College Towns

College Towns

The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment
Your grandpa probably really did walk 5 miles to school in a foot of snow. A look at the changing numbers for how American students get to school.
 • Ryan M Allen
Celebrating the Timeless Allure of Tintin's Aesthetics
The Adventures of Tintin officially entered the public domain in 2025. We now all own the alluring aesthetics of this timeless classic.
 • Ryan M Allen
The Urbanism of the 'King of the Hill' Reboot
The cartoon show about a family in a small Texas town has a lot to say about the urbanism of our society, especially after a 15 year hiatus. Part I.
 • Ryan M Allen
No, You and a Couple of Friends Shouldn't Buy a Dead College
You will have to find another way to relive the glory of your college days.
 • Ryan M Allen
Making an Intersection Unsafe for Pedestrians to Save Seconds for Drivers
How the redesign of a street in a walkable college town reflects our broader values for cars over people.
 • Ryan M Allen
The 16% of Dangerous Drivers Dilemma
This small subset of drivers makes our streets even more dangerous.
 • Ryan M Allen
Where Have All the Trick-or-Treaters Gone on Halloween? Destination Neighborhoods
Urbanism and car culture play a role in eroding the holiday tradition, but so too has the consolidation of trick-or-treat to destination neighborhoods…
 • Ryan M Allen
9 Things I Noticed About NYC After Being Gone Since Pre-COVID
I left New York in 2019, but the city didn't stop when I was gone. It never does. Here are nine things I noticed on my return.
 • Ryan M Allen
Let College Towns Grow Up
Decrepit housing falling into the ocean should not be the only option for students.
 • Jeremy Levine
Crisis by Design: Student Housing and the Hidden Cost of Higher Education
The rise of purpose-built student accommodations and commodification of studenthood in college towns.
 • Shanshan Jiang-Brittan
Why Parents Tolerate Terrible School Car Pickup Lines
A tragedy strikes the my own community. We failed this boy and his family by placating drivers over everything else.
 • Ryan M Allen
Why Finland, Norway, & Sweden Are the Least Happiest Countries in this Ranking
Arbitrary indicators, dubious choices, random weights, overstated studies, biased presentation—this essay shows how rankings are not science.
 • Ryan M Allen
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