Before you move into the dorm, you should know what to expect. The West Virginia University dorms allow you to choose between doubles, singles, suites and triples. The beds are twin-sized extra long. In your room, you get a bed, desk, chair, lamp, phone and window coverings. Laundry facilities and shuttle services are available and you have the option of renting a mini-fridge. There are no cleaning facilities so students are expected to clean up after themselves. If they leave a mess after moving out, they will be billed for cleaning services.
Don't bring any contraband items like drugs, alcohol or tools. Drugs and alcohol will get you in trouble before you get a chance to enjoy your college experience. If you're a freshman, you're likely to be underage and if you get caught with alcohol you'll face disciplinary actions. Leave the tools behind because you're not allowed to make changes to your room yourself. If you want to hang something up, ask the college maintenance to do it for you. Electronics such as hot plates, portable heaters and toasters are also a bad idea. Too many appliances crowd the room and are also dangerous. Don't bring too many clothes. If you'll need new clothes for events, you're better off buying them when the time comes so they're appropriate for the occasion. Also, don't bring too many things to keep you entertained because you probably won't have enough time for them between sleeping, going to class and socializing.
Some students end up bringing a huge amount of groceries with them just to be prepared. Don't do this because one person alone can't eat all that food and even a loaf of bread is likely to go bad before you can eat it. You can always eat in the dining hall, where they have many options all day long. For breakfast, you can have eggs, pastries, fruit, bagels and cereal. For dinner, you can choose between options such as steaks, fries, salads and pizza. If you want to eat healthier food and avoid the "freshman 15," you can always rent a mini-fridge when you get to the dorms and stock up on groceries later. Students living in dorms are required to buy a meal plan.
You don't need a lot of supplies to survive at the dorms. You need to bring enough clothes for just one season and a lot of undergarments and socks. Bring quarters for change to put in the laundry machines. You might want to bring a laptop, iPod and bookshelf.
The visiting hours policy is a little more strict than other colleges. For safety reasons, no one is allowed to sign in opposite-sex guests after midnight for overnight stays, making it difficult for some students to get together to study all night before an exam.