Let me elaborate:

I worked in a small town in Montana and had multiple hiking trails, fishing spots, biking and wildlife watching within a 10 min drive. All free.

I had the opportunity to study in a large city in France and spent my free time people-watching in the busy streets, exploring the city, reading in beautiful parks, attending festivals, all free. For a cheap train ticket, other amazing cities where about as far away as Lubbock is to Palo Duro.

Lubbock has none of that. The street-grid design prevents any pedestrian life or sense of community. If you don't have a car you are fucked, the music and foodie community is pathetic for a city of 250,000, and the fact that the only outdoor fun is 2 hours away shows lubbock has zilch for outdoor recreation in comparison to other large cities. Lubbock's young age (100 years old) means there is little urban exploration and the large religious presence means little community involvement in non religious activities. I honestly think it should serve as a textbook example of how to make a large city feel like a giant suburb.

There is a reason everyone shits in Lubbock. If you like it, that is all good and dandy, but if you think it has as much to do as other locations I beg of you to travel more.