Comments on: Why Would a Twenty-Something Stay in London?

By: Inspiration: AgendaCamp & Broken City Lab | Fifty-Two Weeks

Inspiration: AgendaCamp & Broken City Lab | Fifty-Two Weeks — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:52:11 +0000

[...] I changed the focus of last week’s project I was thinking about AgendaCamp and all of the great ideas that came from it. I began to think about the various opportunities for [...]

By: Brian Frank

Brian Frank — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:28:52 +0000

What – the geek dinner community isn't good enough for you?? ;)

I know what you're saying. “London lacks the edge and excitement” is a good way of putting it. I noticed that after I went to school in Hamilton – like Windsor, it isn't bigger than London but it has more colour and grit that makes it feel like more's happening. After a few years though the character started getting old – likewise Vancouver.

I haven't made it out to one of their events yet but there seem to be a lot of cool people in the London Creative Network (LCNGroup link down there somewhere in the tweets).

By: laurenonizzle

laurenonizzle — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:22:32 +0000

I'm relatively new to London… moved here in May for Grad school. I love it here – the running trails, the beautiful topography and old homes in North London, the entire Western bubble, and, from what I can observe as an outsider, a pretty bumping local arts scene.

As great as this city is for a university student, most of my classmates agree that after graduation, it's time to move on to a city with more jobs for journalism majors and creative types. I know that there are probably opportunities here as well, but London lacks the edge and excitement of a larger city – or even a smaller city like Windsor where there's more going on. A lot of my friends say the same thing – “London would be great to come back to later in my career, when I'm ready to settle down…” Perhaps we haven't had enough time to plant roots… but it's kind of true what they say about London being a bit snotty and sterile. It's hard to break into a community anywhere, but I've never felt particularly welcome here as a 20 something single person.

I have no idea what I'll do when I'm done with school at this point – maybe I will stay – but more than likely, I'll be off to Toronto like everybody else to get lost in the rat race until I burn out…

By: Brian Frank

Brian Frank — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:55:55 +0000

Hi Savanah, thanks. I post occasionally at Fuse too. Great way to keep informed about cool people doing interesting things in London I'd otherwise miss.

By: Savanah Sewell

Savanah Sewell — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:43:47 +0000

Hey Brian, I like this post. I have something to add to this conversation. I blog for London Fuse. Check it out, let me know what you think.

By: facebook-658626507

facebook-658626507 — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:14:07 +0000

Good points, Brian. I grew up in St.Thomas and when it came time to leave, I certainly wasn't looking to London. Toronto was the destination of choice, and I lived there for five years. I've lived in London for about six years now, and I've seen slow but steady improvement. Not nearly enough, however, if we want to retain more people and keep the city competitive.

By: arrowe

arrowe — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:05:00 +0000

Your group's observation regarding the opportunity in London to establish strong - and diverse - social networks really resonates with me, Brian.

The only thing keeping me in London (other than my current job) is my combined network of personal and professional contacts. I don't have any family in town, but my Wortley Village neighbours fill that void almost entirely.
And I'm intimately connected to my professional peer group, which is creative, collaborative, and rarely competitive.

In a city the size of London, it's possible to know almost every person and organization in your field. Whether or not that's a good thing is debatable, I suppose.

Interestingly, my university roommate, who lives and works in downtown Toronto, asked my advice recently regarding joining a professional network: she was feeling isolated in her field and marveled at my apparent connectedness to a powerful support network.

Turns out London really does have something to offer the young professional...