Welcome WVU Class of 2022! I can tell you from firsthand experience that you’re going to love your first year of college here. It will hold some of the best times of your life. But now that you’re all settled into your dorm, I’m sure you might feel a little overwhelmed. WVU is a big school and there’s a lot going on all the time. But rest assured, I’m here to help you get familiar the area around your dorm, which is something I wish someone would have helped me out with. No matter what dorm you’re in or what campus you live on, there’s always something to do near you.
Downtown Campus
Boreman Hall
If you live in Boreman, you have a pretty clear shot to basically everything. You are just a few steps away from High Street, where you will find restaurants like Lotsa Stone Fired Pizza (my favorite), D.P. Dough, Panera Bread and Cold Stone Creamery. There are also cute little shops and boutiques on High Street and of course, the clubs. You are also right across the street from the Mountainlair Student Union, which is where you will probably spend a lot time eating and doing homework. The Lair also hosts a lot of fun events so keep an eye out for those.
Dadisman and Stalnaker Halls
Similarly to Boreman, you are super close to the Lair, which again is where you will spend a good bit of time. You have also probably already figured out that you live next to what we call “Frat Row”, which may or may not be a place you spend time. These halls are right beside Ming Hsieh and Oglebay, which is convenient if you have classes there.
Honors and Summit Halls
These two dorms come hand-in-hand because they are located right beside each other. If you are living here, you are a few feet away from the Mountainline Bus stop, which is super convenient. If I were you I would utilize the bus system as much as possible. Also near you is the Life Science Building. You can walk through the bottom of this building as a shortcut to get to the rest of your classes. Sheetz is across and up a small hill (who am I kidding there are no small hills in Morgantown) from Summit Hall.
Seneca Hall
Seneca is the newer, apartment-style dorms, which are a little bit further away from campus than the other dorms. It comes with its perks, though. You are directly above Insomnia Cookies, and if you don’t know what Insomnia Cookies is I’m here to tell you it will be one of the best things that happens to you. If it’s 2 a.m. and you’re up late studying, you can literally walk down a few flights of stair and get a cookie or 2 or 6 or 7. They also deliver and are open until 3 a.m., so even if you don’t live in Seneca you can get Insomnia Cookies in the middle of the night too.
Evansdale Campus
Oakland Hall
Oakland is near and dear to my heart because this is where I lived during my freshman year. Although it doesn’t have the perfect location like some of the dorms downtown do, I quickly came to love living on the Evansdale Campus. Oakland is located near the football stadium, which is the BEST during football season. Across from the commons area, there is a little plaza with a nail salon, dry cleaning, Anytime Fitness, Smoothie King and IHOP. My other favorite thing about living on Evansdale was being close to the Rec Center. You’re about a 12-minute walk away which, in my opinion, is more convenient than riding the bus. Your place of dining will probably be the Evansdale Crossing, which is also where the Hub and the Evansdale bookstore is located.
Lincoln Hall and Bennett, Brooke, Braxton and Lyon Towers
The Towers are four dorms that are all connected and Lincoln Hall is located just across the street. Directly outside of Towers and just across the street from Lincoln is the Mountainline Bus stop. This is convenient for those of you that live in any of these dorms because you roll out of bed and are already basically at the bus stop. You are also about a 10-minute walk from the Rec Center and the Crossing. Lyon Tower also has a little convenient store inside where you can spend your dining dollars to buy groceries. I didn’t find out about this place until the second semester and I am so upset that I didn’t know about it sooner. It quickly became one of the best things about living on Evansdale. Near all the dorms on Evansdale Campus is a short walk to Kroger, the Book Exchange, Taco Bell, Eat n’ Park and Chick fil A.
No matter where you decided to live your freshman year, I know you will love it. There are always so many fun things happening on campus so you will never get bored no matter where you live. And if you’re looking for something to do from the comfort of your own dorm, you can sign up to write for Her Campus. We are always looking for new writers and would love to have you on our team! If you’re interested, check out @hercampuswvu on Instagram for more info!
Enjoy your first year here at WVU!