Washington State University

Date: Sep 03 2008
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
WSU has a long reputation as a party school, and despite the administration's efforts to shake that image, they live up to it nearly as well as they did in the old days. (hard) Drug use is low, but binge drinking is rampant. Interestingly enough, WSU now serves alcohol in the 'Cub', the student union.

Greek Row, the part of town that contains the fraternities and sororities (as well as the stereotypical run-down, over-occupied party houses) nightly hears the screaming of ambulance sirens and the flashing lights of police cars.

Though not an unsafe area, the medical folks are up there nearly every weekend during football season, picking up some poor freshman, away from home for the first time, who drank too much and now is off to get his stomach pumped. The cops are there for noise complaints, disorderly conduct, and the occasional drunken brawl.

This school prides itself on their football team, and ultimately not much else. Although they try to bill themselves as a world-class university, its obvious that football and partying are the main degrees offered here (sarcasm).

I'm a History major, and I find my compatriots snobbish, overly competitive and rather blah. Whenever possible, I don't socialize or spend time with the other students in my department.

Although I've had several excellent professors, the majority strike me as too absorbed in their own lives, or their own research and projects to spend much time with students or teach a meaningful or enriching class.

This might not be true of all departments.

Now, Washington State University is a beautiful campus, I'll give it that. Falls and summers are gorgeous. The Palouse is absolutely stunning at times…but this appreciation for the landscape gardually wears off after you realize that in the winter, you're stuck in a town with nothing to do, and surrounded by hundreds of miles of barely passable (well, without snow tires, good driving skills and sometimes an SUV) barren icy countryside.

Coming from the city (Seattle), I was a little taken-aback at first of the lack of stuff to do. TYes, there is plenty to do on weekends…provided your idea of fun includes getting smashed in a bar. The town of Pullman lacks dance clubs (which I enjoy), or any sort of cultural or meaningful entertainment venues (theater, fine arts, etc).

I understand that, when it comes down to it, Pullman is a hick town, populated by hicks. Perhaps the town itself is a reason for why WSU sucks so much.

As one bumper sticker on a fellow student's car wittily quips, "Happiness is Pullman…in my rear-view mirror".