Millennials desire and seek a sense of belonging within their environment. This emotional connection can be described using several different terms: sense of belonging, sense of community, placemaking, and place attachment. As a cohort, these young adults want to identify with their environment and feel part of their community because it provides emotional security, personal connection, and encourages personal relationships. Introduction to Sense of Belonging and Place Attachment: Sense of belonging is the “development of the level of comfort and feelings of security associated with a place” (Kopec, p. 62). These associations often result in the desired sense of belonging and allow individuals to “develop feelings of attachment to particular environments based on combinations of use, attractiveness, and emotion” (Stokowski, 2002). The development of these psychological connections to certain places lends itself to the concept of place attachment, or “a person's connection to the social and physical environments of a place” (Kopec, p. 62). These places often hold deep meaning for people because their identity is established in their environment. This affiliation between a person and their place is often perceived through personal connection, comfort, and security (Kopec, p. 131). Many people feel that the place they are in should have its own “special character,” or identity that defines it and distinguishes it from other places (Kopec, p.1). Kopec says: “The distinct spatial characteristics of an environment, its way of comparing itself to others, its connections to personal life courses, and its potential for change combine to affect the meaning of places for people.” Establishing this sense of place identity ...... middle of paper ......f place, and facilitating place attachment is placemaking. When people create an identity within their physical environment, they create a place. Placemaking is defined as “the ability to shape public spaces within a community with a focus on community and the connection between the environment and the user” (PPS, p.). There are several important placemaking principles to consider. • “The community is the expert.” Generally, people living in a certain environment know and understand what needs to be done to best create a sense of belonging. •When people manipulate the physical world of life to make it their own, they create space. Placemaking extends beyond the act of building or renovating a space and becomes a process that encourages the creation of vital destinations where people invest, live and visit (Schneekloth & Shibley, 199