Transforming Your Dorm Into a Home

By Elizabeth Morris on February 26, 2017

When it comes to packing, I normally live by the philosophy that if you take everything you own, you won’t forget anything.

However, in college, this isn’t practical. In college, since you have limited space that you must share with roommates, you have to be strategic about what you bring with you. Additionally, since you will be spending the next four years of your life away from home, why not personalize your room?

Here is a list of a few things to bring to college in order to make your new dorm feel like a home away from home:

Pictures

Whether or not you can imagine it, at some point, college students will experience some degree of homesickness. When feelings of nostalgia begin to creep in, photos can help transport the good memories into the present. Print out some of your favorite photos, and hang them up or frame them in your room. Most dorms do not allow the use of nails, but there are a couple useful alternatives, such as Command Hooks or reusable adhesive strips.

Get creative and make your own photo display. For example, the pictures in photo below were hung using string tied between two command hooks, and clothes pins.

Hanging dorm pictures

Decorations

Decorations are sure to make your new room, suite, or apartment feel like a home. Possible decoration ideas include Christmas lights, your favorite books, a wall tapestry, or a pennant flag with your school’s logo. If you add your own personal flare to your room, it will not be long before you are referring to your dorm as home.

Dorm decorations

Food and appliances

We have all had them, those night-time cravings that seem to come at the most random of hours. Whether or not you have a kitchen in your room, I suggest having your dorm stocked with some of your favorite snacks since USC’s dining halls close around 10 p.m.

This is a picture of my friend Sophia's coffee set up in her dorm.

Coffee Nook via Sophia Baia

For coffee and tea lovers, I highly recommend purchasing a Keurig. A Keurig will save both money and time by allowing you to become your own barista at the press of a button.

If you do have a kitchen, bring a cookbook or a collection of homemade food recipes to make when the dining hall fails to offer decent meals.

A bike or skateboard

Depending on the size of your campus, a bike or skateboard could definitely come in handy. At a school like USC, whose campus stretches 226 acres, having a bike is incredibly convenient. If you are notorious for running late, a bike can help you to get to class anywhere on campus in about five to 10 minutes.

I must warn you that theft presents a problem on almost every college campus. Therefore, if you decide to buy a bike, there is a high probability that it will be stolen. Try and outsmart the bike snatchers by simply researching ways to securely lock your bike.

Image via ViktorDobai from flickr.com

Although college life may take some adjustment, having a personalized dorm can change your perception of college from “school” to “home.” After decorating your dorm, it will be hard to imagine college as anything other than a second home.

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