Decorate A Dorm Room To Get A Fictional School To Attend
- by Sophie_R
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Don't we all have a love/hate relationship with school? It's where we make friends, define ourselves, explore countless opportunities, and set ourselves up for a successful future. But then again, there's homework, rules, dress codes, and early wake-up calls. But imagine if you could scrap the normalcy of high school and trade it for something out of a movie or TV show. Imagine attending class with a vampire. Envision earning a degree in casting magical spells or protecting yourself against the Dark Arts. Yeah, sign me up! If a school, whether it be high school, elementary, or college, is going to occupy years of our lives, shouldn't the dorms be to our liking? Shouldn't they be perfect? In the real world, dorms can be too small, too messy, and too stinky. The beds are too small, the person next door is too loud, and the furniture is creaking because it's too old and rundown. Not exactly an ideal living situation. And so, why not design your own dorm? The sky is the limit. Think about pets, a flatscreen TV, a color scheme, and the perfect roommate. One who doesn't snore or borrow things without asking first or eat all the food in the mini fridge. Go ahead and decorate the ultimate dorm room!
Choose a campus location.
As a teenager, this is one of the hardest decisions to make. Going off to college is a big step, but no one ever talks about the actual moving. Packing up all our stuff and driving away to a different state or the opposite coast. Before settling into a dorm, where is the college located?
Choose a budget.
Before we go shopping for dorm materials and furniture, it's vital to set a realistic budget. Most big things (like a bed and writing desk) are supplied for us, but what about the rest? Who is going to pay for it? How much are we willing to spend on a room that isn't permanent?
Choose a shopping spot.
We are so lucky to have the world at our fingertips. Everything we could possibly want for a dorm room can be found online. There's Etsy, Pinterest, Amazon Prime, Target, Walmart, Home Depot., etc. Each option has its own aesthetic, so choose wisely! For example, IKEA is known for their Scandinavian minimalism.
Shop online or in-person?
There are two types of people: those who shop online, and those who shop in-person. Each method comes with its own set of pros and cons. Shopping online might be faster and easier, but we never really know what we're buying until it comes in the mail. The quality could be garbage.
Choose the ideal roommate.
Furniture is one thing, but imagine if we could pick our college dorm mates. Dorm life can be one of the best (or worst) experiences in a person's life... and it all depends on what type of roommate we get. In a perfect world, if we could choose, what would the ideal situation be?
What's the overall vibe?
We can all sense good (or bad) energy as soon as we walk into a room. We feel emotions faster than we can put words together to explain why we feel a certain way. Knowing that, what kind of vibe will your dorm have? What's the invisible message? Once that's decided, it will be easier to pick out furniture and décor.
Choose a pet.
OK, this one might be a little far-fetched as not all campuses allow pets in the dorms. However, a few special do as long as it's something in a cage like a fish or small turtle. But let's pretend this is a Hogwarts-type situation, and we can have any pet our heart desires. Dream big! The sky is the limit!
Bunk beds or twin beds?
Here's the honest truth: a dorm bed will never be as comfy as the bed we have at home. It won't smell the same, feel the same, and bring the same rush of eutopia. If it came down to bunk beds or regular twin beds, which is the better choice?
Choose a bed frame.
Is there really anything better than a comfy (and aesthetically pleasing) bed? It's where we lay our heads down to rest every single night, so picking a bed frame should be an important decision. Our beds should make us proud, happy, and relaxed. But most of the time, standard dorm room beds look too generic and plain.
Carpet or concrete?
Flooring can make or break a room, especially if it has gross spills on it. Concrete might be the best way to go if someone's got a case of Butter Fingers (and things just slip through the hands). But then again, stepping onto a plush carpet feels so stinkin' good first thing in the morning.
Choose a color scheme.
Color plays a major role in the art of feng shui. The Chinese believe that color has the power to set the mood for a whole room, let alone the entire house. It's believed that yellow promotes happiness, while green represents a healthy diet and lifestyle. Purple speaks for royalty and wealth and blue creates a sense of calm.
What's hanging on the wall?
If living in the dorm is going to occupy (at least) one year of our lives, shouldn't it look homey? Shouldn't the walls be decorated with memories from our past? Not only do framed pictures look pretty and remind us of the good times, they're also conversation starters between two people, possibly a roommate.
Choose a plant.
According to the feng shui masters, green is one of the best colors to have inside a space. It promotes a healthy lifestyle and positive vibes, which is exactly how to avoid the alleged "Freshman 15." Plants are an easy and wallet-friendly space to add a touch of green. Shop away!
Choose a movie poster.
Want to find common ground with a roommate? Nothing sparks a conversational like a hilarious or creepy movie poster. It doesn't even need to cost anything extra, simply transport the posters from your high school room to the dorm. White walls can be a lonely thing to look at so far from home.
Choose a desk material.
In college, it's important to find a healthy work/life balance. It's great to get out and enjoy some parties with friends, but at the same time, college students spend a lot of their time at their work desks. Getting homework done and making straight A's. What kind of desk is sitting in the corner of your dream dorm?
What's in the mini fridge?
