Traditional urbanism attracts all sorts of people because of the many benefits that come from a well-built urban environment. Designers are drawn to the visual appeal. Environmentalists come for the sustainability. Economists like the financial gains. The list goes on. For me, a multimedia journalism student, it is the productive and car-free lifestyle.

Growing up in Western North Carolina, I cannot say that I ever experienced an urban lifestyle at home. I never lived in multi-family housing, and we got everywhere by car. However, I was fortunate enough to travel a fair amount with my family and even have extended family in Europe. From an early age, I found exploring a new place on foot, navigating public transit, finding unique restaurants and experiencing the diversity of a city to be one of the coolest things ever.

It wasn’t until I went off to college that I had a somewhat urban lifestyle without being on vacation. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I had a full year of life with no car and discovered everything I needed within walking distance, an experience other Strong Towns writers can identify with. I remember people asking what my favorite part of college was after my first semester and answering, “I can be so much more productive.” I could get to the dining hall, classrooms and gym within 10 minutes by foot or bike. Better yet, many of my friends lived in the same building as me.

UNC is a big university and is part of The Triangle, the second largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. My exciting memories in urban environments were all in cities such as New York, DC and Chicago. Naturally, I believed that, in order to have an urban lifestyle, you needed to go to the biggest cities. My most recent semester of college proved that belief false.