Whether you’re a freshman settling into dorm life, an out-of-state student navigating a new city or an upperclassman exploring College Station apartments, these episodes from The Best Four podcast are here to help you through the process of student living at TAMU.
College Station’s atmosphere can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming, especially for A&M students juggling classes, exams and housing.
To help you narrow down the episodes to find the answers you need, we compiled a brief breakdown of each episode and what they entail.
Episode One: Before You Choose Texas A&M Housing, Listen to This: Dorms, Sorority Houses & Apartments [Christina]
In this episode of The Best Four Podcast, Laura chats with Christina, a senior psychology major at Texas A&M University from Boerne, Texas. Christina shares how she grew up in a Longhorn family but immediately felt at home when she toured A&M, and how the school’s traditions, involvement and strong sense of community ultimately made it the right choice for her. She also opens up about entering college knowing very little about housing and what she learned while navigating dorm life, sorority housing and an off-campus apartment.
Christina walks through her full Texas A&M housing journey, from the chaos of freshman housing selection and living in Rudder Hall to moving into the Delta Zeta house sophomore year. She shares the differences between Northside, Southside and Northgate, why she chose not to live with a close friend and how she learned the importance of privacy and recharging. She also breaks down her off-campus apartment search, including why safety, maintenance and signing before winter break mattered most.
In this episode, we cover:
- The differences between Northside, Southside, Northgate and Historic
- Her experience living in Rudder Hall and the Delta Zeta house
- Finding the right roommate and setting boundaries
- Why you do not have to live on campus to be involved
- Starting the off-campus housing search before winter break
- Choosing an apartment over a house for safety and maintenance
- Her advice for getting involved early at Texas A&M
Episode Two: College Station Beyond A&M: Off-Campus Housing, Finding Your Community and Leasing Agent Secrets [Ashtyn]
In this episode of The Best Four Podcast, Laura chats with Ashtyn, a marketing major from Houston who moved to College Station after changing her college plans at the last minute. Ashtyn explains why she chose Blinn College instead of Texas State and what it was like adjusting to college life away from home.
Ashtyn shares her housing journey through The Barracks, The Heights and her upcoming one-bedroom apartment at Lake Walk at Traditions. From navigating roommate conflicts and caring for multiple pets to becoming a leasing agent, she explains why students should start their housing search early, ask detailed questions and look beyond how a property appears. Ashtyn also opens up about anxiety, making friends naturally and how college helped her become more independent.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why Ashtyn changed her plans and moved to College Station
- Blinn College, RELLIS and alternative paths to Texas A&M
- The reality of living with roommates and multiple pets
- Communicating through roommate conflict with the goal of resolving it
- Comparing townhomes and apartments in College Station
- Leasing agent advice for touring and signing student housing
- The importance of maintenance, security, amenities and lease details
- Learning to be independent and comfortable with unexpected change
Episode Three: Behind Texas A&M’s “Culty” Culture: The True Freshman Experience and Joining the Aggie Family [Zoie]
In this episode of The Best Four Podcast, Laura chats with Zoie, a recent Texas A&M University graduate who studied communication with a minor in agricultural sales. Originally from Kiowa, Texas, Zoie shares why A&M was not initially her first choice, how touring campus changed her mind and what she came to love about the school’s traditions and tight-knit community. She also reflects on navigating every stage of college living, from freshman dorms and campus organizations to sharing a house with friends off campus.
Zoie walks through her full housing journey at Texas A&M, starting with her freshman year in Wells Hall on Southside, where she found her roommate through the class Instagram page. She explains the differences between Northside, Southside and West Campus and shares why living on campus made it easier to meet people and stay connected. Zoie also talks about finding community through Fish Camp and a freshman leadership organization called FLO after deciding not to rush. She opens up about the benefits and challenges of living with friends, dealing with property management and utility issues and why communication and cleanliness are two of the most important things to discuss before choosing roommates.
In this episode, we cover:
- The differences between Modular and Hullabaloo-style dorms
- Dining halls, meal plans and getting around Texas A&M’s large campus
- Zoie’s experience with Blinn TEAM and taking classes at RELLIS
- Why she wishes she had considered Callaway for freshman year
- How early students should begin searching for housing in the Historic District
- Zoie’s time-management tips and advice for handling roommate conflict
Episode Four: Skipping the Dorms at Texas A&M: Freshman Independence & Apartment Living From Day One [Carlos]
In this episode of The Best Four, Laura chats with Carlos, a Texas A&M architectural engineering graduate who is staying in College Station to earn his master’s degree. Carlos shares why A&M was not initially his first choice, how its engineering program and scholarship opportunities won him over and how he ultimately chose A&M despite growing up in a University of Texas household.
Carlos walks through his full housing journey, starting with applying too late for on-campus housing and landing in a studio apartment at 12 North in Northgate. He explains how living alone freshman year taught him to cook, clean, manage his time and become more independent. Carlos also challenges the idea that students must live in a dorm to make friends, sharing how he built community through his apartment, student organizations and a collegiate solar vehicle design team. He later moved into The Standard with friends, then chose a house for junior and senior year for cheaper rent, more space and a better place to host. He also reflects on balancing engineering classes, social life, transportation and housing as college became more demanding.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why Carlos chose Texas A&M over UT for engineering and scholarships
- Applying too late for on-campus housing and ending up in Northgate
- What living alone freshman year taught him about independence
- Why students can still make friends without living in a dorm
- Balancing engineering classes, student organizations and social life
- Why house living was cheaper and better for hosting
- Navigating transportation between his house and campus
- Carlos’ advice to apply for housing early and learn from failure
Episode Five: The Texas A&M Housing Hustle: Unexpected Dorm Plans & Why Students Secure Houses YEARS in Advance
In this episode, Laura sits down with Bailey, a senior at Texas A&M, to talk about her housing journey through four years in College Station. After attending the Texas A&M vs. Alabama football game her senior year of high school and watching the Aggies pull off the win, Bailey took it as a sign, submitted her application that same week and ultimately made College Station home.
Bailey shares how her freshman housing plans completely changed when she couldn’t get a dorm with her intended roommate, ultimately landing in a single room in Walton Hall. What initially felt like a setback became one of the best things that could have happened when she met two of her best friends across the hall. From there, she takes us through living in her sorority house sophomore year and navigating the extremely competitive process of finding a house in the Historic District for junior and senior year.
In this episode, we cover:
● Navigating freshman dorms at Texas A&M
● Living alone in Walton Hall and making friends freshman year
● Northside vs. Southside dorms at Texas A&M
● Fish Camp and some of Bailey’s favorite Aggie traditions
● Reality of living in a sorority house sophomore year
● Why so many upperclassmen want to live in the Historic District
● How early students really start looking for houses in College Station
● Why your college experience depends on how willing you are to put yourself out there
We hope this compilation of podcast episodes serves as a tool for the varying questions you might have regarding living and housing near A&M. For more information on off-campus housing, contact our leasing staff.
Bailey Harris
Bailey Harris is the Leasing & Marketing Manager at The Heights. Born and raised in College Station, Bailey brings firsthand knowledge of the local community and Texas A&M area to help students find a place that feels like home. Outside of work, she enjoys watching a good show, soaking up the sun and trying fun new drinks around town.
Published On: September 23, 2026
Last Updated On: September 23, 2026