Slate Daily Feed How To! | Learn to Love Your City
Nov 25, 2025
Melody Warnick, a journalist and author specializing in community building, shares her journey of transforming her initial dislike for Blacksburg into a genuine love. She discusses the misconceptions about moving and how it doesn't solve personal issues. Through her 'Love Where You Live' project, she created experiments to foster community ties. Melody emphasizes the importance of engaging with your surroundings, from volunteering to exploring local hotspots, and highlights the health benefits of strong place attachment.
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Unexpected Move, Initial Disappointment
- Melody Warnick moved from Austin to Blacksburg expecting a fresh start but found the town didn't immediately feel like home.
- Rainy weather and cultural differences made her consider leaving until she tried intentional experiments to connect.
Try Small Place-Attachment Experiments
- Do small, research-based "love where you live" experiments to build place attachment.
- Use proven behaviors from the literature to intentionally increase your sense of belonging.
Attachment Comes From Actions
- Place attachment arises from specific behaviors, not just feelings.
- Doing walks, volunteering, and civic acts predicts stronger belonging.
