The Pacific Northwest is not only known for its cold and unpredictable weather, but also for its inconsistent social culture. Western Washington University students have noticed that this has affected their ability to make friends in Bellingham.
The Seattle Freeze is a social-cultural phenomenon known to explain the difficulty Pacific Northwest residents, particularly newcomers, face in making friends. While it is usually associated with the culture of the Seattle area, people have noticed that it has expanded to other cities in the state.
“An Exploration of the Seattle Freeze Phenomenon” by Jessie Biondo, Kellie Dunn, Dave Grochocki and Evelyn Kalafus-Mastenbrook examined this concept through a qualitative study. It was discovered that an extensive effort to make friends in the area was required to combat the Seattle Freeze.
Friendship making was described as a slow process with difficulty in maintaining relationships past the first interaction, the study said.
The Instagram page focusing on amplifying student voices, NewestWWUVoice, posted a submission on Jan. 29 saying that the Seattle Freeze is not real.
Max Plante, a fourth-year student at Western, commented on the post saying that he has experienced the freeze.
“I get not talking to any old random person,” Plante said. “But even when we’re forced to talk, people don’t really want to.”
Plante transferred from Eastern Washington University, and he described the difference in social culture when making friends at Western compared to Eastern.
Plante mentioned that Western is home to many students who are more introverted.
“Small talk is a dying art,” said Lourdes Prim, a communications studies student at Western.
Prim mentioned that forming connections with people in college can be challenging, especially when it comes to transitioning from “class friends” to meeting up outside of class.
Prim was raised in Seattle and lived there until attending Western, saying she experienced the Freeze in both places.
“I feel like it’s a Washington thing,” Prim said. “People are just rude.”
Prim observed that since her father is from the South, she was raised in a small talk culture that is less prevalent in the Pacific Northwest. She shared that when entering a room, she was expected to acknowledge the people in it, whether she knew them or not.
“I leave my upsetness at home,” Prim said.
Emmett Francisco, a third-year chemistry student at Western from Seattle, also described feeling the Seattle Freeze when growing up.
“I’ve walked my dogs outside and people will cross the street just so they don’t have to interact with you,” Francisco said. “Nobody talks to each other in public.”
Contrary to the culture in Seattle, Francisco felt that in Bellingham, people were generally more accepting and outgoing.
“Maybe I’m just lucky; everybody that I know is really chill,” Francisco said.
Rock climbing, specifically bouldering, is how Francisco broke the ice with many people at Western.
“It can be a very cooperative activity,” Francisco said. “There’s collaboration when looking at our climbing route.”
Francisco advised staying consistent when making friends. He said that despite initial challenges, forming connections within your major can help strengthen relationships in college.
In his chemistry courses, Francisco makes an effort to connect with people. He said that once class sizes get smaller, it is easy to notice people that have shared a class with him before. He was offered a position as a chemistry lab researcher by a friend in a class because of their shared academic interests.
While Seattle and Bellingham share similar environmental factors, they differ in population size. Seattle housed 755,078 people in 2024 and Bellingham had 94,720, according to the United States census.
“In Seattle, you’re not attempting to make friends with everyone,” Prim said. “But since Bellingham is a smaller community, it’s easier to see the same people over and over again and follow up with them.”
It can be difficult to make friends with people who do not put in the same energy, Prim said. She shared that the way she makes friends is with people who reciprocate a similar communication dynamic.
“It’s a two-way street,” Prim said.
By staying consistent and establishing a more welcoming presence, creating those connections will come, said Prim.
Allie Van Parys is a campus life reporter for The Front. They are in their second year at Western, majoring in communication studies and minoring in public relations. In their free time, you can find them playing the drums, making collages, and hanging out at the beach. You can contact them at allievanparys.thefront@gmail.com.
