Living Guide Spring 2015

THE DAILY ATHENAEUMLIVING GUIDE—JAN. 30

THE DAILY ATHENAEUM Friday January 29, 20162 | LIVING GUIDE

by madeleine hallstaff writer

@dailyathenaeum

University Place is located on University Avenue on the Downtown Campus and is one of the newer apartment complexes at West Virginia University. UPlace offers a number of apartments, stu-dios and townhomes.

Apartments are fully fur-nished and all utilities are included in rent.

Community amenities in-clude a fitness center, study lounges, a WVU/Moun-tain Line bus stop, outdoor courtyards and a number of food options, such as a Sheetz, Insomnia Cookies, Burgerz n Dogz and Papa Allen’s Pizza.

Individual apartment amenities include gran-ite kitchen countertops, hardwood-style floors, pri-vate bedrooms, private and

semi-private bathrooms and a washer and dryer in certain units.

Apartments are furnished to include a flat-screen TV, new couches, entertain-ment centers and bedroom furniture.

UPlace has a policy of in-dividual lease responsibil-ity or “by the bed leases,” meaning that a roommate’s failure to pay rent will have no negative consequences on your credit.

Parking leases are distrib-uted on a first come, first serve basis.

“UPlace is pretty nice, but it’s quite expensive,” said Karl Mueller, a WVU soph-omore and Uplace resident. “They’re going to raise rent next year, so I frequently advise people against liv-ing here.”

Isaac Estep, also a soph-omore at WVU and resident at UPlace, said he hasn’t en-

joyed the recent construc-tion in the area.

“They are still working on the building, so frequent loud construction noises disturb your day,” he said. “I have to yell to talk to some-one a foot away.”

Rent at UPlace is cur-rently $750 per month. Be-cause rent is rising, leases signed or renewed by Nov. 30 is $760. If leases are signed after Nov. 30, rent is hiked to $775.

For more information on UPlace, visit http://uplace.wvu.edu.

[email protected]

Sunnyside Construction still affecting UPlace residents

askar salikhov/the daily athenaeum

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THE DAILY ATHENAEUMFriday January 29, 2016 living guide | 3

Questions commonly asked by students seeking housingby jamie mason

Staff writer @dailyathenaeum

“Is there parking?”If you have a car at school

with you, this answer is im-perative. Especially in Mor-gantown, parking is one of the hardest things to come by, making this one of the most important things to ask about before signing a lease. You don’t want it to be move in day and realize there is no place to park. If parking is of-fered at your new home, be sure to find out whether or not there is an additional fee for it, as well.

“Are utilities included in my rent?”

Many times for apart-ments or houses off-campus at West Virginia University, students have to pay for util-ities on top of monthly rent. Before signing a lease, it is crucial you find out whether or not utilities are included. How bad would it be if one month into school, the elec-tricity turned off because you didn’t know you had to pay the electric bill? Also, clarify if all or just some utilities are included.

“Are there any known issues or damages to the apartment?”

The home you want to live in may be beautiful, but what if the toilet won’t flush or the bathtub doesn’t drain? You should always ask the land-lord if there are any known physical problems or main-tenance issues and, more im-portantly, check for yourself. Landlords might not be up-front, so you don’t want to be held accountable for some-one else’s handiwork. Also, ask about who takes care of maintenance and how to get in contact.

“What are my leasing options?”

Living on your own in col-lege can be expensive, so sometimes it’s necessary to have roommates. Before you or your potential room-mates sign the lease, ask if each person has his or her own lease, or a “by the bed”

lease. You don’t want to lose your house halfway through the semester because one of your roommates can’t afford their share of the rent. Many places offer separate leases for each resident, ensuring your roommates’ mistakes won’t affect you.

“What are my transpor-tation options within walk-ing distance?”

Whether it’s walking, driving or taking a shuttle to class, you should always consider how far away cam-pus is from your new home and how you will get around. Morgantown has a number of hills, so make sure there is an easy way to navigate to and from classes. Especially if you don’t have a car, trans-portation like shuttles, buses and the PRT can be crucial to travelling not just to class

but to the grocery store, the bar or anything else in town you’re interested in.

“How can I decorate?”People like to express

themselves artistically and make their rooms their own, and many times, this may mean hanging photos or posters. But some landlords and apartment complexes are stricter than others with decoration policies.

