Advice for east coast girl moving to Ellensburg, WA (Seattle: schools, university)

[finnck]

Hi all,

I'm looking into grad schools for a specialist degree in psychology and wanted to use going back to school as an excuse to move out west for a while. I spent a few years in the midwest when I was young but have basically grown up in CT. I've been to Oregon and WY a bunch and fell in love with both places (I had family out there). I was accepted to Central Washington University and am strongly considering it (if my first choice school in Portland, OR doesnt work out!). Can anyone offer any advice on moving to Ellensburg from a grad student perspective? I'm 25 and so would hope to find a few friends my age. I love the outdoors, hope to get a dog while I'm out there, have some fun at low-key bars, and find a part time job to help with school expenses. Any advice on the school, the area, being 25 in a small town like Ellensburg, ect.. would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks!

[Idunn]

You do appreciate that Ellensburg, WA will be nothing like Portland, OR? Not like Connecticut, nor relatively nearby Seattle? Not socially, and if geographically near the Cascade mountains, quite on the east side and plains. It is a small place and remote from much else.

This not to discourage you, and perhaps exactly what you are seeking. But then Portland as a first choice might be a mistake.

[finnck]

Hi there-
Yes, I'm aware they are total opposites- I've lived in settings similar to both (from what I know of them) and would be ok with either even though they are very different. Unfortunately the grad program I am seeking is only offered at a handful of schools in the various Pac NW states so I had to pick and choose. Getting through school is my main priority and I could do that no matter where I am...I'm just looking for as much input about Ellensburg as I can get

[skinem]

Getcha a cowboy hat and boots. Oh, and a kite.

Fairly conservative town and area...but, since it does have a "real" college in it, the town isn't as conservative as many in the area.

Can get hot in the summer, cold in the winter, but at least there's no east coast humidity.

I didn't take many grad school courses there, but have a couple. Small classes, great teachers.

I like the area and town better than Portland or Seattle...but I'm an eastsider (from east of the Cascades) and don't like big towns nor that much rain.

If you liked Wyoming, you ought to like Ellensburg...to me, it most ways, it is more similar to most of Wyoming than it is Seattle or Portland.

[j_k_k]

As usual, Skin got it all right, so I can just endorse what he said. E-burg is an interesting balance of ag cowtown with college town (though I don't think it's an ag school at all; I think the Cougs are our only cow college). Pleasant campus, low-key environment. If you like the idea of being away from a huge city, and you like a lot of outdoorsy stuff, it's perfectly positioned for a wide variety of the latter (especially mountain stuff like skiing and hiking). If you do go there for that subject, hope you study with Prof. Stein--I would say she is one of the very few sane psych professors or degree holders/pursuers (no offense) I've ever met, and one of the few with whom I would voluntarily study if I were pursuing such a degree.

[finnck]

Thanks! Great info I do love outdoorsy stuff so that's a huge pull. I work in NYC and it's confirmed by desire to be able to visit a city every once in a while while not actually living in one. I know the town isn't big- are there a few fun places to go have a few drinks on a weekend or anything like that? I went to undergrad in a small college town that really just had one main road with a few bars on it. We still had a blast so I'm not looking for anything more than that but it'd be good to know if people are out after 9 on a weekend or if everything shuts down. Thanks again!

[skinem]

Originally Posted by finnck

I know the town isn't big- are there a few fun places to go have a few drinks on a weekend or anything like that?

Of course! It's a college town AND a cowboy town!

[Old-Larry]

There is skiing as it's about 75 miles to the top of the pass. River rafting in the Yakima river. In summer. The area has about everything a person needs as it is larger than a wide spot in the road. The only thing that I don't like about the area is that in the spring you about have to hang onto something to keep from being blown away. It's windy. There are no trees to stop the wind. But since you liked WY you should be fine.

[j_k_k]

Plus, the winter in E-burg is nothing like the winter in Wyoming. Not much is, south of the 49th parallel.

[finnck]

Hi everyone!
Thanks for all of the great advice- I actually got accepted to the school in Portland today (yay!) so assuming I can figure out how to pay for it, I'll be heading to Oregon instead of Washington- I've just posted again in the Oregon forum in case anyone sees it. Thanks for all of the input!