There are so many fun and creative ways to decorate a dorm room, but depending on which school you’re in, you may favor certain decorations over others. While command hooks and tape are advised against, divots in the wall from these decorations can be easily fixed by stuffing toilet paper in the holes and covering them with white-out. These walls are quickly mended, but there’s no simple homesickness remedy, so making your new dorm feel cozy and personal is a good start.

Tisch

Every actor needs someone to practice lines with, and what better person than yourself? Create a cute and colorful mirror by spicing up the frame with simple decorations like fake flowers, gemstones and polaroid photos. Most of these can be easily found at craft stores, and there is no limit to what looks good in this typically under-utilized corner of your room. Your daily OOTD’s will be cuter than ever.

Gallatin

Tap into your inner Gallatin hipster by decorating your dorm room with some succulents. The Union Square Greenmarket sells mini potted plants at affordable prices, and they can be easily transferred into stemless wine glasses for a fresh and bright look. These plants are super low-maintenance and can be placed anywhere in your room, from your bathroom counter to the extra space on your bookshelf.

Liberal Studies

If you’re someone who can’t wait for a semester abroad, try decorating your room with a large flag. This quick and simple decoration can represent anywhere from your home country to the place you’ve always dreamed of visiting. If you’re worried about the fire hazard, you can always invest in a globe instead — that way, you check off all the countries at once, while providing a great bookend to the endless pile of reading you have to finish by Sunday.

Stern

Looking for a way to start transitioning into the adult world? A fish is a perfect companion to learn how to take care of someone other than yourself at a low price without too much of a time commitment. Beta fish are beautiful, can liven up any dorm room and provide great conversation starters. Just make sure you remember to feed it every day!

Steinhardt

Your guitar deserves a bigger stage than the black case you keep shoved under your bed. Instrument stands are easy to build and inexpensive on sites like Amazon. Keeping instruments on display adds a welcoming and fun aesthetic to your room without too much effort, and it gives you an excuse to break out the tunes whenever you have an
extra minute.

Tandon

With all of the technology in your room, figuring out which cords connect to which outlets can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Luckily, there’s an easy fix. Take leftover bread tags — the small plastic squares that come on loaves of bread — and hook them onto the base of your cords, labelling them accordingly. That way, you’ll never unplug the wrong cord — it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

CAS

While CAS boasts a wide variety of majors, there’s one decoration that almost everyone can agree on: photos. Use decorated or themed picture frames to house your favorite snaps of the people you love. IKEA offers a wide variety of inexpensive frames, sure to fit any personality type. It will definitely be worth the smile you’ll earn from your mom the next time she visits.

Read the rest of the housing issue here.