Decorating Like a Pro
Whether you’re living in a single or a quad this year, you want your room to be a reflection of your personality and style. I moved into the residence halls four years ago with a bunch of clothes, books, and not much else.
Three long days of orientation later, I realized my room needed a little something. Maybe more than a little something. Maybe a lot of everything to cover the white walls in my room. Anything would do. Posters, bulletin boards, maps, clocks, lanterns. But there aren’t many ways Residential Life (perfect, as it is) allows students to hang things in their room.
Naturally, I consulted a good friend, who told me that I should buy 3M strips for hanging things. A walk to Target was all it took.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with 3M’s versatile strips, let me list for you the different ways I’ve used been able to use them:
- Hanging curtain rods from the wall
- Pinning back curtains
- Hanging posters, towels, dish rags, oven mits, and my keys
- Mounting a gigantic (and magnificent) clock, ceiling lanterns, LED lights, and a floating shelf for my phone when I walk in
- Anchoring a huge sign that says, “No Fee - Pee Free” from Urinetown (performed at Hamline when I was a Sophomore)
The result is a lot more vertical space, utility, accessibility, and a comfortable feel. I don’t know how folks did it before 3M, but I’m happy to endorse their product. Check out 3M’s website for more information on their products if you aren’t sold already. My guess is that most of your floormates are already using them! Cheers!
–Grady
What are things everyone should bring to college with them that they might not think of?
- A fan or multiple fans
- 3m wall hooks and command strips
- An extra toothbrush (you never know when you’ll drop yours)
- A toothbrush case
- Christmas lights (those big florescent lights are too intense, man)
- A desk lamp
- TONS of wall decorations
- Paper towels
- Disinfectant spray/Febreeze/etc
- A small sewing kit
- Cups/plates/utensils (or just steal them from your cafeteria)
- First aid kit (filled with bandaids, ibuprofen, cough medicine, etc)
- A reusable water bottle (they are so convenient/cost efficient!)
- Your dignity
I hate being in this room with the door closed.
It’s too quiet.
My roommate is nice, but I really hate how different we are.
I…
-wake up at reasonable hours in the morning (usually between 7 and 9)
-love musicals
-am both a Starkid and a Nerdfighter
-need to have music playing or some other noise constantly (unless I’m reading)
-prefer to keep the door open at all times (when I’m in the room)
She…
-sleeps until the afternoon
-doesn’t listen to music as much
-has no idea what Starkid or Nerdfighteria are
-asks me to put headphones in all the time, even though I’m usually here first
-just asked me to close the door because she “doesn’t feel like leaving it open right now,” even though she’s just lying on her bed; listening to her iPod, texting, and perusing the internet
I wish the study room were unlocked.
This is rubbish.
