The Good & the Bad of Topeka

I mooved to Topeka five years ago after graduating college. Topeka was not my first choice of places to live, but I had a good job opportunity here and my then boyfriend, now husband was working in Topeka for the family businees. It just made sense both personally & professionally that this was where i ws to start my career. I don’t know if I had intended to stay in Topeka as long as we have & potentially will, but I have been reflecting on what keeps me here.

Professionally, there are not as many choices of places to work, which can be frustrating and I am sure is a deterent for getting some young professionals here. Within my firm, being in a smaller market than say Kansas City, has given me the opportunity to advance quickly and have an important role in the business. I have also been able to meet a lot of professionals in Topeka. It is still small enough that most people are linked somehow and for only being here five years and starting at the bottom as a lowly intern, the network of people I know through my job is, at least to me, quite impressive. I don’t think I would have had the same opportunities to meet the caliber of people I have in a larger city.

Personally I have made Topeka my home. I love my house and neighborhood. I have never lived somewhere that has had such strong neighborhood associations & neighborhood pride. That is a hard thing to create that Topeka needs to be sure never to lose. Most of the people I have met in Topeka are great people. It has been hard to meet other young professionals. I feel that we need to give young people better networking opportunities. Topeka also needs more shopping, local restaurants, and other entertainment. We spend a lot of time driving to Lawrence or Kansas City for these things that would be wonderful to have here.

Topeka has a lot of potential, it is just not fully realized yet, but if you can see through that & want to be a part of the change I think there are great opportunitites here. Living here can be frustrating at times, but I want to be able to see my future here. I don’t want to give up on it yet.

• gwendacloseAuthor: gwenda Name:
  Email: gsg@sdgarch.com
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• June 2nd, 2008
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