Love OP, Shawnee, but job offer is in Lawrence.. please read details

[2005hawk]

It sounds like you enjoy suburban living. And the good thing is (depending upon your perspective) you can have it in Lawrence. Anything west of Iowa Street is suburban in nature with most of it developed after 1970. And Lawrence features many chain stores and restaurants that a suburb would have. That being said, many people who are drawn to Lawrence are drawn by the culture, entertainment and social aspects of its identity, and much of this is found in the older parts of town near KU campus and downtown.

[GeniusJack]

Originally Posted by krisiw5

I live in Lawrence and am ready to leave. My husband commutes to OP everyday and has grown tired of the drive. Lawrence is a great town for some people, but just not us.
I have some advice, but first let me say that I'm just trying to be honest and not mean. So here goes: If you don't mind college students EVERYWHERE, who sometimes act pretty obnoxious, it's a great place to live. This place is seriously crawling with college students. We are actually in our mid 20s and they STILL annoy us, but we've always been "old" people in a way. The town itself is charming and has plenty to offer. We love the choice of local restaurants. You won't find many unique restaurants in JoCo - mainly just chains.
I'm just tired of running into drunk college people so much. It doesn't happen every single day, but WAY more often than in any other place I've ever lived. Maybe I'm uptight, but loud/drunk people really annoy me! Not saying that all college students are obnoxious party animals, but the ones that are just really stick out.
But I'd live here any day over OP because at least there is character and charm here. SO MUCH of Johnson County is boring to the eyes with all of the beige cookie cutter construction everywhere. At the Lawrence Wal-Mart last week there were a group of 4 or 5 college guys laughing loudly at the condoms and making crude jokes. I'm so tired of this kind of immaturity. But then on the way home I was happy to at least see buildings and houses that didn't all look so much the same like I would have in JoCo. Thought I'd put in a different viewpoint on Lawrence. Hope my blunt opinions weren't too much and didn't seem rude. Just wanted to be as honest as possible. Hope I've been able to help some!

You are so right about the college students in Lawrence. I live near the University of Washington here in Seattle and have a house near the Univ. of Kansas in Lawrence as well.....The comparison is stark regarding the maturity of the students. In Lawrence it seems as if it is a giant high school whereas UW in Seattle the college kids are not only mature but proactive with their lives and society. Sure, there are drunk kids everywhere, but in Kansas it is apparently a sport. I love Lawrence (im 40 & KU alum) and think it's a terrific place to live sans the obtrusive students ruining it for everyone else.

[leighland]

Friends that I have that live in Lawrence or Manhattan live in the tiny towns outside of those towns so they don't have to deal with the college kids. I can't blame you for getting tired of it.