Not every town drastically shrinks when the college population leaves for the summer months, but Stillwater, Oklahoma definitely fits into that category. Having firsthand experience last summer, I am here to tell you all about living in your college town while the rest of your friends are back home.
PROS
1. Traffic: I could say that one word and every OSU Cowboy would know exactly what I am talking about. When the people designed the roads in Stillwater, they did a poor job of it. The town is not very large, yet no matter what time of day or what day of the week it is, getting from campus over to Perkins is an absolute nightmare. I don't see many movies on the weekends -- not just because the Carmike needs some renovations, but mainly because the mere thought of driving over to the movie theater from around campus drains me. While you are here in Stillwater over the summer the traffic problem becomes nonexistent.
2. No lines for the bars (ONLY if you are 21 years old, of course): I have only been 21 for a couple of weeks now and I already hate waiting for an hour to get into Murphy's. Over the summer, it's like you have a fast pass at an amusement park!
3. The sun never stops shining here in Stillwater: That's a bit of an exaggeration, but a friend can be found anywhere in this town. Stillwater is the friendliest town on the planet, so even if your best friends are out of town, it isn't a huge task to make friends while you are here taking classes or working.
CONS
1. The absence of students: Though the lines and traffic may be gone, that means a significant portion of the student body is gone as well. Like I said, it isn't too hard to find friends, but there is something magical about Stillwater during the school year. You can walk outside at any time of day and see someone out and about. It is such a wonderful community of students, and even though Stillwater is great with or without us, something really is lacking when we go.
2. No family time: I missed my family something terrible when I lived here over the summer. If you are from Stillwater, this one doesn't apply to you! These summers are the last chances we have to live with our families (hopefully), so it is a major bummer when you don't get to take advantage of that quickly disappearing time in your life.
3. Taking classes over the summer: It's great to get some classes out of the way that you do not want to take during the fall or spring semesters, but during the summer they are so compacted that you are in a classroom all day every day.
There are ups and downs to staying in your college town over the summer, there is no doubt about that. If you do find yourself living there, make the most out of the experience!
