Quick Residence Hall Room Refreshers
As Pittsburgh gets colder and we begin the second half of the school year making your dorm into a warm cozy environment is a great way to avoid feeling stuck in your space. As a junior at Chatham living off-campus, I am still inspired to see the comforting ways students in the residence halls make their room. Here are 5 friendly suggestions to get through the coldest part of the term that I have learned from living on campus and off.
Floor Pillows
Sometimes studying in your room can be difficult. Working in a space right next to your bed, and even working in your bed can become distracting or exhausting. It can also be difficult to get bundled up and take yourself to the library or Café Rachel! Getting some floor pillows for your room is a great way to make your brain think outside of the box, and to add a cozy factor. These can be stored under your bedframe, in the closet, or simply styled somewhere in a corner of your room. Choosing some pillows with added textures can even elevate the décor of your space. You can even get pillowcases depending on the size of your floor pillows to switch up the style with the seasons.
Plants
The best thing when you are feeling locked away is to be around something that reminds you of what’s outside. Plants are a fantastic way to refresh your room and give yourself a fun project. Although not everyone has a green thumb, you can get some cacti or succulents that will give your space some greenery without too much maintenance. Plants can also be messy, but finding well-fitting pots that go with your room’s décor will liven up any room. If you’re already a plant parent, it could be worth having a plant painting afternoon with friends or roommates. Mixing acrylic paint with baking soda will give any plain clay pot texture, and it’s easy to add designs. If you feel disconnected from growing the real thing, fake plants are just as fun and allow you to add any kind of plant you desire to your room without any added fuss.
Fairy Lights
Almost everyone has old Christmas lights around and even if you don’t, you can also find them easily online. Fairy lights come in all kinds of colors from blue to multicolored. There’s also the classic soft white. The biggest appeal of fairy light is that they don’t have to be hung in a traditional way throughout your dorm and can be moved around as much as you want. Taking Command hooks and draping fairy lights across your room is a great way to give yourself a temporary cozy environment for a movie night. Fairy lights can also be laid across your floor, so long as they are not touching anything flammable. This can give your room an ambience great for taking pictures, dancing around your room, or just studying.
Wall Hangings
A wall hanging is a good way to take up extra wall space and make a place feel warmer. For a darker or cozier look, you can try wall hangings with dark reds, blues, and purples. If you’re looking to lighten up your space and help the natural lighting, you can pick a wall hanging in a pink, green, or ivory shade. Wall hangings come in all shapes and sizes, but they are also affordable and DIY friendly. Painting or tie-dying an old sheet makes a pretty tapestry that can fit exactly what your space needs.
Projectors
This option is really great for those of us who enjoy hibernating during the winter months. Mini projectors work great in residence halls because smaller spaces are darker. You don’t even need a screen for most projectors as long as you have a white wall. Whether you are watching your favorite show from your bed or having a few friends over to see a movie, projectors are perfect for a fun night staying in. You can use your hutch or small stack of textbooks to prop them up, connect your computer or phone and stream away.
No matter how you decide to refresh your dorm, there are so many options to make it your own. If you’d like to learn more about our Residence Halls, check out this article.
Lirit Gilmore is a Creative Writing and Food Studies student. Lirit’s academic focus is centered in food writing and how it intersects with social location and identity. She is from Washington, DC and the Midwest, and enjoys baking in her free time. See all her work on Pulse@ChathamU here.