Ask what you’re allowed to physically do to your new living space before making any style choices. Wouldn’t it be terrible if you lost your security deposit because of one nail in the wall? Be wary of “redecoration fees” land-lords could be charging on top of security deposits, and if there is prior damage to walls or carpets, document it with a photo and show

your landlord to avoid being charged when you move out.

“Is there a laundry unit?”

You might not particularly enjoy laundry, but it’s nec-essary to consider if there’s a washer and dryer in, or near by, your new home. If these features are not inside your house or apartment, ask where they’re located and how much it costs to use them. If you live in a commu-nal apartment, check to see if the machines are free or coin-operated, and if they’re functional.

“Can I bring my pet with me?”

College is a time to gain re-sponsibility. For some, this may mean adopting a pet and learning to take care of an animal. Whether you have one now or might want one

in the future, you should ask whether or not pets are al-lowed. If pets are allowed, be sure to see it in the lease and find out if there is an addi-tional fee for the pet to live in the house or for further dam-age. Also check restrictions on pets. Some landlords will allow certain dogs under a specific weight or may ban select breeds.

“What is the guest policy?”

WVU is a school many students are proud of and want to show it off to their family and friends, which means lots of guests. How-ever, sometimes landlords have a policy in their lease prohibiting guests from staying overnight or for a period of time. Find out the guest policy before you sign if you think you might have

friends over for a visit, or you might end up leaving some loved ones stranded. Also, check if guest park-ing is available for visitors or if special arrangements must be made with your landlord.

“What is the policy on breaking my lease?”

College isn’t for every-one, and family issues aren’t planned, so what happens if, after one semester, you need to move back home, drop out of school or take some time off? Before signing your new lease, ask about the terms and conditions of breaking it for any reason. Find out how much notice is required, how much you’d have to pay or if you’d be forced to find a new tenant for subleasing.

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file photoA look at the inside of an apartment at Vandalia Apartments.

THE DAILY ATHENAEUM Friday January 29, 20164 | AD


by a&E staffda staff

@dailyathenaeum

DowntownAlthough recent construc-

tion plans make it seem like the school is trying to move the town’s center to some-where between Evansdale and Sunnyside, there is no beating the charm of down-town Morgantown.

The historic center of the city, High Street and the sur-rounding blocks have be-come the go-to area for night-life, shopping and dining.

Downtown offers a vari-ety of housing options, from old-school apartments over-looking the city’s center to rentable housing along the nearby streets. There is some-thing for every living style.

Clubs and bars along High

Street, such as The Annex, Jameson’s and Joe Mama’s, give students places to dance, meet up with friends and en-joy a few drinks. For the more adventurous, great bars such as the Apothecary are tucked

away on side streets, offering stunning drink selections and calmer atmospheres.

Food is also easy to come by downtown. Establish-ments like Tailpipes, The High Street Diner and Soul Broth-

ers offer delicious and quick in-and-out meals. For those desiring more of a sit-down vibe, downtown is home to many pubs and breweries such as The Iron Horse Tav-ern, Morgantown Brewing Co. and J.W. Thirsty’s.

For music lovers, the area has venues such as the new Mainstage Morgantown and historic 123 Pleasant Street, which offer almost nightly performances from local groups and nationally ac-claimed bands alike.

StadiumAs a student, living by Mi-

lan Puskar Stadium puts you in a West Virginia Uni-versity hot spot where good grub, brewed beverages and Mountaineer sports take precedent. Within walking distance of the small com-munity residing around the

stadium are an array of din-ing options for students.

For a caffeine boost, or a place to study, Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts provide af-fordable, convenient options. Both are located on Van Voor-his Drive within walking dis-tance from the medical PRT, allowing students from var-ious points on campus to commute without a car.

If you’re looking for a boost without the caffeine, Los Ma-riachis Mexican Restaurant’s margaritas and specialty en-chiladas are a go-to for stu-dents looking for an afford-able meal out.

Dickey’s Barbeque located next to Starbucks also pro-vides an affordable option for lunch or dinner. WVU stu-dent and Dickey’s Barbeque employee Ivy Meadows said the restaurant provides stu-

dents daily specials.“We have a lot of offers

here,” Meadows said. “We really try to reach out to the student population here in Morgantown.”