Most colleges have a cafeteria or snack shop on-campus, but let's say its late at night and everything is closed. Our stomach is rumbling and we're seriously hungry... good thing there's a mini fridge in the dorm! A mini fridge can be a college student's saving grace when they're low on money.
Is there a TV?
A lot of us have a love/hate relationship with the TV. We love it because it brings us endless entertainment, but at the same time, it's so darn distracting when we're trying to get work done. Some college students prefer to live in a dorm with zero distractions. Others can't live without a TV.
What's playing on the TV?
Having a roommate is all about compromise. And it's good practice for the future when we move in with significant others. Compromise is a skill that's learned over time. It will rear its sometimes-ugly head during movie time, lunch time, and bedtime. Agreeing on a movie or TV can be hard work.
Choose a music poster.
That Beyoncé poster hanging over your bed can find a new home at college. Music is a great way to bond with future roommates, and, if there's a common bond, think of all dance parties that lie ahead. Just be courteous of your neighbor by keeping the noise down at night..
Choose a view.
People have been strategically taking photos of their homes and apartments for years and misleading people on Craigslist. If that view isn't in the picture, something fishy is up. The last thing we want is to be facing a brick wall for an entire year. We need something better. Something pretty.
Choose a toilet paper brand.
Just because we're headed off the college, doesn't mean we can ignore basic humans rights like soft toilet paper. Your roommate might like a different brand, but what if it's the rough and bumpy kind? That's no good. It's always better to have our own on-hand just in case. We all go, so enjoy the go.
Choose an instrament.
Things are about to get musical! Corner spaces in dorm rooms can be hard to fill, but it's the perfect place to store a trumpet or tuba or guitar. Not only will dorm life seem like a mini concert with music in the air, it will also invite creativity and people of similar interests to come around.
Choose a wall quote.
We've all seen those slightly cheesy and cliché quotes. The ones that are mounted up on a wall in the bedroom, living room, or front entrance. The ones that are meant to inspire and put a smile on our faces. Does it always work? No. Does it look pretty? Yes.
Choose a storage location.
Chances are, the standard dorm room won't be big or spacious enough to house all our stuff. Our shoes, DVD collection, or even packets of ramen. That's why we desperately need a storing method and a place to put those boxes. It's okay if it looks messy. Cleanliness is not graded.
Choose a scented candle.
At some point during freshman year, we're going to walk into our dorm and think, "Boy, this place smells." It could be from the expired milk sitting in our mini fridge, or maybe it's the fact that we haven't done laundry in weeks. Either way, this dorm needs to freshen up.
What's the "Go Away" signal?
Even with lovely roomies, there are going to be moments that we want to be left alone. It's perfectly okay to ask for privacy every once in awhile for a couple hours. Perhaps we've got a hot date inside or need to take a highly personal call. For moments like these, roommates need a signal.
Choose a level of school spirit.
Colleges are quick to give away merchandise and goodies with their logo on it. Things like stickers, sweatshirts, pom poms -- anything with the school's colors on them to promote awareness. The question is, how devoted do we want to be in our dorm? Are we going to hang it all up? Or throw it in the trash?
Choose a mirror shape.
The amount of effort we put into our looks during college will drastically change over time. For the first few months, we'll go the full mile. Makeup, a nice dress or shirt, and styled hair, which will eventually turn into sloppy sweatpants senior year. But for now, we need a mirror to look our best.
Choose a tapestry.
Running out of posters to decorate with? Consider buying a tapestry big enough to fill one giant wall. Amazon, Target, and Walmart have plenty of options, with multiple sizes, colors, shapes, and patterns. If we had to pick one look, what would it be? Something classic like city skyline? Or something beachy like a palm tree?
What music genre is playing?
On a Friday night, we might feel inclined to throw a little dance party and invite some friends over for popcorn and fruit punch (as long as it's not within quiet hours). If we could pick any music to dance to, what would it be? What genre of music gets a party going?
Choose a welcome mat message.
Nothing makes a good first impression like a sweet welcome mat. Some colleges have an open floor plan that takes students outside. Others keep everything indoors. Regardless, students walking by your dorm will have no choice but to notice the welcome mat. It lets people know we've arrived. But what does it say?
Choose a funky desk accessory.
The walls aren't the only things that need a personal touch. The same way adults transform their workspace, students decorate their writing desks with staple pieces that let their personality shine through. We all grew up with some weird or totally random accessory that nobody else had. Bring that to the dorm!
Choose a light source.
Basic lamps might be the obvious way to go, but how unoriginal, right? There are a multitude of lighting options around department stores if we look hard enough. Things like candles, lava lamps, glow-in-the-dark posters, fairy lights, even Christmas lights taken right off the Christmas tree. They all provide the same function, so why not get creative?
Choose an emoji pillow.
Emojis don't solely belong on our phones anymore. They're everywhere! Any millennial will admit that emojis have formed into a full-blown language. They're not just for show or comic relief. Without using any words, emojis can say it all... and they can say it from the couch. Choose an emoji pillow to send the right message!
Choose a flag.
Colleges are a melting pot of cultures, demographics, religions, politics, and countries. Students travel from all over the world in seek of the best education, top courses, and prestigious degrees. Why not show off your heritage with a flag in the dorm? It's a great way to decorate a wall and represent your country with pride.
