Posters on your dorm wall can add personality to your room. Decorating your room can have a positive impact on your mental well being. Photo by Emily Wight.
During the school your dorm room is your space to study, relax and live.
In July 2019, HGTV sent out a survey asking students about the importance of decorating their dorm room. According to HGTV, 82% of students say décor impacts the perception of their happiness, and 76% pay it impacts how successful they will be in their studies.
Mollie Hosmer-Dillard, visiting instructor of art, said: “If you spend the time to make the space feel nice, with good lighting, not too much clutter, nothing that impedes your movement, then it will have a positive impact on you on a daily basis.”
Homesickness
Living in a dorm is short term, but decorating it to suit your personality can affect homesickness.
Emma Sollis, a freshman graphic design major from Salt Lake City, said, “Having a place that you can go back to after a long day will make it feel more like your own reality instead of something similar to a hotel.
School is hard work so a place where you feel safe is comfortable when you moved away from the comforts of home.
Loft beds
Loft beds are handy to help students make the most out of small dorm rooms. With enough space under the bed, belongings can be stored with room to spare.
Bed risers are an affordable and safe way to lift your bed a few feet higher. To stay even more organized and maximize your space, use totes to place your belongings under your bed.
Lighting
Dorm rooms may not come with adequate lighting, but bringing lamps or string lights can help make the atmosphere more comfortable.
“Getting a few little lamps or a string of lights is an easy way to give a space a nice atmosphere,” Hosmer-Dillard said. “Make sure to look at the color temperature of your light bulbs and get warm ones.”
Our body has a natural rhythm that follows the light of the sun. Lighting indoors should be planned to help that rhythm stay on track. Warm lighting helps make you feel comforted whereas cool lighting helps you stay awake and focused.
Pictures
Pictures are a way to bring loved ones with you to college. One or two large pictures can suffice, but a collage of many pictures is a fun way to remember home.
Sending pictures online to a drug store such as Walgreens is an easy and cheap way to make a large statement picture collage.
Rugs
The carpet in dorms has been stepped on by hundreds of students from past years which can wear it down. A rug can bring more color and comfort to a dorm room all while covering worn down carpet.
Using a rug in a bathroom is great for in front of the sink too. You can even color coordinate between your room and your bathroom.
Plants
Miss your pet? Get a plant. It can be inspiring to watch a plant grow as you go through the semester.
Indoor plants that don’t require much care such as a succulent or even a few fake plants can liven up a small space.
The app Planta helps you to keep track of when to water plants to keep them healthy.
Scents
Candles are not allowed in dorms, but there are different ways to make your dorm smell good.
Room sprays are a quick way to add a smell to your dorm room, maybe even a scent that reminds you of home. Another option is essential oil diffusers. They are a natural way to add a scent to a room and can even be calming as they diffuse the smell into your dorm.
Comfortable bed
To stay on top of your game and be your best self at school, you need proper sleep. A comfortable bed with blankets and pillows that fit your personality can transform your dorm.
A thick throw blanket can help add color and texture to your bed as well as warmth. A large selection of comfortable and sturdy throw pillows can be moved around to support you while relaxing or studying.
“Its your space so making it your own is so important,” Sollis said.
