By Brittany Rouse, Broadside Staff Writer
When it comes to preparing to leave home for college, one of the most important things for incoming freshmen is decorating their dorm. Residential dorms provide basic furniture such as bureaus, desks and a bed, but it is up to the occupant to make the room feel like home. To get started, check the newspaper for upcoming sales on items such as towels, sheets and a comforter (twin-size, extra long) and picture frames. Many stores such as Target, Wal-Mart and department stores like Macy’s or JCPenney feature an entire line of dorm items that usually go on sale throughout the summer.
You will need to bring basic items such as a pillow, bedding, towels and a lamp or two. According to the George Mason University housing website, the following items are prohibited: pets (besides fish in tanks smaller than 10 gallons), candles and incense, halogen lamps, water beds, refrigerators larger than 118 volts, fireworks, extension cords and drug-related paraphernalia.
Once the basic items have been covered, it is time to get creative. Throughout the summer, be sure to take pictures with friends and family that you can then put up in your dorm. Target and Wal-Mart are great places to cheaply print out pictures and purchase frames.
A cheap way to make a small, bland dorm room seem cozy is to put things on the wall like posters or pictures. Mason usually has a poster sale early in each semester in the Johnson Center. Whatever you do, beware of tape or sticky tack. You will feel the wrath of a RA if you try to check out for the summer and have left places on the wall where the paint has been torn off by tape. Use adhesive that is specifically made to easily attach to posters or frames and leave the walls in good condition.
Because dorms are notoriously small, it is best to stay as organized as possible. Bed Bath and Beyond and Target have great solutions, such as crates, over-the-door shoe holders and desk organizers. Consider buying a dry-erase calendar to help keep track of due dates for classes.
Keep the small size of your new dorm room in mind when packing up to leave home. Do not make the typical freshman mistake of bringing everything you own. Pack only clothes and shoes that you know you will wear, and remember that you can always bring more to school the next time you go home.
Freshman year will be one of the most interesting, fun, stressful and scary years of your college experience. With the pressure that comes with starting college and leaving home, it is important to create a dorm space that is cozy and comfortable.