Many things come to mind when I think of Tallahassee, a place where I’ve experienced some of my best and worst moments. I’ve lived only 30 minutes outside of Tallahassee my whole life and I often found myself in Florida’s capital on the weekends while I was growing up.
Many of my fondest childhood memories were made here, and even as an adult Tallahassee has been where most of my experiences have taken place.
While many in my generation have a love-hate relationship with Tallahassee, in my experience the good has outweighed the bad. The foundation and support system that I have in Tallahassee is indescribable. My family is in close proximity and staying here has given me constant access to them — which has been extremely helpful.
College or young adulthood, in general, can be taxing mentally, emotionally, and financially, but having my family so close by has helped with that burden. I have also built countless friendships here over the years.
One of the things that most people look forward to when they are choosing a school is building friendships. Yes, we come to college to gain an education, but I couldn’t even imagine the loneliness of attending college without a friend group.
Tallahassee is home to a variety of higher education institutions, but FAMU and FSU are among the most recognized universities in Florida. These institutions bring in a mix of college-aged students each year which gives fellow students the opportunity to constantly meet new people and build relationships that we can take with us after graduation.
As I prepare for graduation in a few months, one of the benefits that I have recognized about Tallahassee is the many networking and career preparation opportunities available. The higher education institutions throughout Leon County offer the chance to meet other people who will also be in the job market with me.
As the capital of Florida, there are countless opportunities to meet county and city officials and even gain experience interning and working for them. Tallahassee isn’t the largest city in the world — or the state — but there are many career opportunities here that can’t be found anywhere else.
Tallahassee may not be filled with the largest theme parks or the best malls, but there are plenty of things to love about it. Though this may not be the place I choose to live forever, I will always look back and see Tallahassee as home.