West RunOne of the largest stu-

dent living communities re-sides just beyond one of the biggest entertainment hubs in town. The West Run area not only offers a handful of affordable housing options, but also many great dining and nightlife options for stu-dents on a budget.

Suncrest Town Centre, lo-cated off of Stewartstown Road., has plenty of for-mal and fast-food options to try. For students on the run, drive-thru spots such as Mar-tin’s Barbeque, Five Guys,

MORGANTOWNWV.GOVMorgantown residents roam High Street.

Where is the place to be?Taking location, nightlife, attractions and personal interests into account

see location PAGE 6

THE DAILY ATHENAEUM Friday January 29, 20166 | living guide

Dairy Queen and Sonic are available. For those looking to kick back on the weekends, check out Primanti Brothers, Buffalo Wild Wings or Pies and Pints for some tasty lo-cal favorites.

Suncrest Town Centre also offers shopping destinations such as the trendy women’s

apparel boutique Park and Madison, Cowboys and An-gels and a LOFT Outlet.

The Moutainline conve-niently extends its route to service students traveling to both the Suncrest Town Centre and Pierpont Centre shopping areas.

EvansdaleEvansdale appeals to

Mountaineers for its conve-nient location and campus resources in a quiet, laid-back environment. If you’re

looking to step back from the hustle and bustle of down-town, Evansdale offers easy options for living and com-muting between campuses.

WVU has recently added a plethora of new Evansdale dining options and entertain-ment on campus, with even more on the way. In the new Evansdale Crossing build-ing located next to the Stu-dent Rec Center, students can chose between multiple eat-eries on meal-plan in the First

Floor Marketplace.Fast, on-the-go spots in-

clude Collo Rosso Pizza, Hugh Baby’s BBQ and Burger Shop, Little Donkey Tacos and Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe. Students can also enjoy a juice bar and a coffee shop on Evansdale Crossing’s roof-top level.

In a short, five-minute walk, Mountaineers can en-joy off-campus locations along Patteson Drive. Not only do students have access to a 24-hour Kroger, late-night food options including Taco Bell, Burger King, Little Caesar’s and McDonald’s are also available.

If you’re looking for a dine-in experience, check out local restaurants Mario’s Fishbowl and Boston Beanery located along University Avenue for pub-style grub. Adventurous eaters might even be tempted by Evansdale’s Asian cuisine options, such as Ogawa and Volcano.

The DomainAlthough the Domain’s lo-

cation makes residents reli-ant on buses or other forms of automotive transportation to reach campus and down-town fun, its proximity to a whole shopping center gives students living there oppor-tunities others do not have.

Students living at the Do-main have walking access to tons of shopping, restaurants and entertainment with Uni-

versity Towne Centre right in their backyard.

Although Chili’s, Ched-dar’s, Red Lobster and the ever-so-cheap Cici’s Pizza don’t offer the local charm some downtown restaurants have, these chains are known for their consistency.

With Regal Morgantown Stadium 12 only a stone’s throw away, the Domain is an excellent location for movie buffs. The theater is located in front of the Domain, meaning residents don’t need to drive or struggle with parking to see the latest blockbuster hit.

With the recent addition of the new baseball stadium right next door, the Domain is also an excellent area for sports fans. When the Moun-taineers aren’t taking the di-amond, people can watch the West Virginia Black Bears compete.

Target, Walmart, Game-stop and other stores mean Domain residents are never without food or material items. Although separated a bit from the rest of Morgan-town, the Domain offers resi-dents a lot of things to do.

SunnysideWhile much of Sunnyside

is undergoing serious reno-vations, the area is still a ma-jor hub of student life.

Iconic Morgantown res-taurants such as The Rusted Musket and Mutt’s provide students with a timeless WVU

feel. For those 21 and older looking for late night fun with friends, Mutt’s on Beechurst is a fun spot to spin the shot wheel and snag specials. For students looking to enjoy a healthier late-night option, The Greeks, located in Beech View Place, is open until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Satur-days. Owner and chef Dimi-trios Kolettis said The Greeks is a great spot for students be-cause the restaurant serves simple, one-of-a-kind food that is all prepared in-house.

