Idaho State University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Pocatello is what someone might call a tight-knit community. The Pocatello people are just that—Pocatello people. They have grown up here, graduated from high school, and remained here. It is an old town. There is actually part of the city called “Old-Town Pocatello,” with boutiques and old street lights, but the people are sure proud of it. The city motto has been known as “Proud to be Pocatello.” This atmosphere definitely spills over onto the campus, giving it a community feel. Due to the surrounding towns, the Pocatello area does offer a wide variety of activities and fun for students including hiking, hunting, camping, snowmobiling and boating all within a two-hour drive. The only problem is that there is not a lot to do without driving half an hour or more. In-town choices are limited to bowling, roller-skating, and going to the movies. The Pocatello city council has set a high business standard—and cost to build here—with hopes to bring better businesses. Instead, businesses do not come. This makes Pocatello an old town with not a lot of change. On the other hand, the Chubbuck area, a suburb of Pocatello, is growing dramatically, with many new retail stores. So growth could be coming, and it will definitely affect college life for students.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Pocatello is a very laid-back... Pocatello is a very laid-back community. It is a liberal stronghold in an otherwise conservative state. The closest major university is Utah State, an hour and a half away. Definitely stay away from the railroad tracks unless you like carnies and other transients. Any mountain around Pocatello offers great chances to engage in many outdoor activities, like hiking. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

ISU has somewhat of a small-town... ISU has somewhat of a small-town atmosphere. Usually, the events the University has going on are the main things to do in town. BYU Idaho is 80 miles north of Pocatello, and Utah State is 80 or so miles south, so both are easily visited for major events. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

I love the atmosphere of... I love the atmosphere of Pocatello. It is small enough to avoid the problems that larger metropolitan areas have, like traffic, pollution, and crime, and at the same time it gives me all the things I need. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

The atmosphere is small but not... The atmosphere is small but not too small. As far as stuff to stay away from, there is always naughty stuff to stay away from—stuff that challenges you as a person regardless of the size of the town. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

The atmosphere in Pocatello is... The atmosphere in Pocatello is very informal and sheltered as well as outside the university community. There are no other universities here. But of course if you’re looking for trouble you’ll find it. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Five Fun Facts about Pocatello:
• Pocatello has a four-season climate. It’s sunny,
warm, and dry on most days, and less than 15
inches of precipitation fall per year.
• Forbes Magazine ranked Pocatello “8th Best
Place for Business and Careers” among small
areas (populations below 177,000).
• If you were a Southeastern Idaho resident, you could leave
work at 5 p.m. today and be on the ski slopes, at the golf
course, or next to your favorite trout stream by 6!
• The Pocatello area is rich with the history of the Old West.
The city once had a system of underground tunnels, which
were home to illegal gambling parlors.
• Between 1997–2002, Idaho ranked fourth in the growth
of women-owned businesses (National Foundation for
Women Business Owners).

Famous People from Pocatello:
Pocatello resident and ISU alumna Stacy Dragila won Olympic
gold in women’s pole-vaulting at the 2000 Olympiad, held
in Sydney, Australia.

Local Slang:
Skills – Particularly nun-chuck skills; pretty self-explanatory,
well-used.

Sweet Bike – Again, self-explanatory.

Gosh! – Okay, pretty much anything from Napoleon Dynamite.

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