This fall, the majority of your time will be spent going out, meeting new people and seeing new places. However, you will also become well-acquainted with your living space.

Therefore, it’s important your room is a comfortable, safe space, especially as we are only beginning to ease into post-virtual college life. Whether you’re living in an apartment, dorm, greek house etc., there are a few easy ways to spice up your decor. 

The first and possibly most important addition that will completely shift the vibe in your room is lighting. Some of the more common choices are fairly lights, bulb strands, or as of recently, LED strips for the average TikTok aficionado.

And if you don’t want the hassle of untangling string lights, lamps are an easy installation. It’s all about that mood lighting. My personal favorite is the Sunset Lamp, which leaves the room with a yellow-orange glow, popular for people who experience seasonal depression. 

Another game changer for your room is wall decor. If you’re desiring decorations on a budget, pick up a magazine from your local grocery store and cut out your favorite pages. Rearrange them on your wall or if you’re feeling extra crafty, make a few collages!

And if you’re feeling the pang of homesickness, put those polaroids and disposable pictures of friends and family to good use. If you’re willing to spend a little more, pick up some prints from your favorite local artists, order some tapestries or collect some posters of your favorite movies and TV shows. 

If you consider yourself as having a green thumb, plants of all shapes and sizes can bring the outdoors inside to your room. Plants can accent nearly anything in your room, either by hanging from the wall, sitting on your shelf or by taking up your (probably limited) space on the floor. But not only does an indoor jungle look beautiful, but it can be a grounding activity to look after all of your plant children.

If you enjoy horticulture and also cooking, mini indoor hydroponics systems are a newer high-tech option to grow your meal indgredients fresh. However, if you can’t keep your plants alive no matter how hard you try, fake succulents and flowers are deceptive in the best way and certainly easy to maintain. 

Some other miscellaneous additions include decorative rugs, excessive decorative pillows, and odds and ends knickknacks. Fill those shelves with weird findings from local thrift stores for a unique touch and they will surely be conversation starters for guests.

Most importantly, regardless of your style — minimalist, modern, eclectic etc., make sure your room is a nurturing space that you can come back to after remembering how not fun in-person exams are. 

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