Growing up, my parents designed our home. They were in charge of buying the lamps and selecting the new rugs— all the stuff your parents always seem to take care of.
I don’t remember when they chose my bedroom wallpaper or picked out the curtains; looking back, it feels like my room just always looked that way.
My parents would never even let me select an obnoxious comforter when I was a teenager. Sometimes, I got to hang posters on the walls, but that was about it for customization.
Growing up, many kids like myself did not have the opportunity to decorate their bedroom. This essentially meant they did not have the chance to fully express themselves and develop a positive environment where they felt welcomed and comfortable.
For many students, their first chance to design their room occurs when they start college. Moving into a college dorm presents students with the opportunity to decorate their room however they want— within the rules of the university of course. This important step is critical in expressing who you are and exploring your interests.
When I finally got the chance to design my room, I went all out. I hung ridiculous momentos on the walls and matched everything so intensely that it sort of clashes. But I love it. I love my room because it is completely my own. Everything about it was hand-selected by me and everything is important to me.
Now, my room makes me feel at home.
Dorm decorating is crucial in expressing your identity.
More than depicting who you are and establishing a safe haven for authenticity and getting the chance to decorate your dorm helps with the transition into college life.
When you decorate your room, you create a place where you can feel at home. But, you also establish an area when you can efficiently complete your class work. You create your own personal space for studying. You organize your surroundings in a way that works well for you.
Decorating your dorm also sets the atmosphere and effects not only how you feel in your room but also how others feel when they enter the room.
Your dorm is your space to decorate however you please. You don’t need to be Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s Fixer Upper to create an amazing room. You just need to be yourself.
Your dorm is your new home, or it at least is for the next nine months, so you might as well get comfy.
