When you search “cute dorm rooms” on Pinterest, thousands of images of perfectly placed photo collages, matching bed spreads, and desk layouts pop up. One decor item that shows up in nearly every photo is a black-and-white letterboard, so obviously it was one of the first things I purchased last year as an excited incoming freshman who was getting ready to decorate my room as extra as possible.
However, I ended up never hanging it up last year, not because it didn’t fit with the rest of my decorations, but because I had absolutely no idea what to write on it!
This year, I hung the letterboard up in the center of my suite, and I’ve made it a goal to update it weekly with a cute phrase, pun, or celebration to greet my suitemates on the way back to their rooms.
Coming up with what to write on letterboards is a struggle, but luckily you aren’t alone! Here’s my favorite way to come up with the perfect short phrases for a letterboard.
- Personalize It
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For the first week of the semester, I had “So you guys, what’s the 411?” written on my suite’s letterboard. It was both a Mean Girls quote and a reference to our room number, and it allowed the board to be even more personalized to our space!
- Pinterest!
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Pinterest is full of a million letterboard ideas, and much like researching for an analytical paper or a research project, creating the perfect search phrase can make or break your search. I recommend coming up with monthly themes — whether it be movies, coffee, or Halloween — and saving a ton of ideas in a Pinterest board so you never struggle to come up with an idea.
- Puns
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I love a good pun, and they are the perfect way to fill a letterboard with laughs. Pro tip: search “[Topic] t-shirt” in Google Images to find some of the best ideas.
- Don’t Be Afraid of Emojis
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Different letterboards come with different extra features — from cursive letters to unique symbols and drawings. My letterboard came with a few emojis, hearts, and symbols. Adding a winky face or a star can elevate any phrase!
Go hang up your letterboards and have fun decorating! It’ll make your Zoom University space more homey, and provide you with some inspiration too.
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