Whitman College - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

In terms of the adequacy of the local atmosphere, it definitely depends on what you’re looking for and what satisfies you in an environment. Seeing as how Whitman’s in Walla Walla, also known as the “boonies” or the “middle of nowhere,” it seems that most students consider the local atmosphere, for the most part, to be pretty quiet and limited and also focused on more outdoor activities. There are a few places to go that are entertaining—the movie theater, local restaurants and the wheat fields, for example. Walla Walla residents are pretty divided when it comes to how they feel about Whitman College; some say “thank goodness for Whitman for bringing a more liberal perspective,” while far more feel that the campus creates too much noise and trouble for the charm and quiet of Walla Walla. The town’s small size does seem to limit the local atmosphere and its ability to provide a diversity of culture. Though Walla Walla is also home to Walla Walla University (a Seventh Day Adventist school) and Walla Walla Community College, not much socializing goes on between these schools and Whitman.

Although Walla Walla is small, it does offer lovely attractions, especially in its natural beauty. If you’re someone who loves exploring the outdoors and appreciates nature, this school is very ideally located. From rock-climbing to star-gazing, it’s all possible in or around the town. Overall, the consensus seems to be this: be prepared for a small-town feel and less variety than a metropolitan area, but all in exchange for the closeness of nature.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Since Walla Walla is known for its... Since Walla Walla is known for its farming, it is agriculturally based, and that greatly affects the atmosphere. It is not a cosmopolitan town, but there are good places to go out for dinner. I grew up near a large city, so I definitely miss it, and I sometimes feel suffocated by the remoteness of Walla Walla. It helps that the people are nice, but nothing replaces the city. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

There’s pretty much nothing to do... There’s pretty much nothing to do in Walla Walla, unless you’re bored or desperate or both. In a way, it’s nice because it brings the focus of activity to Whitman, but it’s always really frustrating when I want to leave Whitman for a while and experience some rich culture—and Walla Walla can’t offer it. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Walla Walla is a big dud city, but... Walla Walla is a big dud city, but it all depends on what you’re looking for. For Walla Walla’s size, they offer quite a bit of variety with a K-Mart, Wal-Mart, several grocery stores, fast food joints, restaurants, video rental places, wineries, and lots of stuff to do outside. Sometimes it gets on my nerves, but I don’t go off campus too often anyway, and Whitman has some good stuff going on, so I don’t need to. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Everything here is great. I don’t... Everything here is great. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Walla Walla has everything I... Walla Walla has everything I need—a coffee shop, grocery store, thrift store, movie theater, and a couple of nice restaurants. It’s good if you like the simpler life, and it’s refreshing to go off campus if I’m stressed and not be bombarded with all the grittiness or busyness of a city. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Five Fun Facts about Walla Walla:
• “Walla Walla,” of Native American origin, means “many waters” because of the many streams that ran through the area.
• Whitman isn’t the only campus in Walla Walla, which is also home to Walla Walla University and Walla Walla Community College.
• Every May, Walla Walla also hosts the annual Balloon Stampede, where the fairgrounds are overtaken with hot air balloons for several days.
• Walla Walla has 17 public city parks, and an aviary that encompasses over 600 acres of grass and trees, playgrounds, trails, and pools.
• There are over 35 wineries and over 1,000 acres of vineyards in the area.

Famous People from Walla Walla:
Marion Bauer, Drew Bledsoe, Connor Trinneer, Adam West

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