It’s strange moving from your room at home to a tiny college dorm room with blank walls and ugly furniture. College can already be scary with unfamiliar faces and experiences. Having a room that feels cold and dreary is the last thing you need.Â
Making my dorm room feel a little bit homier last year was one of the best decisions I made. I created a warm space for when I felt sad or missed home. Here are five tips for turning your dorm room into a safe and comforting place.Â
- Pictures of Family and Friends…and Pets
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Being apart from the people you used to see every day is difficult—especially when the pandemic already restricted our contact with many loved ones. During my freshman year, I created a wall of photos of my friends and family. I printed pictures out at Walmart in 4×4 size to make a large rectangle on the wall by my bed. I had around 60 photos, so I was comforted by tons of memories and people. I glanced over at the photos whenever I missed home or felt sad. They helped me when I was lonely and were also a good talking point for my new friends.Â
If you’re like me, it’s also hard to be away from your furry friends. Find a frame and put a picture of your dog, cat, bunny, etc. on your desk, so it feels like a little part of them is with you. I know it can be hard to be away from all of the people and pets in your life, but these reminders will help you through it.
- Favorite Stuffed Animal
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I was so embarrassed to bring my childhood unicorn, cleverly named Uni, to college during my first semester. I quickly realized that the only person who felt weird about it was me, and I decided to bring her later. I know that most people in college are legal adults, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have stuffed animals anymore. They are a helpful source of support when you can’t bring your pets to college and make you feel safe and secure. I think it’s okay to bring a part of your childhood into your new chapter of life.Â
- A Fun Tapestry
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I know this one might seem a little basic, but it doesn’t have to be. I have a Claude Monet watercolor painting tapestry hanging in my dorm room, and it makes me very happy. I love impressionist art, so I decided to find a tapestry of one of my favorite artist’s works (funny enough, my best friend actually bought the same one, and we didn’t know until we Facetimed). Tapestries are also an easy way to decorate a whole wall because of their pretty big sizes.Â
Find art or something else you’re interested in (my suitemate has a New Girl tapestry of Schmidt, Nick and Winston in college) and look up a specific tapestry for it. I promise you can find almost anything you want on Redbubble. If you can’t, you can design your own.Â
- Notes, Cards and Other Random Shit to Tape to the Wall
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I have a collection at home of old birthday cards, notes and other keepsakes from the people I care about. They remind me of fun adventures and/or are just nice reminders of people at home. I went through everything and chose my favorites to bring to college. I made a collage on my wall to read the notes on bad days and remember fun times with my friends and family.Â
I also added non-sentimental items like little butterfly stickers and cut-out hearts. As I adventured around Boston, I bought cute postcards to add to the wall. I also added my own little sketches, so the collage also acted as my own artistic outlet. I added to it when I needed a mental break or felt creative.Â
- Plants
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I lived in a lightwell room last year—so this did not go as well as I would have hoped—but if you have access to natural light through your window, buy a couple of cute plants for your windowsill. It’s nice to take care of something, and watch it grow. Plus, they’re adorable and bring life into the spaces they inhabit, literally.Â
If you don’t have enough light or can’t remember to water a real plant, fake plants are also a great option. I had some last year, and they still made me happy.
Remember, you don’t just have to stick to this list. Bring anything that makes you happy or reminds you of the people you love. Your dorm room is for you. Make it a place where you feel comfortable and safe.