“It’s very healthy, and it’s one-of-a-kind here in Mor-gantown,” Kolettis said. “It is Greek. Greek is simple, and we make everything in the house. This is a family owned business.”

Students who opt to stay in can also dessert-dial warm cookies, brownies and ice cream sandwiches from In-somnia Cookies. The late- night delivery service, located beneath University Place, will drop hot cookies at any stu-dent’s doorstep.

Insomnia Cookies isn’t the only UPlace business crafting up popular student dining. Students looking to use Mountie Bounty can purchase both meals from Sheetz’ Made-To-Order op-tion and certain groceries at the downtown convenience store.

daa&[email protected]

file phOTOStudents and local residents enjoy a game of pool at Mutt’s in Sunnyside.

locationContinued from PAGE 5

THE DAILY ATHENAEUMFriday January 29, 2016 LIVING GUIDE | 7

Taking transportation into account when choosing a place to liveby amy pratt

staff writer @dailyathenaeum

Transportation in Mor-gantown can be compli-cated, especially with the growing number of stu-dents and hilly terrain. Fortunately, West Virginia University and local ser-vices offer some meth-ods of transportation to students.

The PRT and the bus are common methods stu-dents use to get to class and travel between WVU’s campuses. Both are free for students with their WVU ID.

Taylor Fama, a freshman biomedical engineering student, lives in Oakland Hall on Evansdale Campus.

She uses both the bus and the PRT to travel down-town for class. Though she prefers riding the PRT be-cause it drops her off closer to her first class, she usu-ally takes the bus.

“The PRT is not reliable enough,” Fama said. “The bus is more reliable than the PRT, and you know ex-actly where it’s going to be. They (have) the Twitter and the schedule. You can use the schedule to find out where (the bus) is sup-posed to be and the Twit-ter to know where it actu-ally is.”

While the bus is usu-ally more reliable than the PRT, it also has its disad-vantages for Fama.

“If you miss the bus, there’s not another one

for 20 minutes. It’s not like you can wait for another bus to come in the next five minutes,” Fama said. “Also, comparing the bus to the PRT, the bus doesn’t increase its productiv-ity or the number of runs it makes based on how many people need it. The PRT will have more cars running on the track and more runs during a rush time, but the bus can eas-ily get overcrowded.”

Josef Heller, a biochem-istry student who lives at College Park, thinks Col-lege Park’s location can be inconvenient. While walk-ing to class can take too long, it’s also too close to drive.

“I always walk to and from my classes because

it’s hard to find parking. There is parking at College Park, so I have the option of having a car, but I don’t drive to class,” Heller said.

Heller has to walk up a large hill to get home after class, which he didn’t real-ize when he decided to live at College Park.

“I picked the apart-ment based on the fact it has family units, but then I found out it’s at the top of this giant hill, and I was like, ‘Holy crap that kind of sucks,’” he said. “But I’ve only lived here so this is all I know. I know some peo-ple who lived in the dorms before driving to class be-cause of the hill...”

Even with the hill, Heller plans to continue walking to class throughout the

winter months because finding parking downtown will only get harder with more people driving.

Denali Hedrick, a soph-omore strategic commu-nications student, lives at Chateau Royale between the Downtown and Evans-dale campuses. Hedrick rides the Valley View 44-line bus downtown for class and, later, takes the PRT to medical and then walks home. She prefers the bus because it stops right in front of her home, but it stops running at 2:15 p.m.

“The bus is pretty reli-able. Sometimes it leaves a little earlier than it should, but it’s just by a couple minutes. It’s just enough that if you’re running a lit-

tle late, it’s a little risky,” Hendrick said. “It’s quick and part of the reason I live there.”

The real problem will be in the winter, however, when Hedrick will have to walk home from the med-ical PRT.

Some off-campus apart-ments offer shuttles to take students downtown or to Evansdale. Campus Park at the Ridge, The Lofts, Cop-per Beech and Campus Evolution all offer shuttles.

Most students who live downtown can walk or use the Mountain Line Tran-sit Authority. To check bus schedules and where they service, visit http://bus-ride.org/Maps-Schedules.

[email protected]

kristen uppercue/the daily athenaeumTraffic becomes congested on High Street in downtown Morgantown during rush hour.

