As ‘the rona’ has halted Freshers’ plans that involve leaving your room, it seems that many of us have now moved (back) to our second home town, which means decorating a sparse, cupboard sized room; calling for a Primark pillow haul and an excuse to finally print out some pictures. For some of us, the four walls you’re enclosed within are about to become your living room, bedroom and office all in one. This is why it’s more important than ever to make it a safe space for yourself as well as somewhere to be productive and relax. Here’s some top tips!
- Make a Pinterest account and find some new ways of decorating: I don’t just mean fluffy throws and fairy lights, but find inspiration to hang up all your polaroids without leaving blue-tack marks.
- Turn your bedroom into a jungle: it’s true what they say, greenery really does liven your mood. If you think you can manage hanging plants and aloe veras then go for it, but otherwise, maybe just stick to those not-so-demanding succulents.
- Candles, diffusers, and definitely some Febreeze: uni rooms tend to get a little stuffy and smelly, and even if you’re not allowed to burn candles, diffusers and Febreeze are a must, especially for more communal areas. And if possible open your window now and again for a fresh breeze!
- An extension wire: your office area will probably end up being your bed, and although you should really be working at the desk, that probably won’t end up happening. To help you with awkward positions though, a multi-plug extension lead is probably best.
- Throws, hoodies, dressing gowns and even an oodie: the only thing worse than being home-sick and a bit sniffly, is being home-sick, sniffly, and cold. If you really want to spoil yourself, have a look at this comfy couture.
- A build your own snack box: not only is this so much fun to create, but having your favourite snacks on hand saves you a trip to the supermarket, will comfort you with savouries from home, and is the perfect way to break the ice with your housemates (no one will say no to a biccy).
- Speaking of breaking the ice, either invest in a door stop or just stack a pile of books to keep your door open, so that any time someone pops through you can have a little chat to make friends without having to do that awkward knock-on-their-door-to-ask-to-be-friends thing.
- Fluffy slippers: seeing as you won’t be going out very much, you probably won’t need that many outdoor shoes. But one thing you will need is a pair of slippers to stop you treading directly into the mush that will be coating your communal kitchen floor.
- A colouring book: for me, when I couldn’t sleep at night but was too sleepy to do anything productive, colouring eased my mind and became the perfect therapy. And if flowers and Mandala patterns aren’t really your thing, there’s always the slightly ruder colouring books to enjoy.
- All the little trinkets from your bedside table at home: whether it’s a unicorn ring holder or marble resin coaster, the only way to make yourself feel at home is to make it as much as home as possible. And that doesn’t have to mean packing your dog in your suitcase. The smaller things that are randomly dotted around your home bedroom are perfect for adding to the sense of normal you’ll want at uni, making you feel less like a stranger in a hotel room and more like a student living their best (socially-distanced, safe and healthy) life.
Written by Meghna Amin (Twitter: @_meghnaamin)
Featured image courtesy of @julianhochgesang via Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.