If you ask people around campus where they live, a majority of them will probably tell you Southwest. Being the home of several 20+ floor towers, along with low-rise halls, it makes sense that a majority of people would reside there. Southwest accounts for 5,500 students on campus, making it by far the largest residential area at UMass. However, it is often misconstrued that being the biggest living area on campus makes it more social, and therefore the best. The “best” residential area, though it may sound cliché, is really wherever you best fit.

In my first year, I joined a RAP to fulfill a course credit. Being in a RAP, I was guaranteed housing in Wheeler Hall, a small first-year dorm facing Franklin Dining Commons (in Central). I inadvertently "rigged the system" to ensure housing in a specific building by joining this RAP, but I mostly wanted to live in Wheeler because I thought the area was pretty and it was close to my classes. Living in Central, as opposed to Southwest or the four other residential areas, made no impact on my social life or my ability to meet people in the slightest. Though this was never really a concern of mine, I know that it can be intimidating when you don’t live where the majority of people do. However, I made my closest friends on campus when I lived in Wheeler, and I lived where was best for me.

Housing at any college can be stressful — you want to meet new people and be in a nice area, preferably close to your classes — and I think people often tend to go where everyone else is. Being a second-year student, I can genuinely say my housing in Central has treated me well. While it is not the largest area on campus, it’s not necessarily small either, and it is by no means “anti-social.” I like the general vibe and friendliness of the people I live with, and I find the cohesiveness of the residence halls aesthetically pleasing. The proximity of my residence hall to my classes is probably what made me most want to live in here again, but I have friends in most of the residential areas, which are all in walking distance of my room (plus there is a bus system that goes all across campus). Even if you live across campus from all your friends, getting to them isn’t hard at all. 

My advice is to choose your living situation based off what you think is best for yourself, not where the majority of your friends live. All of the residential areas here at UMass are accommodating, whether it be through break housing or living experiences. There are dining halls in every residential area (you’ll really never go hungry here), and the residential life staff will help you if you end up not liking your living situation. However, truth be told, we go to a school of more than 20,000 people… you’re going to make friends with the people you live around. It’s inevitable.