THE DAILY ATHENAEUM Friday January 29, 20168 | living guide

West Virginia to host second off-campus housing fairby amy pratt


West Virginia University will host a second off-cam-pus Housing Fair for stu-dents looking for places to live next year. The fair will be held from noon-3 p.m. on Jan. 31 in Towers’ Blue and Gold Rooms.

Students can meet 30 landlords who own prop-erties in the Downtown, Evansdale and Health Sciences areas of Mor-gantown. The goal of the housing fair is to show stu-dents the different options they have when trying to find housing.

“One of the main rea-sons for holding the hous-ing fair is to allow students to see the different types of landlords and off-campus living we offer in Morgan-town,” said Brian Walker,

head of WVU off-campus housing.

In the past, students have told Walker they re-sorted to walking around Morgantown looking for “rent” signs in order to find housing.

“That’s pretty time-con-suming and not very effi-cient. You’re only looking at one type of property, and prices are all over the map in Morgantown,” Walker said. “(Now) they can walk into the Blue and Gold Rooms on Saturday… and they can talk to the landlords and see what they have to offer, what price ranges and what dif-ferent types of properties.”

There are plenty of places around Morgan-town to live, but not all students know about them. Walker explained many students simply search “Morgantown stu-

dent rentals” on the In-ternet when looking for housing, which will only provide eight to 10 options - it is usually the large, corporate-owned proper-ties that have large mar-keting budgets.

“That’s another reason for the Housing Fair: get-ting students to under-stand the different loca-tions around town where students live,” Walker said. “Obviously, Sunnyside is our traditional student neighborhood, but we have many other places where students live.”

Walker hopes the fair will show students they can find good values in Evansdale and near Health Sciences, not just Downtown.

Landlords will also have giveaways for stu-dents who attend. State Farm Insurance will have

a table at the fair to talk to students about renter’s insurance and Student Le-gal Services will be there to answer questions about leases.

Walker advises stu-dents, especially first years, not to sign a lease right away. There can be many changes in a stu-dent’s life between sign-ing a lease in Novem-ber or December and the school year starting in August.

“Once you sign a lease,

no matter what happens to your financial status or your status as a student, you are locked into the terms of that contract,” Walker said. “A lot of times students will want to run out in November and sign a lease that doesn’t begin until six or nine months later. A lot of things can happen to you in (that amount of time).”

Along with attending the Housing Fair, Walker also recommended stu-dents check local news-

papers’ classifieds for properties.

Walker believes the housing fair will expand s tu d e nt s’ k n ow l e dg e about off-campus hous-ing at WVU.

“I think it will help stu-dents figure out what options are out there,” Walker said, “I think it broadens their scope more than anything else.”

[email protected]

file photoStudents take the opportunity to do some research on different housing options during WVU’s 2014 housing fair.

file photo

THE DAILY ATHENAEUMFriday January 29, 2016 AD | 9



by jamie masonstaff writer

@dailyathenaeum

When students first arrive at college and move into a residence hall, they usually have a few questions. To as-sist and help answer these questions, West Virginia University puts Resident As-sistants in every dorm.

But the job and rewards of being an RA do not start nor stop there.

“I applied to become an RA because I’ve always had the goal to go through col-lege without having to take out any loans,” said RA Dan Niess. “This job allows me to get my education with-out having to (go) into debt, which is a lifesaver.”

While there are many re-sponsibilities of being an RA, Niess is happy he de-cided to pursue the position.

“The best part about be-ing an RA is the sense of family among staff mem-bers… Everyone has each other’s back,” Niess said.

The responsibilities of an RA include providing per-sonal help and assistance to residents, promoting their growth and development and maintaining an orderly

and reasonably quiet envi-ronment. Although these are not all of the jobs an RA must do, these are some of the most time-consuming tasks.

Students interested in be-coming an RA have to start applying for the position roughly seven months be-fore the fall semester even begins.

Before even applying, students must ensure they meet a few requirements. Requirements include be-ing a full-time student and having “appropriate aca-demic and residence hall student conduct records,” according to http://wvu.edu.

If these minimum re-quirements are met, the stu-dent can then apply through an online application and submit multiple refer-ences from past or present employers.

Students are notified once Housing and Resi-dence Life makes its de-cisions and can continue with the RA employment process.

