There is a time of year where adorable, chubby Bucknell Squirrels begin to disappear, and the chill in the air seems more permanent than before. Frackets replace flimsy tanks in your weekend wardrobe, and you realize your mom was right about bringing the warmer jacket. So when the frigid walk across the quad gets the best of you, use these quick tips, or craftier extensions of them, to make your Bucknell home a little cozier.
Mood Lighting is Key
Buy It!Enter almost any collegiette’s dorm room, and you’ll find dangling Christmas lights hanging around the room. Call me basic, but I think that twinkling lights automatically make the concrete walls around your dorm magically softer. Don’t have any yet? They’re only $3 at our local Wal-Mart.
Try It!Grabbing Christmas lights for a quick fix can be great, but if you really want to get the lighting right, try making a flameless fire pit. I can’t take credit for this brilliant idea. Free People, as always, has found a way to turn even a bleak dorm room into a cozy wonderland, and it couldn’t be easier. All you need are:
- Some sticks
- 8-10 rocks
- Christmas lights ($3 at Wal-Mart)
Arrange the rocks into a circular shape, and fill the middle with lights. Make sure to leave the plug outside of the circle, near an outlet. Finally, arrange your sticks into a cone, plug in your fire pit, and enjoy!
Add a Scent
Buy ItScent is a powerful tool. It can bring forth a vivid rush of memories or bring back a certain feeling you thought you forgot about. It can change your dorm room’s entire dynamic, making it feel a little more like home (or if you’re lucky, the Anthropology store). Light a candle (shh, we won’t tell anyone), mist a scented room spray, or set up a reed diffuser to fill your room with all things wonderful.
Try itIf you have time for a project, don’t stop with the candles. Grab a friend and head over to the Craft Center to make your very own clove balls. To make clove balls, potpourri done creatively, grab:
- A hot glue gun
- Styrofoam ball
- Cloves
- Some fall knick-knacks (pine cones, nuts etc.)
Just hot glue the pinecones to the Styrofoam ball, and fill in the empty spaces with cloves until there is no more Styrofoam showing. Voila – a fun, decorative piece that smells awesome.
Who Said Winter Wasn’t Green?
Buy ItThe bare branches lurking outside your window can get you a bit down in the dumps. As the foliage begins to fade, bring the vegetation inside. Jasmine, kalanchoe, and amaryllis are great winter plants that will thrive on your windowsill and brighten up the starker months ahead.
Try ItInstead of just buying a plant, take a little extra time to create your own terrarium. They last all year long and are so easy to care for – even I haven’t killed mine yet! You will need:
- A glass container — you can either make an open or closed terrarium
- Drainage – small stones or gravel
- Charcoal
- Soil
- Plants (preferably succulents or cacti)
Add 1-4 inches of your drainage layer, then a thin layer of charcoal, and finally, your soil. Now all that’s left is your plants. Make a small hole with your finger for each plant, and once they’re in, pat the soil back down around the greenery. Water every 2-4 weeks and enjoy!
A Mug to Warm Your Hands
Buy ItAfter a long, treacherous walk in the cold from Academic West to Vedder, nothing brings the heat better than a hot cup of cocoa. Large mugs double as practical dishes and decorative elements, and are great for storage. Grab a beautifully painted or a fun graphic mug to sip your 7th Street drinks from or to add some flair to your desk.
Try itSure you can get your mug from Urban Outfitters, but why stop there when you can design one yourself? Remember going to “Color Me Mine” and painting a hot mess of a piggy bank or plate? Now you can make a much more impressive mug. All you need is:
- Sharpie oil-based paint markers
- A mug
First, use a pencil to sketch out a design on your mug. Then when you are satisfied, go over the design with the sharpie markers. Now, bake the mug at 350 degrees for 20 minutes to set the paint, and let it cool completely. Remember – your lovely new mug will last longer if you hand wash only.
When the temperature drops, it’s natural to become a bit of a homebody – or in the collegiette’s case, a “dormbody.” But when you’re feeling guilty about hibernation, start crafting to make your dorm (cave) even more comfortable.