Bringing Character to Student Dorm Rooms

Monica Guzman, Staff Reporter

Monica_Guzman@csumb.edu

April 7, 2008

Being well into the second semester of school, many students living on campus have already put in their best efforts to make their rooms feel homier by decorating. Some students like to keep it to just decorating for holidays whereas others have actual furniture and textiles.

Maren Mitch, Earth Sciences and Special Projects freshman, and Ashley Thompson, Business freshman, are two residents that specifically like to decorate for holidays. The two had already started taking down their decorations from St. Patrick’s Day, but still had clovers and a few decorations left over from other holidays. 

Mitch and Thompson described how they decorated for Christmas by putting up lights and garland in their room and wrapping paper over their door. “We have to live here for so long, it’s our home away from home.” said Mitch. 

Two other residents that have personality overflowing from their room are Belinda Hernandez, Liberal Studies freshman, and Tiffany Savala, undeclared freshman. The two have their room covered with posters of their favorite celebrities, pictures of family and friends, and artwork. 

As a quick fix to hide a messy closet Hernandez and Savala put up a curtain in their closet doorway. Liking the convenience and what it brought to the look of the room, the two roommates decided to keep the curtain. Being that the curtain is made from such light material, they were able to hold it up with masking tape, one of Hernandez’s and Savala’s favorite decorating tools. 

Telecommunications, Multimedia, and Applied Computing Junior Sam Reiter who also has his room decorated with visuals said, “I just like putting stuff up, like cool pictures or anything that’s unique.” Reiter also covered the light in his room with colored cellophane wrap as a dimming effect.

Favorite mounting products among the residents are clear, masking, and duct tape. Recommendations for heavier items were double-sided mounting tape from Mitch and Thompson and the Command adhesive strips by 3M from Reiter. 

“Throw it up on the wall, whatever you have makes it feel cozy,” said Hernandez and Savala providing one quick and easy idea to decorate a dull dorm room.