Your assigned time is 8:00 a.m. on June 2.

It’s time to choose your dorm and which side of campus you’ll soon call home. You’ve entered the housing portal only to realize you’ve got 0.2 seconds to choose your desired dorm. So many options and not enough time. Give me the honor of helping you decide where on campus you’ll reside.

Which side will win your heart: Northside or Southside?

As a former Southside girl, I’ll do my best to stay unbiased — but I can’t make any promises.

Northside

As a Northsider, English sophomore Jazmine Gipson doesn’t regret her decision. A Posse Scholar recipient, Gipson was required to stay on the north side her freshman year, and loved it enough to stay a second year.

“I like having access to things and being able to get to classes without having to catch a bus or drive to campus every day,” Gipson said. “And for me, it’s just closer to everything I pretty much need.”

Public health sophomore Gariyelle Lewis is also a Posse Scholar and, like Gipson, has remained loyal to Northside since her start at Texas A&M.

“With Hullabaloo, they have Aggie Express there, so that’s pretty much a five minute walk,” Lewis said. “So, if I need anything or medication or something that is an emergency, I can just go there. It’s real convenient.”

The life of a Northsider is seemingly fast paced due to its central location and proximity to main attractions. If you’re looking to be close to the nightlife scene, it just might be the place for you.

“It’s easier to go out and not necessarily have to worry about parking,” Gipson said. “A lot of my friends will come over to my dorm before we head out. We can put our stuff down, and then we can come back whenever we’re ready.”

With Northside being more central, there are more food options, offering more of a variety to Northsiders.

“We have access to Sbisa; we have Chick-fil-A; I like 1876 Burgers,” Gipson said. “You also have the Starbucks right there. And all the food across the street on Northgate.”

Gipson and Lewis both agree the quality and space of some Northside dorms could be improved.

“Personally, I feel our dorms could be a bit more spacious for the price that we’re paying,” Lewis said. “I just wish it could be just a bit more spacious, and I’ll be happy.”

“There’s some good dorms over here, but we also have some really bad ones,” Gipson said. “If you’re looking for something more cost effective, I don’t know, I’d just keep that in mind.”

If you aren’t someone who likes to be around events or prefer quieter spaces, Northside may not be the best fit for you because of its lively crowd. And the loudest of all: the train.

“The train is very loud, and it runs constantly,” Gipson said. “So, if you’re not into that, then it might be better for you to look elsewhere.”

Southside

Society, ethics and law sophomore Amiri Hardy was once a Northside resident herself, however, for her sophomore year she was placed to be a resident advisor, or RA, on the southside. The change for Hardy has been a refreshing one and has improved her day-to-day schedule.

“One of the main perks living over here is the Rec is right there and the Commons is right across the street,” Hardy said. “The proximity is a really big thing. The MSC is not that far to walk.”

Biochemistry freshman Amariau Lemuel said one of the unique aspects to living on Southside is getting to see the Corps of Cadets and, in Hardy’s case, Reveille.

“You get to see a lot of the traditions being on this side, since we’re right next to the Corps,” Lemuel said. “So, I feel like if people care about traditions, they would probably like being on this side.”

One disadvantage of Southside is the limited parking spaces, Hardy said.

“The parking is not good,” Hardy said. “I have to park at the music building. That’s kind of bad at night time, because it’s an eight minute walk to get to my room. There’s a parking lot that’s closer, but then I need to buy a permit that costs more, and then the garage is full; it’s just too much.”

Lemuel said many of her friends live on south side, making it easier for them to meet up nearby at the Commons to hangout or go places together.

“I feel like we have a lot of events here, especially the Commons,” Lemuel said. “Whether you stay in the dorm or not, they do a lot of events that make you have the community here. So, that’s why most people know everybody over here.”

As you can see, everyone’s loyalty lies where their heart resides. Home is where the heart is, and it’s up to you to decide which side suits you best.