When summer is ending and the fall semester is just around the corner, Linfield students must ask themselves a very important question. Not which classes should I take, not what is the best study spot on campus? They must ask themselves: how am I going to decorate my dorm this year? Although those other questions have some weight to them, your dorm is going to be the place you call home for the next nine months.
To some, dorm decorations can seem frivolous, but room decorations are a form of self-expression that represents each individual student. You can get to know a lot about a person by just visiting their dorm. Since dorm decorations can be so vital for making campus feel like home, what are some of the dorm decorations Wildcats cannot live without?
When visiting freshman Claire Heitman and international student Ruby Swanson’s dorm, they emphasized the importance of pillows and stuffed animals. These elements add comfort and color to the beige and gray canvas they started with on move-in day. Another item that makes the room feel more personalized is a rug. Heitman and Swanson love how their rug compliments their other decor while also being a functional place for friends to gather to play card games.
For the walls, the girls chose to hang some fake vines as a way to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside without having to keep any real plants alive. The last dorm essential the girls mentioned was a full-length mirror. This piece makes the dorm feel bigger while improving their morning routine.
Not only do students living in dorms need decor, Wildcats in apartments do as well. Junior David Monfort chose to personalize his room in his apartment with posters. Posters have been a common theme among dorms and bedrooms for decades. They are the perfect way to represent your music taste, favorite films or any other interests. The possibilities of expression are endless.
Monfort is interested in travel so he decided to fill his walls with maps and posters of places that he admires. Another commonality among the dorms and rooms I’ve visited that is portrayed in Monfort’s room is some sort of LED lights such as strips or fairy lights. Sometimes the big lights installed in the dorms and apartments can be a little harsh so these types of lights create a relaxing atmosphere that students are relieved to return to after a long day of classes, sports and other activities.
After being on campus and living in my dorm for a few weeks, I have realized what decor items in my room are truly essential for making my dorm feel like home. My little coffee station acts as a functional space to ensure I am caffeinated throughout the semester, but it is also something I look at that reminds me of home.
Another essential piece of decor in my dorm is a mini sofa chair that when my teddy bear isn’t occupying it, serves as a place for guests to sit. This chair makes the space even more comfortable and homey. My last decor essential is a Linfield pennant I put on my bulletin board. This is a fun and simple way to add a touch of school spirit to my room. Go Wildcats!
Visiting other students’ dorms has given me the opportunity to explore what is important to my fellow Wildcats. Whether it be posters or pillows, students find ways to make their dorm a reflection of themselves. When you get the chance to decorate your dorm or apartment next year, make sure it is a place you are proud and excited to call home.
