One of the most infamous aspects of college life is living in dorms. At UCLA, most dorms are triple-occupancy, which can require some careful planning in order to make the space you are given into you dream dorm room. But don’t worry, the adjustment to dorm life can be made easy with ample planning and inspiration.
Dorm essentials and theme
First, you should pick a theme that will help to maintain a cohesive look amongst your items. This can be a specific vibe or even just a color scheme that you want to base your room off of. After you have decided on this, you can begin your search for items such as bed spreads, throw pillows, blankets and desk accessories. For your bed space, you will need twin XL sheets and a comforter or duvet cover. I recommend making your bed comfier by purchasing a mattress topper to put on top of the university-provided mattress. One or two small pillows and a blanket can transform your bed space into a comfortable couch area where you can unwind after a long day of classes.
Cleaning supplies and space organization
One of the most impactful ways to enhance the appearance of your dorm room is by investing in cleaning supplies and organizational tools. In any style of room, a three-tiered snack cart, a water filter pitcher, a small fan and an air purifier are essential items to have on-hand. If you are living in a larger style of room such as a Plaza, an additional trash can, three-tiered shower caddy cart and rolling drawers for under your sink are extremely helpful in creating more storage for you and your roommates.
For personal organization, drawer organizers can aid you in keeping your makeup, pens and pencils, medicine and other personal items neatly arranged. Command hooks can be easily placed in closets, on the sides of desks and in bathrooms (if private or shared) to create more storage space for bags, towels, hats and other accessories.
Decorations
Convert your space into a home. All dorm rooms at UCLA come with cork board walls that can be decorated with practically anything you want, including pictures and posters. By planning ahead and looking at online sites for inspiration such as Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok, you can achieve your desired dorm room. Posters can be printed out or purchased prior to move-in, or you can purchase them during the school year at poster sales that take place on-campus outside of Ackerman Union. Make sure you purchase plenty of thumb tacks so that you can display any pictures you may want! Flat-backed tacks are conducive to the cork board areas directly next to a bed as people can lean back on the wall without being poked.
Lamps or another source of ambient lighting such as strip lights, LED lights and fairy lights can be used to elevate the look of your dorm room by creating an alternate light source other than the given dorm lights. This reduces the need to use the extremely bright overhead lights, allowing your room to be illuminated in a more relaxed way.
Another way to enhance your dorm room is by displaying plants and flowers on windowsills or countertops. This is an easy and low-cost way to bring some light and life into your dorm room!
Coordination with roommates
All of the above beautifying techniques can be made easier through coordination with your roommates. A common theme or color scheme can achieve a cohesive look in your room.
Additionally, the financial burden of living in dorms and keeping these rooms organized and clean can be shared amongst you and your roommates. Prior to moving in, each person can purchase a few items for the room that will be shared by all roommates throughout the year. If any decorations need to be purchased, these costs can also be split by roommates and can help to glamorize the overall look of the room.
Although the transition to dorm living may be difficult, proper planning can make all the difference. Using these tips and tricks will make move-in and dorm-living a breeze for new Bruins!
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Featured Illustration via Adobe Stock
