Coworking Through the Eyes of Dutch Teenagers

36°N Editor's Note: We recently had the pleasure of hosting Kristel Buurmans and Miranda Pauw, two teenagers from the Netherlands, in our space for a school project. We so enjoyed watching them learn all about Tulsa's entrepreneurial ecosystem. To conclude their visit, they wrote the following essay about their experience.

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For our school in the Netherlands, we had to find a short internship in an English environment where we could gain business experience. Luckily, we had an acquaintance that owns a business in Oklahoma and offices at 36 Degrees North. Thus, we travelled to Tulsa to experience a new work environment: co-working space. This is unlike any office we had been to in the Netherlands.

We were at 36 Degrees North for six days in total, and during those days we got to meet so many nice people. All these people had different jobs for different companies or universities, yet they worked in the same building. We found this to be very cool. In our opinion, 36 Degrees North is very convenient. Small businesses pay less for a membership there than they would if they rented their own offices. As we got to meet so many people, we noticed that everyone seemed to be happy at this co-working space. 36 Degrees North has done such a phenomenal job at creating a space where everyone can work in peace despite the variety of people and backgrounds.

Not only are there small businesses and different people working at 36 Degrees North, the office also hosts a lot of events each month. In the six days that we were there, we attended a brown bag lunch and a seminar. This was just a small portion of the activities that were planned for that week.

We thought that these events were very neat and informative. As an individual or company, you can learn a lot from these types of events, as they give insightful information that can be applied to any business. The seminars hosted by 36 Degrees North provide a chance to broaden one’s horizon.

Besides that, the atmosphere within the building was very positive. Everyone was able to work in a quiet manor. Some people worked in a private space, while others were in a more public lounge that still maintained a calm atmosphere conducive to productivity.

This doesn’t mean that people were completely isolated from each other. They were still communicating, not only with their own co-workers, but also with the people around them. Every now and then, people walked throughout various parts of the building, just chitchatting.

In conclusion, we both thoroughly enjoyed our time at 36 Degrees North. It’s a nice place for businesses, and people seem to be so glad to work there. Another great factor is the efficiency of this co-working space—everyone gets their work done in a swift manner. Also, the events provided for members are very fun and encourage individual growth. Lastly, the atmosphere in the building is great. Everyone seems to be content with the work they can achieve while making their own network bigger, as there are so many different companies within the building.