The benefits of being an RA do not come easy, though. On top of manag-ing a full class schedule and

a personal life, RAs have to make time to assist and help students. Niess said the toughest part of being an RA is time management and being able to balance everything.

“As an RA we are still stu-dents, so having time for work, school, social life and being able to get enough sleep is a task in itself,” Niess said.

Niess said he didn’t be-lieve there was anything bad about being an RA, de-spite the job’s challenges.

“...Overall you come out of the experience with a lot more positives, and rarely are there any negatives,” Niess said.

Even though there may be sleepless nights while being an RA, it is definitely rewarding, according to Niess.

“Being an RA so far has had its challenges, but over-all (it) has given me skills that have made me more responsible, better with my time management, more accountable and overall a better person,” said Niess. “It’s a great job to have while getting an education.”

[email protected]

Living on a budget: working in the dorms as an RA

wvutoday.eduMany students choose to be an RA for the managerial experience.


Student Renters Alliance offers assistance to students by tRey SAntoRine

correspondent @dailyathenaeum

The Student Renters Alliance will fight to pro-tect students, often rent-

ing for the first time, from absent or exploitative landlords starting this spring.

A student organization at West Virginia University, the group aims to be an in-

valuable campus resource by providing a resource to name exploitative prop-erty owners, recogniz-ing outstanding landlords and offering services to students being treated

unfairly.After the indictment

of Copper Beech, a mul-timillion dollar student housing complex that was found to have collected tens of thousands of dol-lars in illegal charges from students, Student Govern-ment Association Gover-nor Mac McIntyre saw the importance of an organi-zation that would advocate for the rights of individual students.

“The Student Renters Alliance is a student sol-idarity network to stand up against landlord ex-ploitation and make sure students know their rights and they’re not be-ing taken advantage of,” McIntyre, a senior po-

litical science student, said.

The new student or-ganization will act as an advocate for the thou-sands of student renters at WVU, helping to me-diate conflicts between landlords and tenants, or directing students toward relevant legal services if necessary.

In addition, the organi-zation will produce publi-cations to inform students about particularly notori-ous landlords in the area.

“We’ll get the word out and say, ‘Here’s a landlord that’s been very bad his-torically, here’s a landlord that’s been taking advan-tage of students, here’s a landlord that won’t fix

problems or charges ex-cessive fees,’” McIntyre said. “It’s really about ed-ucation and information, especially after fresh-man year where students are moving out of dorms, helping guide them through the minefield of choosing an apartment for the first time.”

The Student Renters Al-liance will also highlight the specific landlords in Morgantown that go above and beyond to sup-port their student renters, while providing them with a safe environment. Stu-dents will be able to better choose who to lease from and where.

[email protected]

From a glance: Campus Park at The Ridge

by RAchel mcbRidestaff writer

@dailyathenaeum

Campus Park at The Ridge provides an all-in-clusive student housing ex-perience in Morgantown, West Virginia, according to its website.

In addition to fully fur-nished units and free WiFi, residents have amenities such as a Mac computer lab, outdoor kitchen, late-night shuttle service and a brand new 24-hour fitness center.

The Ridge offers three- and four-bedroom apart-ments. The price for a standard three-bedroom,

three-bathroom apartment starting August 2016 is $509 per room; $399 for a stan-dard four-bedroom, four-bathroom and $425 for a deluxe four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment.

Deluxe apartments are bigger with a dining area and more private entries into each bedroom.

All utilities are included in the rent price per room.

“I don’t like living here because I feel like it’s so far away from my classes,” said Delilah Ruebush, a Ridge resident this semester. “There’s only one bus, and it takes forever.”

Former resident Chris-

tianna Shaffer lived at The Ridge for two years and had renewed her lease for a third year. After experi-encing some dishearten-ing situations, however, she decided to leave the complex.

“The amenities and rent (were) great... That’s why we (originally) chose to live there,” she said. “(But) they did not take into account who they paired up to live with each other... It was a terrible experience.”

For more information on The Ridge, visit http://ridgewv.com/.

[email protected]

ridgewv.comCampus Park at The Ridge.

THE DAILY ATHENAEUMFriday January 29, 2016 LIVING GUIDE | 13

The hunt: Searching for the right roommateby rachel mcbride


In the current economy, many college students can’t afford to live alone. Roommates hold the po-tential to reduce rent costs and create the possibil-ity of making or becom-ing closer with friends. However, roommates can also cause stress and make a living situation unfortunate.

