The Sandspur

Issue date: 9/11/06 Section: Life & Times

Media Credit: Kelly Castino NEAT 'N TIDY: Some students use their wall space as an opportunity to work on their time management and organizational skills.

The first time a college student enters his or her room can be shocking. It is shocking because the only thing in a dorm or apartment bedroom when a person walks in is a desk, dresser and bed. In an apartment there might be a kitchen table and some sofas, but other than that the room can look pretty depressing. Some students, though, decide to fight the boredom of the typical dorm room by decorating it and making it their own comfortable world.

Depending on how much time and energy a person has, there are many ways to decorate a dorm or an apartment. A room allows people to perceive one's interests and passions. For instance, my roommate last year, Veronica, chose to decorate her place by putting up artwork she had made. She happens also to be a studio art minor and is very creative.

By this year, my roommates, Laura and Julie, both decided to decorate their side in their own unique ways. Laura, originally from France, and is unable to visit her family every holiday so she has many pictures of her family all over her wall to remind her of what she is missing at home. My other roommate, Julie, is from the Orlando area and instead put up quotes that she liked. She also put up some of her favorite musical posters such as AIDA. Julie also hung up some pictures that her father, her brother and she took over the years of their home and the places they have traveled to. And, like the organized person she is, she placed her semester schedule right next to her bed along with the schedule of the theatre shows she is going to see each month.

My favorite part of her room is the Christmas lights are hung up because they are unique and brighten up the room. Both of my roommates agree that they did not plan on having their room turn out the way it did, they just put up decorations as it came to them. Looking into their rooms gives me a little insight into each of their personalities and is helpful in getting to know them better. There are numerous ways to express oneself in his or her dorm room. Students can put up pictures of their favorite bands, a sorority or fraternity sign, or anything else anyone could think of. How do you express yourself? Does it show your personality or interests?

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