When you walk into somebody’s college room, what is the first thing you notice? Is it the wall plastered with pictures of friends? Or is it the “Saturdays are for the Boys” poster that hangs from the wall? From seeing somebody’s room, you can tell a lot about a person. In college, people have the freedom to decorate their room however they please. It might not be any different as it was at home, but I know I was not able to customize my room as I intended.

My room at home looks the same as it was since grade school. Bright pink walls, the same stuffed animals shoved in my closet. Back home, I was never interested in decorating my room until college. In college, your room is a blank canvas where you are freely able to express yourself. When people walk into my room, they are automatically met with bright and bizarre decorations. Hanging on my wall is an abstract tapestry, followed by music posters and pictures I painted. There is no doubt my room at school is drastically different from my room at home. I always get a lot of comments on how “out there” my room is, but I don’t mind. I made sure I wanted to have my room the way I wanted it to be: centered around my hobbies and interests. Your room gives a lot of insight into who you are as a person, and I like what my room says about me.

Where do you start when decorating your room? I recommend using items already available for you instead of spending a lot of money on decorations. For example, I took pictures out of some albums I had with me for my record player and taped them on the wall. Reusing decor is an efficient way to save money and puts sentimental objects to use so you can see them every day.

If you are a person who really values friends and family, printing and putting up pictures is a cheap and great option. I did this and managed to turn a blank wall of mine to one full of life. You can send pictures to Walgreens and have a large number of shots printed for low prices. Plus, on lonely days, you can always look to your wall as a reminder of those close to you.

Another tip is to utilize existing furniture that people would not normally think of using. Most dorms and apartments come with dresser drawers that can freely move around. Coming back from break, I had a lot of objects that needed placement on some kind of surface. With my desk already full, I came up with the idea of pulling out my drawers to use as a nightstand. On this, I keep my record player, albums, some books and a picture frame of my parents and me.

Don’t be afraid to create the room you envision. At the end of the day, you’ll want to come back to a home you love.

Meghan is a sophomore in LAS. 

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