The walk from the southernmost tip of Northwestern’s campus to its northernmost point is only about a mile long. While the 20-minute walk between the two campuses can either feel like a leisurely stroll or like you’re climbing Mount Everest — depending on your level of athleticism and the season, of course — the two sides of campus could not feel more different, both in appearance and in student population. 

Students tend to have an affinity for the side of campus they lived on during their first year at NU. Incoming students might rank housing preferences based on the stereotypes that are associated with each campus, meaning, for better or for worse, similar students tend to congregate on either end. 

South Campus is usually considered to be the artsier, more alternative of the two sides. It houses many of NU’s music and theater buildings, making it the haunt of students majoring in similar areas. Students who live on South Campus frequent dining halls like Allison Hall and the East and West dining halls in Foster-Walker Complex (do try the stir fry if you get a chance). The sorority quad is also on South Campus, along with many of the residential colleges, like the Communications Residential College.  

North Campus, by comparison, is seen as the more social side of campus — with activities and functionings more reminiscent of a “typical college experience.” The fraternity houses are up north, lending themselves to this reputation. Students who live on North Campus favor dining halls like Elder Hall and Sargent Hall, and might have a greater bond with the gym based on the quality of the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion over Blomquist Recreation Center.

SESP freshman Noah Weinberg said he believes these stereotypes hold true and even says that the characteristics of students who live on opposite campuses carry on beyond graduation. 

“North Campus has a larger percentage of students who are following investment banking, consulting, recruitment and maybe some more engineers because of its proximity to (Technological Institute),” Weinberg said. “Whereas South Campus is probably people who are more focused on using their education for the true joy of learning.” 

Medill sophomore Alexia Kadota-Browner, who lived on North campus her freshman year, said that living up North as a freshman is “100% the move.”

But while both Weinberg and Kadota-Browner acknowledge that the two sides of campus might be more geared toward a specific type of NU student, the divide is not as serious as it might appear. 

“Northwestern looks very different for each person,” Weinberg said. “The nice thing about North and South Campus is that there are two different worlds; there are so many options. All of campus does not resemble North Campus, and all of campus does not resemble South Campus. It makes Northwestern a more accommodating place for more people and, even if it can feel less unified at times, it makes each individual’s experience stronger.” 

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