was $28 and some odd cents.
Despite being an undergrad Viking and a grad-student Husky (or as I like to call her, a husky viking!), Kristie was charmed by the Cougar pride that pervades the small town. Cougar signs, logos, murals, banners, flags, street art, sculptures and stuffed animals are everywhere. That spirit gets ingrained in you, and it’s the reason WSU’s vanity license plates outsell UW’s 2 to 1.
You can’t recreate the college town atmosphere in a city like Seattle, nor can you have the rolling hills of the Palouse. I love the mountains, trees and water in our region, but I miss being surrounded by a sea of wheat, waving in the wind… The Palouse landscape isolates the campus from the rest of the world, and there is hardly anything of interest for miles and miles around. In their seclusion, WSU students are inclined to become deeply philosophical. But more often out of sheer boredom: drunk… Or worse, both!
Before visiting, Kristie had the impression Pullman was overrun by cows. I kept telling her there are no cows, yet the bovine jokes continued. While we were there, she tried her best to find some. I think she counted two in a field near Colfax.
Susan has just a couple more summer classes to wrap up, and then watch out world, she’ll be looking for a job, armed with a prestigious WSU degree… If you know of a restaurant looking for a manager, I know of a young, smart, hard-working and dedicated Coug eager to start. Congrats, Sis!
