5 Ways to Make Your Dorm Room Feel More Like Home

As a college student, I spend the majority of my year living on campus in a dorm room. It can be difficult to feel like this is where I live and not just where I spend some of my time. During my first year of college, I found that it is really important to be comfortable and enjoy the place you live and sleep. My room for my first two semesters never really felt like mine, like home, or like a place I could relax. So this year I set out to make my dorm room feel more like home! These are the things I did to make my room my favorite place on campus.

1. A Rug

Adding a rug to the room instantly made the room warmer, more inviting, and more like home. Walking on cold floors had previously made my room feel so empty. The rug in the middle of the room helped me to feel more comfortable and relaxed in the room.

2. An Air Diffuser

I started using essential oils in my room. This was mostly because my mom always uses them at home. So for me, this made my room smell like home. In addition, having my room smell like something other than “old building” made the room feel more like my own. Here is a link to my favorite one.

3. My Normal Decorations

My first year at college I felt the need to decorate my walls with the most aesthetically-pleasing and pretty wall decor. However, this is not what I do at home. This meant that nothing on my walls actually meant something to me. This year, I put up decorations that I actually have on my walls at home instead. A poster from my sister, a picture of me and my siblings, and a sticky heart that says “enjoy every sandwich.” My room feels much more like me and my walls look like my own. Nothing fancy, but still pleasant.

4. Pillows

Now, a twin bed is pretty incapable of holding too many things. However, at home I sleep with about 8 pillows. Making my bed the same way I do at home made it easier to adjust and still feel comfortable sleeping and spending time on my bed, which means that my bed at school also has a significant amount of pillows. 

5. Keep School and Sleep Separate

During first year at MHC I was very fond of doing homework from my bed. It was comfortable and easy. But this made sleeping in my bed seem entangled with my school stress, which made sleeping very difficult. At home, I always did my homework at the kitchen table. This year I prioritized keeping my desk clear for homework and doing homework as much as I can outside of the room. This has made it easier for my dorm room to feel like home and my bed to feel more relaxed. 

These are just a few things that have helped me to feel better about the nine months a year that I live away from home in a small, cold dorm room. My room at school is now a place I enjoy being and where I can feel like I am at home when I go back to my room after dinner every night. 

Images: X,X,X,X,X

If you would like to write for Her Campus Mount Holyoke, or if you have any questions or comments for us, please email hc.mtholyoke@hercampus.com.