Before really thinking about it and diving deeper into the connection between the material world and our own lives, I hardly ever paid attention to how much of an impact the design of a place influenced my everyday life. I thought of public places as things that existed in the city and helped me get to places, rather than anything more. After watching James Howard Kunstler’s TED Talk and completing the Carrollton Campus Scavenger Hunt Bingo, I started to realize how important the structures of places are and how it impacts how people communicate, how communities are organized, and how unified we are to the areas we live.

During the Carrollton Campus Scavenger Hunt Bingo, I noticed that the campus was very safe and filled with welcoming people. On the back of my assignment I took a couple notes, one of them stating, “There are kids, teachers, and admin, or people that belong here everywhere.” This creates a sense of community and safety in areas. Seeing this changed how I look at things like downtown areas and walkways. A sidewalk is not only a path to get from place to place, but it can also be a place where people meet and feel included with their community. When people use public spaces like shops, seating, or sidewalks, it helps make people feel connected.

I also thought about this during our Adamson Square Walking Tour. The downtown spaces helped me to see things in a new way. I got to stop and really take in what I was walking through. When driving through it, I only ever think about parking or traffic. When walking, I noticed the intricate details of the buildings, sidewalks, and businesses. I also got to pay more attention to the other people using the areas. An example that I observed from the walking tour was in Gallery Row. This is a classic coffee shop deep in Carrollton history. When I first arrived in the cafe, I just sat down and listened to what was happening. Looking around, you could see people quietly studying, talking in interviews or meetings, or even just meeting an old friend to catch up. There was so much collaboration happening in the spaces and it led me to understand how public spaces encourage people to spend time together.

In James Howard Kunstler’s TED Talk, “The Ghastly Tragedy of the Suburbs,” he goes into detail about how terrible places that are designed around cars are, instead of creating meaningful public places. It made me realize how much we depend on cars for everything. Yes, they are extremely convenient, but they make areas lose their spark. Reducing walking and making it difficult to travel by foot. This makes people lose their connection with places in their town.

After this, I thought about the difference between a space that is practical and one that is meaningful. A place like a parking lot or the area where the crossing signal is located only serves its purpose and does not encourage any other lingering. On the other hand, an area like the square is a place where people tend to gather, even when it is not necessary. The difference is not just how they look, it is about the activities and collaboration an area makes possible. Our school scavenger hunt did the same thing. Places that I normally quickly pass through became a bigger part of the campus. I noticed that we miss so much because we do not slow down to look at details. Things that make a place special can be so small.

Overall, I think that the material world is not only a backdrop of the show we call our lives, but the main part of it. Structures of places strongly influence how we live and feel about particular areas. Moving on, I will notice whether areas around me connect people or do the opposite. I want to be more intentional about how I experience things. By paying more attention to the public places around me, I can understand how the places humans create impact our communities, connections, and everyday experiences.