Deciding who to live with can be a stress-ful and daunting task for many. There are factors to consider when mak-

ing this decision, includ-ing deciding whether or not to with live with a random person or a close friend and what to expect when living with either option.

MaeBeth Fisher, com-munity assistant and cur-rent resident at The Lofts apartment complex, be-lieves when deciding to live with potential or cur-rent friends, it is impor-tant to be aware of their personalities and daily routines in order to find out whether or not liv-ing with them is the right choice.

Finding out if a per-

son smokes, has pets or a hectic work schedule early on can save a lot of headaches and worry in the future, Fisher said.

“You want to live with someone who shares the same sort of life-style you do,” Fisher said.

Corianna Cavitt, leas-ing agent for Copper Beech apartment com-plex, described what she personally looks for in a roommate.

“ I l i k e s o m e o n e who has genuine re-spect for other people and their things,” Cavitt said.

The most common problem Cavitt said she sees among room-mates is when room-mates don’t pick up after themselves, leaving the mess for someone else to clean.

Other common compli-

cations Cavitt and Fisher have seen witnessed in-clude throwing par-ties at unwanted times in the apartment and al-lowing general differ-ences of living standards to cause issues with one another.

Matt Kaufman, a sopho-more at WVU, experienced some of the common complications of living with others. According to Kaufman, his living con-dition during his fresh-man year was sometimes horrible.

Kaufman said his for-mer roommate gave off an authoritative arrogance that made him come across as extremely un-friendly and selfish. He and his former roommate hardly ever conversed with one another, making being in the dorm room together stressful.

“It really upset me,” Kaufman said. “He just

gave off an attitude I couldn’t connect with.”

Due to fear of upset-ting his former roommate, Kaufman said he never confronted his roommate about what was bothering him.

“I didn’t want to make him angry or make things awkward,” Kaufman said.

Now, Kaufman lives with a roommate he con-nects with and trusts.

“He’s (his new room-mate) a thousand times better,” Kaufman said.

Issues with roommates can make students dread going to the place that is supposed to be a safe haven.

Cavitt described what she thinks is the best way to go about resolving problems that commonly arise when living with dif-fering personalities.

“It’s best to have the entire house sit down to-gether to decide what’s go-

ing on and what the pos-sible solutions are,” Cavitt said.

Fisher agreed with this method and said putting off confronting room-mates can sometimes make matters worse.

“(You) definitely want to talk to them if some-thing is bothering you,” Fisher said. “If you talk to them about it, then it will be easier to come up with a solution to the problem.”

While there are a num-ber of professional room-mate-matching services, the vast majority of stu-dents pick roommates themselves, either by reaching out to personal networks or by taking a chance with fate and liv-ing with a random person. When looking for one or multiple people to move in with, a little bit of plan-ning goes a long way.

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FILE PHOTOSeveral WVU students enjoy dinner and some drinks at Mario’s Fishbowl.


by jamie masonstaff writer

@dailyathenaeum

The Campus Evolution apartment complex is lo-cated minutes from the Downtown and Evansdale Campuses and has a num-ber of different features.

Amenities include an on-site cafe, 24-hour fit-ness center, basketball and volleyball courts, 24-hour computer lounge, pool, hot tub, tanning beds, parking and free shuttle service both to and from campus.

Campus Evolution has two-, three- and four-bed-room apartments with pri-vate bathrooms, a washer and dryer, Internet service and HD cable with HBO. There are individual leases and modern furniture for each bedroom.

Andrea Phung, a WVU junior and tenant at Cam-pus Evolution, pays $655 a month, which includes all utilities. The free shuttle is Phung’s favorite part of liv-ing at Campus Evolution.

“(It’s) super conve-nient… and nice for when

I’m too lazy to drive,” she said.

Although the shut-tle is her favorite ame-nity, Phung said it still has its downfalls. She wishes Campus Evolution was closer to the University when heading to class in the mornings.

While the distance is a concern, Phung has lived there for two years and recommends it to other students.

“Overall, I’ve had a great experience,” she said. “The employees are super nice and really work with you. The place is spacious, and the shuttle makes getting

around easy if you don’t have a car.”

