Notebooks and plastic folders lie in disarray at CVS. Large clothing retailers publish sales ads as fluorescent as their in-store lighting. The weather finally begins to cool down. Professors post textbooks, parents drop off their freshmen, and the rest of campus is also (hopefully) all moved in. Now that you have finally finished washing your bedding, here are some general guidelines for decorating the rest of your dorm room.
Out with the clutter…
- Make a large center space: Sharing a room with strangers can be awkward. Many quickly learn to cherish scraps of blissful solitude and quiet, but sectioning off rooms within a room a) won’t work due to sound and light and b) will make the room feel more cramped than it already is. There’s more value in pushing things to the outer edges of the room and opening up the space.
- Loft the beds: This quickly clears space — a dresser, more storage, and suitcases live and even flourish in loft spaces under the bed. Those items crowd out the monsters, too.
- Organize the closet: I hate to sound like your mother, but the less clutter hanging around the room, the less trapped you will feel. Often, your room (especially in college because, let’s face it, there’s about seven square feet to take care of) reflects your mental state. If your room is cluttered, you will probably feel scatterbrained and stressed. Find ways to maximize your closet space. Put drawers in it. Find things that can hang on the inside and outside of the door, such as a shoe rack.
…in with the beauty/art/décor
- Get an area rug: If the room doesn’t come with a carpet and your roommates are on board with it, covering the linoleum will make the room that much more … human.
- String lights: At least three strands (but as always, pay attention to school regulations). These perpetual stars set the tone for everything from parties to late-night roommate bonding to procrastinating and cramming at 3am. In fact, I do believe my own stars have aligned to inspire a few of my essays. Plain white strands can be cheaper and thus good for stretching around the room, or even creating designs such as trees or the Eiffel Tower on the wall. On the other hand, lanterns, flowers or other designs frame a window, door or bed nicely. Easy-off hooks are super convenient for preventing meteor showers.
- Pictures, posters, tapestries: Cinder block walls are not going to cheer anyone up after an hour-long lecture on account balances or Kant. I suggest inspiring quotes, Zen panoramas and a tapestry to match that area rug. On the other hand, I know of a theology major who wallpapered his room with St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiæ. Poster strips found at your friendly neighborhood home-goods store make for easy set-up and takedown. Get crafty (and use fewer poster strips) by hanging pictures on a string with clothespins.
Resources
- Whiteboard: Whiteboards can be reusable posters and work well for writing wonderfully wordy well wishes and reminders to roommates and wabbits. A staple in any high-functioning dorm room.
FUN
- Leave your door open: This gives off friendly vibes. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to put your best foot forward by making sure some piece of decoration is in view. Nothing says “friendly” like an inspirational quote, a Mean Girls poster or a cardboard cutout of somebody lovable.
- Deck of cards: 52 pieces of paper. A million uses.
- Speaker: Be the kid who brings the party to the quad. Don’t be the kid who gets written up.
