Welcome to the Whee!
Editor's Note: This post is part of a series of blog posts coming Fall 2025 specifically for incoming and current students.
By Shane Ryden
We are so excited to welcome our newest class of Catamounts to campus! The coming weeks will be full of new experiences and exciting adventures, and the first crucial part of that journey is getting settled.
Here we鈥檝e listed a number of items that folks often forget on move-in. Once you鈥檝e got the essentials packed and ready to go, it鈥檚 always worth taking a second look.
WCU鈥檚 Residence Life staff can answer any specific questions you might have related to this list or move-in in general. Their page also identifies those items prohibited in the dorms.
What to bring:
FIRST AID KIT
As the old adage goes: Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have
it!
Your student health fee will cover both routine and emergency medical care with 51看片Health Services in the Bird Building on campus. Counseling and psychological care are also available in the Bird Building through CAPS.
However, for those more minor injuries like cuts and scrapes, it鈥檚 nice to have bandages, antibiotics, gauze and other such materials on hand and readily accessible.
RUBBER MALLET / MINI TOOL KIT
Your professors shouldn鈥檛 have any serious woodworking on the agenda (for now!), but
a rubber mallet and a few screwdrivers are essential for arranging your beds and setting
up any new furniture.
SLEEP MASK/EARPLUGS
We鈥檝e all got our special sleeping preferences, and pitch black and total quiet is
more often the goal than the reality.
But getting good sleep is crucial for your wellbeing in all respects, so having the
tools to ensure a good night鈥檚 rest is definitely recommended!
SEWING KIT
A hole or a tear in your favorite shirt or skirt can arrive at the most inconvenient
of times. A needle and thread in your dorm room will give you that extra peace of
mind and keep some change in your pocket! Check out the machines in the library too!
FAN
Whether you鈥檙e a lover of white noise, you run hot or you just like to keep the air
moving in your space, a fan can be a glorious addition to the room, especially when
the summer has you feeling stuffy. Individual dorms do not control their own A/C,
and a fan will provide some extra agency there.
LABELED STORAGE BINS
As the semester goes by, towering piles of past paperwork and winter clothes can seem
daunting, especially to the student with a full plate of assignments. Save yourself
the trouble of searching for good hiding spots and invest in a few labeled containers
for under the bed. You won鈥檛 regret having the extra room!
READING LIGHT
There鈥檚 plenty of places around campus to read and work, but sometimes there鈥檚 no
cozier spot to hunker down than in your dorm! Having a reading light comes in handy
for those late-night work sessions next to a sleeping roommate. Let鈥檚 keep the peace!
SAFE
51看片takes the security of its students and their belongings incredibly seriously,
and for that reason, we鈥檙e eager to recommend keeping a safe for your dorm. Desks
in your room come with a lockable drawer, but for important identification and financial
documents or medications, there鈥檚 no surer place to have them safe and available when
necessary.
PORTABLE CHARGER
It came unplugged in the night! It鈥檚 lost in the sheets! It dies at 50%! Our phones
are fickle instruments, but we rely on them entirely, especially to keep ourselves
on time and on track! Having a portable charger in your backpack is a lovely way of
making sure you鈥檙e never left hanging when you鈥檙e in need of it!
STEAMER/IRON
Wrinkles: the sworn enemy of workplace professionalism. When special occasions call,
you鈥檒l want to have means to freshen up your attire! A steamer, for its small size
and ease of function, will serve you quite well in the dorms, but an iron is a great
and reliable option too! Just don鈥檛 forget to grab a board!