For more information on Campus Evolution, visit http://cevillages.com/find-housing/campus-evolution-villages-mor-gantown/.

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andrew spellman/the daily athenaeum

Campus Evolution evolves housing

andrew spellman//the daily athenaeum

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by jordan millerstaff writer

@dailyathenaeum

For the legal aspects of housing on or off-cam-pus, West Virginia Univer-sity students have access to Student Legal Services, which provides advice and representation to all en-rolled who have paid their student fees.

SLS will take on every-thing involving housing, from lease reviews to re-claiming security depos-its, in an attempt to keep Morgantown landlords accountable for how they treat their tenants.

“We really truly do find

that when students are ed-ucated about an issue, it changes the way they han-dle the problem,” said Car-rie Showalter, managing attorney for SLS. “… When students come in for a lease review and they un-derstand their rights and responsibilities, they have less issues a lot of times, and they know how to han-dle things a little bit better as they go forward.”

In reviewing leases, Showalter said it’s impor-tant to make sure students are aware not only of what they’re agreeing to but also of the binding and enforce-able nature of signing a le-gal document. Students

should know both their rights and their responsi-bilities as it pertains to the lease.

A free service, SLS has saved students more than $141,000 in legal fees alone since April 2015, according to Showalter.

“Working with students is really rewarding, and we don’t charge anything so a $500 security deposit is a lot of money to a student, and for them to go hire an attorney to address that would be cost-prohibitive,” Showalter said. “… We’re able to make change and actually assist students in cases they wouldn’t have assistance (otherwise).”

Showalter said students should come to them as soon as an issue arises so they can address it and begin the legal process in a timely fashion to better their chances for a favor-able outcome.

Philip Lehman, a le-gal graduate assistant and second year student at the College of Law, said when students go to SLS for land-lord disputes, current and future tenants are benefit-ted as landlords are held accountable.

“It creates a nice bal-ance. Not only does (SLS) help (students), but it helps landlord-tenant law here in Morgantown. It keeps the

landlords in check with the statutory law. I think (the managing attorneys) do a great job making sure the students’ claims are heard,” Lehman said.

Along with housing, SLS takes on civil issues, such as expungements of records, powers of attor-ney, family law, wills and contracts.

In criminal cases, how-ever, SLS can only provide advice, not representation. SLS also cannot handle is-sues between two or more WVU students or cases filed against the University.

For cases that require specific expertise, like pat-ent law, immigration or tax

disputes, SLS will provide referrals to other places where students can get the help they need.

“I would advise all stu-dents, if they think there’s an issue happening with their landlord, to come and see us, and we can evalu-ate the claim and hopefully help them,” Lehman said.

Students may call SLS to schedule an appoint-ment at (304)-293-4897 or email [email protected]. There are additional walk-in hours from 4:45-7 p.m. on Mondays and Wednes-days in room G5 of Eliza-beth Moore Hall.

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Students have access to Student legal Services

by rachel mcbridestaff writer

@dailyathenaeum

The Domain at Town Centre prides itself on be-ing “the newest and most luxurious student hous-ing community serving West Virginia University students.”

Located in the University Town Centre, the Domain is just minutes away from the Evansdale campus and a short drive to downtown Morgantown. The apart-ment complex is also near Regal Cinemas Morgan-town 12, Target, Walmart, Giant Eagle and a number of restaurants.

Amenities for The Do-main include, but are not limited to, fully furnished apartments, stainless steel appliances, a flat-screen

TV in every living room, a resort-style pool and free WiFi Internet access. The complex is also pet friendly.

The complex offers one-two-three and four-bed-room floorplans.

One-bedroom apart-ments start at $1,006 per month ; two-bedroom apartments start at $655 per month; three-bed-room apartments start at $593 per month, and four-bedroom apartments start at $560 per month, accord-ing to its website.

The Domain rent rates include all utilities except electricity. This rate in-cludes fees for water, sew-age, trash, Internet and ca-ble TV with HBO.

“I love the view of the city I have and all the ame-nities available to me,” said Jacqueline Braham, current Domain resident. “I also really love the bus system. It makes getting to class so easy.”

For more information on The Domain, visit http://domainmorgantown.com/.

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From a glance: The Domain at University Town Centre

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The Domain at University Town Centre.


Living Guide Spring 2015

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