#surfstoked

you are all so fucking dumb, do your own research according to nonbiased sources and you mught actually learn something. everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not the medias or their parent

That's a good question! It really depends on what lifestyle you prefer. Last year, I based my decision on what the CP housing website told me, and I really really wish I had been able to talk to a student because the housing site doesn't tell you what you students actually find important. At all.

There are a few basic categories for freshman housing:

The Red Bricks (South Mountain): These dorms are part of the LLP (Living Learning Program) in which students from the same college live together -- at least that’s what it says on the website. However, if you’re a fine arts major (College of Liberal Arts), no one is going to stop you from living in Muir (the dorm for the students of the College of Math and Science). I currently live in the College of Liberal Arts dorm (Trinity! Yay!), but neither of my roommates are in the College of Liberal Arts. Basically, I’m trying to say that you shouldn’t stress about choosing one Red Brick from another. It’s nice to live with people who have the same classes as you, but there will be at least one other person from your major in your dorm no matter what you choose. Overall the Red Bricks are the closest dorms to campus (I leave my dorm 7 minutes before class tops) and they are by far the most quiet. Each dorm has a study lounge and quiet hours are usually respected. That doesn’t mean we’re lame though! We know how to have fun, and each dorm is very much a family, especially on a floor basis.Sierra Madre/Yosemite: I don’t live in the rest of these options, so my information will be more limited. Sierra Madre is the party dorm, hands down. There are no respected quiet hours, and there is no time that isn’t a good time to party. Yosemite is randomly the only hall in which boys and girls live every other room instead of in separate sides of the hall. The rooms in Madre and Yosemite are larger than those in the Red Bricks, but not by too much. From what I can tell visiting friends, the atmosphere is very fun, laid back, and stereotypically college (which isn’t a bad thing!). There is also a very strong sense of family/community, just like the Red Bricks. However, these dorms are far from the center of campus. Parts of Yosemite are a half mile walk at least, and I hear it’s a pain to have to make that walk every day. I had actually put Yosemite down as my first choice, but was placed in Trinity. THANK GOODNESS. Personally, I need the quiet hours to study, and I would have hated the long walk to campus.Cerro Vista: Cerro is an apartment complex for those who don’t want to choose the dorm lifestyle. The people seem quieter and wish to be more focused. The big plus for most people is that you get your own room rather than sharing with roommate(s). I really don’t know much about it past that. I probably wouldn’t recommend it for your first year because I think dorm living is an awesome college experience -- but dorm living isn’t for everyone and this is a good alternative option. Cerro is a bit farther from campus than the Red Bricks, but only by a little. Definitely way closer than Madre/Yosemite. North Mountain: I wish someone had told me about North Mountain when I was a senior! NM is technically a set of dorms, but it’s set up a bit more like apartments. You do share a room and have roommates, but the bathroom is only shared by your room and the room next door. There isn’t a hall set up because each room opens up to the outside (which by the way, is a beautiful lawn and normally beautiful weather). The rooms are very spacious, and from what I can tell, NM seems to have a strong sense of community. If I knew anything about NM as a senior, I would have definitely had it on my list of preferences.

My list of preferences as a senior:1) Yosemite2) Trinity (Red Brick for College of Liberal Arts)3) Sierra MadreIf I were to remake that list after knowing what I know now:1) Trinity (lol, but of course!)2) North Mountain3) Yosemite