You’re back on campus after being away, refreshed from quarantine and eager to go back to your dorm, but you don’t know how exactly you should decorate it. With the possibility of returning home for distance learning at any point in the semester, it may seem like an intimidating task to decorate your room. Here are some tips for dorm decorating:  

Get Inspired: It can be very difficult to come up with themes for your dorm, so finding inspiration on Pinterest and the internet can be very helpful. From there, saving anything that sparks your interest can be beneficial for you and what you would like in your room. When decorating a space, it is important that you map out what you may need in order to make your life easier when moving into your dorm. If you miss home, bring some elements that remind you of it.  

“You should decorate your room with personal photos and rugs to make your room feel more at home and comfy,” senior Alenni Rosado said.  

Start Prepping: When moving in, you don’t realize how dull a room can be until you really get there. Ensuring that you have covered the major groundwork is very important to figuring out what exactly you are looking for in your dorm decor. Places like Target and Bed Bath & Beyond create lists that show you what you need in your dorm and make sure you don’t forget the important things. Prepping allows you to know what you would need for your room in general and, from there, you know what decorations you need, how big or small they should be and where you can place them in your dorm.  

Come to the Bright Side: You should use a little color to liven your dorm. A great way to make your dorm room look more organized and coordinated is by matching your bedsheets to the rest of your décor. Collaborating with your roommate by making those aesthetic dorm room photos you both love online is also a way to make your dorm look coordinated. String lights come in all different shapes, so adding little details like Christmas lights or LED lights could really amplify the color in your room.  

Posters, Pictures and Tapestries: Having bare walls is the last way to make a dorm feel like home. There are so many options for wall decorations, yet you may not know what you need. You could decorate your wall with posters of pop culture icons like rapper Pop Smoke or even shows like The Big Bang Theory. This could add a personal touch to your dorm that showcases your interests. Don’t forget about pictures! If you miss your loved ones back home or just want to show off memories with your friends here at college, personal photos are the best way to communicate this. To cover more wall space, you could also get a tapestry that will add a pop of color to your space. 

“Some ways to decorate are tapestries and posters that work within the construct of your room,”  senior Jayson Fox said. 

With these tips, it should be easier to create a plan on how to decorate your dorm, so it is the perfect home away from home.