By: Reagan Van Cleave
Indianapolis is the 12th largest city in the United States and the heart of the American Midwest. Many know as the home to the greatest spectacle in racing- The Indianapolis 500 festival. This is the city I’ve grown up in.
In high school, I was dead set on attending college at the Big Ten University in small town Bloomington, Indiana (I think we all know who I’m talking about here). When it was time to commit to a college, I followed my heart and became a proud Hoosier—just as my parents did before me. Bloomington was … strange. There were a lot of different cultures present with various food options and anything you could really want out of a small, college party town. But, I did find some challenges in the fact I always had to travel back to Indianapolis for internships or to meet other professionals. There was not much in Bloomington besides the college itself. So I moved back home to Indianapolis.
So why is college in this city SO MUCH better?
1.Networking- I think we’ve all heard way too many times, ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ While small college towns have appeal, they completely lack in the networking department. The city has so many businesses and places of work. Indianapolis is home to three fortune 500 companies. It is nearly impossible to live in this small, but thriving city without having a healthy network of potential future employers.
2. Internships- I recently completed an internship at the Indiana Senate downtown. I realized how fortunate I was as students traveled hours from Anderson, Bloomington and even as far as Evansville. How long was my commute? 15 minutes on a bad day. The city is so drivable and traffic very low maintenance. If you live in this state, most of your opportunities with well-known organizations will be located right here in the city.
3. Weekends- I could be biased, but I firmly believe Indiana is home to the best weekends. Whether it’s spent Fridays nights on Mass Avenue eating gourmet burgers from Bru Burger, spending Saturday afternoons walking on the canal and finishing on Sundays at an Indianapolis Colt’s home game, Weekends in Indy always have something to offer.
4. Events- Indy is home to one of the largest convention centers in the country and has hosted sporting events such as the 2012 Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four. As a college student, you’ll never get bored. There is always something to do with friends and family.
5. Affordability- Indianapolis gives it’s residents the opportunities of a large city with a small town price tag. Food and housing in Indianapolis are low-cost compared to its Midwest neighbor, Chicago. Indianapolis is extremely affordable for even broke college students like myself.
6. Good Ole’ Hoosier Hospitality- Hospitality is what we do best and it’s hard to find it on this side of the Mason-Dixon line. You wouldn't believe how cold-shouldered some people can be elsewhere. If you’re here in Indy you can count on great customer service, pleases, thank you’s and doors held open.
If you’re considering a move to Indianapolis, don’t hesitate. The city is thriving and named one of the best cities for millennials to date. What are you waiting for? Come see all this city has to offer, you wont be disappointed.
Indianapolis is the 12th largest city in the United States and the heart of the American Midwest. Many know as the home to the greatest spectacle in racing- The Indianapolis 500 festival. This is the city I’ve grown up in.
In high school, I was dead set on attending college at the Big Ten University in small town Bloomington, Indiana (I think we all know who I’m talking about here). When it was time to commit to a college, I followed my heart and became a proud Hoosier—just as my parents did before me. Bloomington was … strange. There were a lot of different cultures present with various food options and anything you could really want out of a small, college party town. But, I did find some challenges in the fact I always had to travel back to Indianapolis for internships or to meet other professionals. There was not much in Bloomington besides the college itself. So I moved back home to Indianapolis.
So why is college in this city SO MUCH better?
1.Networking- I think we’ve all heard way too many times, ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ While small college towns have appeal, they completely lack in the networking department. The city has so many businesses and places of work. Indianapolis is home to three fortune 500 companies. It is nearly impossible to live in this small, but thriving city without having a healthy network of potential future employers.
2. Internships- I recently completed an internship at the Indiana Senate downtown. I realized how fortunate I was as students traveled hours from Anderson, Bloomington and even as far as Evansville. How long was my commute? 15 minutes on a bad day. The city is so drivable and traffic very low maintenance. If you live in this state, most of your opportunities with well-known organizations will be located right here in the city.
3. Weekends- I could be biased, but I firmly believe Indiana is home to the best weekends. Whether it’s spent Fridays nights on Mass Avenue eating gourmet burgers from Bru Burger, spending Saturday afternoons walking on the canal and finishing on Sundays at an Indianapolis Colt’s home game, Weekends in Indy always have something to offer.
4. Events- Indy is home to one of the largest convention centers in the country and has hosted sporting events such as the 2012 Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four. As a college student, you’ll never get bored. There is always something to do with friends and family.
5. Affordability- Indianapolis gives it’s residents the opportunities of a large city with a small town price tag. Food and housing in Indianapolis are low-cost compared to its Midwest neighbor, Chicago. Indianapolis is extremely affordable for even broke college students like myself.
6. Good Ole’ Hoosier Hospitality- Hospitality is what we do best and it’s hard to find it on this side of the Mason-Dixon line. You wouldn't believe how cold-shouldered some people can be elsewhere. If you’re here in Indy you can count on great customer service, pleases, thank you’s and doors held open.
If you’re considering a move to Indianapolis, don’t hesitate. The city is thriving and named one of the best cities for millennials to date. What are you waiting for? Come see all this city has to offer, you wont be disappointed.