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An even bigger challenge: solutions for a dorm room

With regard to dorm rooms, is it harsh of me to say, "you are only going to be there a short time during which your focus should be your education, so maybe minimal personal touches that make you comfortable might be enough"??

Back a million years ago, I was happy to have coordinated bedspreads with my roommate, and a sew-it-myself slip cover for the college-issue chair. We used the college curtains, and the existing furniture (built-in desk, desk chairs, twin/bunk beds, aforementioned "comfortable" chair...) Add a rented mini fridge, and that was all, other than some posters which was all the cinder block walls could support as "art".

I guess times have changed, but I sure liked not having to rent a truck to move in and out of the dorm! Just saying!

Uh, relatively speaking, none of us are anywhere for more than a short time. Is that a reason to not try and make your surroundings more comfortable? I don't think so.

...and yes, it is harsh of you to say that.

I don't think it's harsh to say at all. Too many of today's undergrads end up spending tons of their folks money on sprucing up a place they'll only live in for 8 months. Even worse is that the vast majority of that stuff will just be thrown out or put in a school rummage sale when they leave. I say better to embrace minimalism in the dorms and save your money till you've established what you want your style to be.

No, it's not harsh at all. Just a reality check.

Maybe it would be worth it if you were staying in the same place for several academic years. But face it, most undergraduates don't stay in the same room for longer than 9 months (with about six weeks off for winter and spring break, not to mention Thanksgiving and other holidays). Spending a lot of time and money on decorating a dorm room is wasteful.

Plus, the full-on college experience isn't about shutting yourself up in your beautifully-decorated dorm room. If you're doing it right, you should only be in there to sleep and change clothes anyway. When I was in school, I had two jobs, ate every meal with friends, and spent my study hours in my carrel at the library or in the on-campus cafe. I didn't hang out in my dorm room that much.

And PrnceMach is absolutely right. My father works for a local college and the amount of stuff the undergrads throw out every May is ridiculous. A lot of it is almost or pretty much brand new (even clothes with tags on them).

Whenever he mentions it, I worry about the future.

When I was in college, most kids moved in with what they could haul in the family car (not an SUV, btw). Most of us didn't have televisions, nobody had a computer, a lucky few had a typewriter. Most had a stereo, which one roommate brought.

These days kids rent U-hauls. And move-out week is the best time to drive by a university and snag electronics, carpets, and books these kids just throw away.

When my youngest sister first moved to the U of Illinois, she had too much stuff. I promised her if she left half behind, I'd bring it to her in a couple weeks. I never did bring it to her, and she later thanked me, LOL

Kids these days....

Decorating dorm rooms does suck. The carpet, the walls, the amount of space, the hideous furniture and lets not forget the terrible lighting! I found that when my roommate and I decorated our room we became less homesick. It was "ours" and we had our own little space. The comfort of our own personal touches made it easier to adjust.

andddd....

Getting into college is a huge accomplishment and 1 year of living in a dorm room may not seem like a long time to some people, but for some of us it can feel like a lifetime (esp. coming back to an ugly dorm room, day after day). So we deserve to spend some money and decorate! Give us a break!

Going to be there a short time? Considering I'm there 8 out of 12 months...I think I'm right in having the interest to spruce up my room. More time is spent in a dorm room than in a bedroom at home - it's the bedroom, the living room, everything. We have study parties in each others' rooms, TV watching parties, and...regular parties. So I don't think it's at all a stretch to want it to look nice.

And it shouldn't always be assumed that parents are paying for everything. There are actually students today who take initiative to pay for things like dorm decor.

A large percentage of the discussions on Apartment Therapy are about decorating on a budget, which I think makes dorm decorating a worthwhile subject. But the attitude toward college students in this discussion is saddening. It's like saying parents shouldn't waste time on decorating, they should be focused on working/raising a family. Parents could work/raise and decorate, just like students can work/study and decorate.

I don't think anyone suggested that students should never decorate or not make their rooms comfortable and homey. I find unmade dorm beds and bare cinderblock walls to be pretty sad too.

But I think you have to balance the time spent in a place with how much money, time and effort you're putting into fixing it up. I knew kids in college who bought all-new furniture to replace the perfectly good, college-issued stuff. But: a little rug, nice bedding, better lighting, some art for the walls, a plant or two? Of course!

You might want to read this Apartment Therapy entry on the subject...

I guess I just come from a place of "to each his own" when it comes to decorating. If you want to go all out, go for it. Want to keep it simple, go for it. Want to leave it as the university gave it, go for it. Whatever works for you. Me personally, I want to go all out (within reason).

In fairness to the college set, EVERYONE has gotten more wasteful with their patterns of consumption.

If you look back at the time you spent in college and see that you had fewer things, then be fair and compare your current material circumstance to that of your parents back then. Suddenly your high ground dissipates, am I right?

If you fail to see the connection, then I will help you: I guarantee you eat out more often, purchase more clothing (it's cheap, right!?) drive longer distances, travel more, use more electricity, change out your furnishings more often, buy cute little things at Target with more packaging, get coffee 2 times a week so you can work on your *gasp* laptop and look at sites like this one which focus entirely on what kinds of things people have. :)

im out of college now, but when i first moved into my dorm, it was my first time ever living alone, in a new city where i had no family or friends. My mom was happy to help me pick out posters for my walls, colorful bedding, and little knick knacks from target and ikea to make it enjoyable and comfortable living experience for me - even if it was only for 8 months.

and i dont know about in other states but in california the dorms are more like apartments, so i had to get a toaster, microwave, pots and pans and even a tv. lets not forget about the bathroom!

yes times have changed, but it'd hard enough getting kids to want to go to college these days, the idea of moving into the dorms and making it your own is a HUGE motivation factor for many students so why look down on it?

I thought the desire to go to college was to acquire an education and skills, and to mature and grow as a person. Silly me. For "many students" these days, it's actually about having a room to decorate without interference from their parents.

Seriously though, if the only reason to go to college is the allure of independence, then why not find a job after graduating high school and move into your own place? Then you can decorate to your heart's content.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to create an atmosphere that is comfortable and conducive to studying and enjoying college. I lived in university housing for the past two years, and my roommate and I invested some time into making our place unique. It wasn't wildly expensive-just a matter of hanging some posters and photos in cheap frames and buying some lamps and curtains (I think the most expensive thing I bought was an expedit unit from Ikea, which I plan to keep using until it falls apart). It made the dorm feel like a nice place to come home to after class. Collaborating on decorating also broke the ice and helped roomie and I get to know each other better.

Now I'm moving into my first "real" apartment, and I'm glad that I put the effort into decorating my dorm rooms...I'm more aware of my personal style and know what I want my new place to reflect.

And not all college students are wasteful and toss everything at the end of the year...I'm keeping everything but the twin XL bedding.