Let’s face it: dorm rooms aren’t the most beautiful spaces to live in. Cinder block walls, low square footage, and unmovable furniture can make your room feel downright dreary. Here are a few things you can do to make your personal space more, well, personal.
1. Fun Lights
Low-wattage institutional lighting isn’t the best look for anybody. The best solution is to BYOL- bring your own lights. String lights are a popular option for creating that ~mood~ lighting in your room. When used with desk lamps, string lights give off a nice ambience and provide enough light for you and your roommate to see without giving you the headache that your harsh ceiling light might. There are lots of options for string lights, ranging from the traditional white lights you might put up around the holidays to miniature lanterns in every color and style. Personally, I use what’s called “fairy lights,” which are lighter than traditional string lights and are easy to hang up anywhere using scotch tape.
2. Wall Decorations
Now that you have your string lights up, it’s time to do something about the blank walls staring back at you. A cute and easy way to fill wall space is a tapestry. There are lots of designs to choose from, so you’re bound to find something that matches your comforter. Another popular choice, especially for boy’s rooms, is flags that show off your Penn State spirit or pride for your home state. Posters and canvases are also a good way to decorate your walls and add some personality to your room. My favorite wall decoration is the pictures I have of me and my friends, both from home and from school. Whenever I’m feeling sad or stressed, it’s nice to be able to look up and be reminded of fun times when I wasn’t studying for an exam.
3. Rugs
Not only do tile floors look, well, not cozy, they get cold in the winter months and make for an unpleasant surprise when you pull the covers back and hop out of bed for your 8 a.m. A 5-by-8 foot rug placed between the beds can do wonders for your space. My only advice: stay away from shag rugs. They’re impossible to vacuum and you could possibly lose a fork or other kitchen utensil in them (speaking from experience).
4. Additional seating
If you plan on having your friends over to hang out, or if you just want to sit somewhere that’s not your bed, buying a comfy chair is a great option. Although certainly not the most space effective option, most seats made for dorm rooms can fold up and be stored in a closet or under a bed when not in use (search for “butterfly chairs” or “saucer chairs”). Another great option for both extra seating and extra storage is an ottoman. It also makes a great step stool for those lofted beds!
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