Living on campus can be as daunting an experience as it is exciting. It’s not easy to pack up and leave a room where most of us have lived our entire lives, but the least we can do is establish our own little home away from home, so we have a safe space to come back to at the end of the day. While I’ll be listing a couple of great decorating tips + tricks, it’s important to remember to create a space where you feel positive and productive, especially having to be in our rooms all the time with COVID-19!
- Decide Furniture Placement Before Placing Decorations
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If you’re someone who loves waking up to sunlight, try placing your bed by your window. If you get distracted easily, move your study table by the closet so you’d have nothing to stare at! Moving your furniture before you start with the little details will make it easier if you decide to change placements in the middle of the semester.
- Remember to Bring Things You Can Take Down Easily
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Being in the dorms during a pandemic can be unpredictable. Decorate your room with the help of lots of command hooks and double-sided tape – things you can take down easily in case of evacuation, or simply just in case you decide something isn’t your style anymore!
- Try Following a Color Scheme
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Maintaining a color palette in your room may help you to buy things that cater to those colors and will end up being cohesive and easy on the eyes. Look into earthy tones or vibrant colors based on what your vibe is. Brownie points for pops of color, like bright colored vinyl in an otherwise earthy-toned room!
- Bring in Some Greenery!
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Decorating your study tables or window sides with some succulents (real or fake, up to you!) brings a sense of life to the room. The greenery makes the little room seems livelier, boosts your mood, and spreads positivity!
- Include Items of Interest
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If you’re someone who gets homesick easily or just wants to maintain a sense of attachment, bring certain items that remind you of being home. Specific sheets or stuffed toys can be great ways to incorporate your old home into your new one! Also, just including items that you’re interested in (like a poster of your favorite artist or vinyl) can help to add your personal touch to the room.
- Nitty-Gritties
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Placing a cute basket filled with your favorite snacks over a storage bin, using LED lights all over the ceiling, using sticky notes around the room as reminders, or incorporating useful decorations (like a whiteboard calendar I have) are the tiny details you can include in your room for an extra homey feel. Make sure to also have your favorite snacks on you because 2 a.m. snack cravings are definitely real.
Stores like Walmart, Target, and Etsy are great affordable options for dorm room decor. Finally, keep in mind that it’s totally up to you how much or how little you’d like to decorate your room based on what your vibe is. Don’t feel peer pressured into doing the same thing as your friends, if you have a more minimalist or out-there aesthetic, go for it. At the end of the day, it’s going to be your space to live in!