Which has better campus life: the University of Minnesota or UConn?

The biggest practical difference is setting: UConn offers a more self-contained, residential college experience in Storrs, while the University of Minnesota Twin Cities places students in the middle of Minneapolis with far more city life beyond campus.

UConn tends to make casual friendship-building easier, especially for first-years living in residence halls. Its campus has a classic college-town rhythm: dining halls, student organizations, recreation, basketball culture, and weekend events are concentrated in the same place. There is still plenty to do, but some students find Storrs quieter when they want off-campus restaurants, concerts, or city activities.

Dinkytown, the light rail, nearby neighborhoods, and Minneapolis give students more options for food, internships, music, museums, and going out. The tradeoff is that making a close circle often requires more intentionality, such as joining a club, living in a social residence hall, or regularly attending events, because students can easily disperse into the city.

For campus life as you describe it, UConn has the edge if your priority is an immediately social, cohesive, traditional college atmosphere where involvement and friendships can form naturally. Minnesota is the more appealing choice if you want a large university community plus the energy and opportunities of a major city, and you are comfortable taking initiative to build your social life.