If you have grown up in Joplin like I have, you have probably heard more than a couple of people use the phrase “There’s nothing to do in Joplin.” Perhaps you’ve even uttered those words yourself. However, if you are like me, that is not the case.

Now it is true that I am a bit of a homebody anyway, but I personally have no issue with living in Joplin. Obviously it lacks the goings-on of a city like St. Louis or Kansas City, but those are really off the map as for comparison to Joplin. Joplin has everything I need to enjoy myself. Sure, it would be nice to have a minor league ball team or something like that. But come on, let’s be realistic.

I believe the issue is not actually that the city is boring, but that any efforts made to better the city for the young people are shot down because they’re “not cool enough.” Joplin has an up-to-date, well-kept movie theater, more restaurants than people could afford to try, a mall with a plethora of shops, a semi-pro baseball and football team, plenty of competitive high school sports, not to mention the college athletics right here in our backyard.

For a time Joplin had the hot spot of Laser City, whose popularity eventually tailed off when we decided laser tag suddenly wasn’t much fun. There is a water park for people to enjoy in the summer, just a few miles down 71 highway and Carthage has a drive-in movie theater. Joplin’s streets are swarmed in the month of October as people flock to its numerous spook houses. We also had an underground paintball facility for a time, which eventually became a training ground for area baseball players to utilize in the winter. Both eventually failed.

I haven’t even mentioned The Bridge. Sure, it’s not quite an everyday hangout for college students, although if you cannot be entertained by basketball, rock-climbing, free Internet access and rather cheap food and drink, well, you’ve probably stopped reading this long ago.

For someone coming here from a big city with flashing lights and celebrities roaming the streets, sure Joplin might seem a little dull, however I’d just love to know how many of you fit that description.

Unless you do, don’t whine to me about being bored in Joplin. Besides, if you’re really that miserable, you could always try a job.