When walking around campus, you see her. She’s rocking the casual look like it’s nobody’s business. And she’s doing it well. Her bootcut jeans are accompanied by a perfectly worn-in t-shirt layered under a zip up hoodie. She’s wearing black Converse or a pair of well-worn sneakers, the laces tight enough to keep them on, but loose enough to allow her to slip in and out of them easily. Her haircut is low maintenance, but totally chic.  She’s rocking plastic rimmed glasses, no contacts; a watch, no jewelry.

You don’t know her, but you want to.

This is one co-ed who has got it together. She is the kind of girl who is naturally pretty, has a killer body and is completely oblivious to it. She is friendly, kind, and her easygoing, low maintenance attitude makes it easy to get along with her. Even her professors are drawn to her, always chatting with her before class and helping her after.

She has a large circle of friends, filled with a variety of different types of people. Girls love her, guys love her, nerds love her, athletes love her. And though you don’t know her, you kind of want to love her too.

She is funny without being raunchy, boyish but not butch. She prefers drinking beers in a pub to shakin’ her thang at the club.  She’s comfortable at a Death Cab for Cutie concert, but has no problem listening to The Beach Boys or the Avenue Q soundtrack.

She rocks her GPA, has a hot (yet totally down to earth and awesome) boyfriend, and seems to excel at just about everything she puts her mind to…without getting frazzled.

In short, this girl just exudes cool. And as she walks by, you aren’t sure which you want more: to know her or to be her.

[Photo courtesy of Wild Rose on Flickr]

I’d like to make that journey a little more literal and give you some of my favorite city-specific tunes. Start packing the suitcase, this gypsy’s taking you with her!

1. Is It Safe- Matt Pond PA [let's go swimming in Philly]

2. Pachuca Sunrise- Minus the Bear

3. This Place is a Prison- The Postal Service [watch water "cascade down Puget Sound"]

4. Lubbock or Leave It- Dixie Chicks [take a trip back to Texas]

5. Lights- Journey [see the lights shine in San Fran]

6. Boston- Augustana

7. 8 Mile- Eminem [takes you to his hometown of Detroit]

8. La Cienega Just Smiled- Ryan Adams [takes you on a drive in Los Angeles]

9. Spanish Harlem- Aretha Franklin [takes you to NYC]

…You can also go to “Coney Island” with Deathcab For Cutie

10. Walking in Memphis- Marc Cohn

11. Paris, Tokyo- Lupe Fiasco

12. When in Rome- Nickel Creek

13. Holiday in Spain- Counting Crows

14. Leaving on a Jet Plane- Peter, Paul and Mary