How to decorate your uni room
Zoe Sperry shares how to make your uni room feel like a home from home.
It’s no news to anyone that moving to university, whether for the first time or not, can be a strange experience. Over the past year many have spent most (if not all) their academic year at home studying online. After being in the comfort of one’s own home, an empty university room or apartment can undoubtedly feel foreign. Although it appears we might be spending less time in our rooms this year with the return of in person events, it’s still nice to come back to a comforting space after a long day of lectures.
Plants
Having plants is an easy way to add colour and life (in quite the literal sense) to a room. Research shows that having indoor plants comes with many health benefits, such as improved mood and productivity. Especially if you’re living somewhere that doesn’t have the privilege of overlooking Exeter’s natural greenery, adding a couple of hanging vines down your bookshelf, sprouting flowers next to your bed, or cute cacti along your desk can bring that outdoor beauty inside.
Photos
Photos are a great way of personalizing your room and making it feel a bit more like home. You could print out your favorite memories and hang them along a string with clips, create a polaroid wall to forever keep your friends and family in sight, or simply add one or two framed photos in your room.
Wall Art
Wall art is another creative way to spice up any space. Keep in mind that if you’re staying in university accommodation, you may want to be wary about adding any hooks or adhesives to the walls as it could damage them. Another option is to simply lean the piece on a bookshelf, for example. Desenio is a great online store with a wide variety of cool prints; or, if you’re an artist yourself, you may want to put up one of your own creations.
Making it cozy
Finally, especially living in a country with grim weather, creating a warm and cozy environment will help make your room a place to enjoy being in. This can be done by adding soft and colourful pillows, bedding, and blankets – that way after a long day of hard work you can bury yourself in a den of fuzzy pillows. Adding fairy lights and lamps with warm tones can also create a snug and homely setting.
Decorating your room is an excellent way to help you get settled in at the start of term and keep you motivated throughout the year. And it also makes a great conversation starter, especially perfect for any fresher keen to befriend new flat mates. Whoever you invite into your room might ask questions about that photo of your dog, or those cool prints on your wall. So, if the homesickness is hitting hard, or the stress of university is piling up, take care of your wellbeing by creating a home away from home.
