dorm decorating

Most college kids break out of a dorm room by junior year, but my position as an RA has brought me back to a freshman dorm for year three. I was in an on campus apartment last year and (obviously) a freshman dorm in a different building my first year, so I’ve had a bunch of different experiences, and I’m starting to find trends in what I love to do with my dorm rooms.

This was originally going to be a “5 tips for dorm decorating” post or something similar, but in my mind it has quickly transformed into…a plea. That sounds too harsh. Maybe a word of wisdom?

Anyway, you know how Target comes out with their ~awesome~ college section every year? And how you can be tempted to buy literally every item for your dorm room from there because they carry Twin XL and because everything coordinates? I would recommend thinking twice because it turns out when you get to college five other people on your floor will inevitably have the same comforter as you do. It’s not that Target dorm decor is a bad thing. There’s just so much more out there to choose from.

Try Ikea or World Market for bedding, a comforter, or a throw. Buy some potted plants or grab a vase from home for fresh cut flowers to brighten your room. Remind yourself of home by bringing old linens your parents have hung onto for absolutely no reason. Stay away from Pinterest boards on dorm decor and veer toward generic bedroom decor. While you can’t change your paint or furniture, you can change about everything else and the inspiration is much more mature.

I don’t mean for this post to sound judgmental and bossy because really if you would like a Target comforter, go for it. But think outside the box. You’re going to be spending a ridiculous amount of time inside these walls for the next nine months. Make it you, don’t make it Target. (I love you, Target, don’t take this all the wrong way!)

In the next few weeks, I’ll share my ~ultimate~ college packing guide that I used to shop my first year. Until next time!

Lie. I haven’t started packing. I technically won’t have all of my stuff together to go until next week, but at about this time every year I start thinking about how I’m going to decorate the next space I’m moving to. (P.S. Apologies in advance for the shoddy pictures. I’ll start doing a better job of documenting my decor in the future)

Since I’m movin’ on up to being an SRA rather than an RA next year, I’m also movin’ on out and trekking to the other side of campus to move back into freshman style dorms. My building next year will be much older than my own freshman dorm, and while I’m not sure what it’ll look like, I am very excited. I’m one of those crazy people who loves the thought of living in an older building that has more charm and who chooses the big room on the side with no elevator at the risk of trekking up four flights of stairs to get to my room.

Even though I’m living in freshman housing next year, I want to keep some of the more mature elements of my room this year, though I might bring some of the decor from my freshman dorm back. I missed the Instagram wall.

This past year as an RA, I was placed in apartment style housing. I have a single bedroom, shared living room, and a kitchen. My building is relatively new and looks more like a “real” apartment than almost any other apartment style hall on campus. My choice of decor matched, but I might try to cutesy things up a little bit for next year.

I’d really like to keep the white bedding, but I’m thinking about doing something different with the walls. I also desperately need to purge so much of my stuff.

I’ll go into full-fledged planning mode when I get home next week. Expect to see some room decor inspiration posts throughout the summer, and I promise to share the result! Decorating is one of the things I love most about moving from room to room every year. I’m definitely not a pro or as sophisticated as I’d like to become, but if you saw other college dorm rooms I swear you would think I’m impressive.

two L allison

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