Dec 11

Friday, December 11, 2020

Orange Christmas small businesses in stillwater adjust to holiday season amid covid

File Photo

For Pete’s Sake on Saturday, April 4, 2020 in Stillwater.

Adam Engel Sharon Sample is a people person. Sample, manager of For Pete’s Sake, an

Oklahoma State apparel store, has missed her customers. In a year filled with uncertainty and the coronavirus, the holiday shopping season has been anything but normal. As an OSU gear shop, Sample said the majority of her business is from gamedays. With the limited capacity at

OSU sporting events, sales are not easy. “In a normal year, we are done with most of our Christmas sales by the end of the season,” Sample said. There is nobody in town now. It’s even tougher with basketball because the games are at later times and the crowd limits are

smaller.” As Christmas nears, Sample said December business has been kind but “November was horrible.” In a time of the year where gratitude is key and joy is widespread, support from her customers has been beneficial. “I have thanked every single customer that has been in,” she said. “I’ve been careful because I’m old, but it’s been really hard not to hug. I’ve cried several times because I am just so grateful. I think we live in a pretty great place.” The holiday spirit isn’t enclosed with the doors of For Pete’s Sake. “Personally, I’m only doing my holiday shopping here in Stillwater,” Sample said. “I know personally three doctors that are just

shopping local.” In fact, according to a Visa study, 60% of Americans will do the majority of their holiday shopping locally this year. Sample also knows that this is a community effort and she has been helping out fellow small businesses for years. “If I know another store has an item that we don’t, I will send them there.” For Pete’s Sake is also offering a discount drawing. “We have a drawing ongoing, customers have a chance to get anywhere from 20 to 50% off their purchase. In addition to the drawing, Sample is continuing a years-long tradition. See Orange on pg. 2

Putting the ‘Still’ in Stillwater Stillwater experiencing temporary population dip during COVID winter By Amelia Jauregui In response to the on-going pandemic, Oklahoma State, along with many other universities, decided to forgo the last few weeks of in person classes and move them entirely online. With online being the only option, there was little need for students to return to campus after the week of Thanksgiving, leaving Stillwater as more of a ghost town than in years past. Students are rarely walking around campus, dorms feel vacant, and the regular activities that would normally be put on by different student organizations are no more. For freshman Molly Humes, being on campus during this time has been strange. “I go back and forth between whether or not I enjoy campus being bare,” Humes said. “On one hand, it’s really fun to just be here with a couple of my friends and see Stillwater when it’s in its ‘natural state’, but I also miss the buzz of people coming for football games, seeing students walking to classes, and just enjoying the events that OSU puts on.” However, the students that are here are being brought together by a few things: basketball games and finals stress. “I went to one of the basketball games earlier last week and the stadium was pretty full compared to what I imagined it to be,” Humes said. “So although I thought Stillwater was pretty empty right now, the students here still want to be involved in the few things going on.”

File Photo The Oklahoma State University campus and surrounding areas are experiencing a temporary population dip due to students leaving amid COVID-19 break.

As for final stress, the students still here are filling up the coffee shops for study dates and mental lapses, pushing through to the final stretch of this semester. “I have spent more money on coffee than I’d like to admit, but it motivates me to get my work done and actually prepare well for my exams,” freshman Steffie Moss said. “Plus, it’s been cool to see them so full with students in the same situation as me, who are all just as stressed and exhausted.”

As for Australian international student, Heidi Demeo, this is her first time experiencing the “still” in Stillwater. “I’ve never witnessed Stillwater without the endless stream of students walking around campus and crowding coffee shops around town,” Demeo said. “At first it was so strange, but it’s beginning to really grow on me. I’m loving having my pick of study spots in the library and the endless choices of tables to sit at cafes.”

As for any college town, there’s pros and cons to having all students on campus versus when it’s time for a break. “As much as I am enjoying the change in pace with less people around town, I have to admit, I much prefer the hustle and bustle when school is on per usual,” Demeo said. “However, I do feel as if I’m beginning to get to know the locals of Stillwater which is definitely a plus!” news.ed@ocolly.com