Use Lots of Color

There will be a week it rains–every single day. You might have a month where you feel as if you haven’t seen the sun at all, and you never will again. Somewhere around the middle of the semester, you might feel like everyday is filled with chapters to read and papers to write with no end in sight. As your dorm room is likely various shades of black, white, and gray, prepare for those not-so-bright weeks by brightening up your living space with your favorite colors. Get blue magnets for your fridge, a bright pink rug, or yellow pillows. These fun items might be enough to improve your mood on that thundering Tuesday afternoon!

Have A Variety of Lighting Solutions

You may want to have numerous options for lighting your dorm room. Do you have a setting for when you’re up late finishing a project and your roommate is asleep? How about a setting for when it’s pitch black outside and you and your roommate want to stay up playing a game? What about a setting for when you’re in bed finishing up a chapter in a book, and don’t want to get up to turn off the light? Consider stand alone lamps, lamps with multiple settings, desk lamps, book lights, push lights, decorative lights, and any other type of light you can think of that will allow you to adjust lighting for any situation.

Give Yourself Motivation

Everyone has a reason for attending college and for choosing a particular major. Maybe you’re going to school to be a teacher because you had a teacher who changed your life. Maybe you’re a film major because Fight Club is your favorite movie, and you want to create art with that much complexity. Have something in your room that will remind you of why you’re here. When you’re in the middle of a twenty-page paper while your friends are all at a party, or when it’s the first warm week of the semester and you’d rather tan than study, you’ll need the motivation to keep you going!

Need a few extra dollars to cover tuition this semester? Cappex is a great place to apply for scholarships!

So here’s a simple list of some things you should think about getting for your dorm room that will make those shopping trips easier:

A mini-fridge: You will get sick of the dorm food. I repeat: You will get sick of the dorm food. Also, you will not want to waste a meal credit on breakfast that often. So a mini-fridge is a good place to keep breakfast and snack supplies as well as cold drinks for those late night study sessions.

Risers for your bed: If you don’t end up lofting your beds, get risers for your bed. Those few inches will make a big difference for what you can store in your room. You’re going to want as much space as possible.

Extra sheets and towels: Don’t be gross. Change your sheets. Also your friend from high school visiting does not want to have to use your damp towel you just dried off with to shower. Your friends will not remember to bring a towel when they come to visit.

Air mattress: If you don’t have a futon in your room, keep an air mattress handy in case you have a friend from out of town come to visit. A sleeping bag is nice also. Don’t be a bad host. Also your buddy from down the hall will thank you whenever his roommate’s out of town girlfriend comes to visit.

Laptop lock: Some schools have issues with theft in the dorms. For peace of mind, lock up your laptop to your desk. This way you don’t have to lock your door every time you go to the bathroom.

Microwave: Now’s the time to eat all the snack food that your mom wouldn’t let you buy growing up. Many of these hedonistic foods require preparation in the microwave. You’ll thank me at 2am.

Hamper for your clothes: When you’re working off those late night snacks you’ll want to have somewhere to throw your dirty gym clothes afterwards.

Power strips: There are never enough outlets in the dorm room.

Flash drive: Much more convenient than uploading to a server or emailing your self a document every time you want to print something at the computer lab, you’ll be grateful you have a flash drive when the printer you got for free with your laptop breaks after 2 months of use.

Find your college and scholarship matches at Cappex.com!

Here are the 10 best college dorms in country:

1. La Salle University, St. Basil Court

2. Winona State University, Lucas

3. Villanova University, Farley Hall

4. Georgia State University, University Commons

5. Mississippi State University, Hurst Hall

6. Villanova University, Welsh Hall

7. James Madison University, Gifford Hall

8. The College of New Jersey, Eickhoff Hall

9. Kennesaw State University, University Village Suites

10. Saint Joseph’s University, Borgia Hall

Would you choose a college for a dorm?

This post from the Uloop blog gives college students 5 easy ways to network and make friends in college:

Switch It Up
Although it is very easy to be a part of the same organizations that you have been a part of for your entire life, it is more beneficial to branch out to various organizations that have different backgrounds, connections, and client bases than your own. For example, even if you are not politically driven it may be rather prudent to join Young Republicans, Campus Democrats, etc. Or on the flip-side, if you have been a part of a politically affiliated organization for a long time, then maybe you should switch it up and join the Adventure Club or Fencing Club. By doing this, your face and name gain recognition across demographics.

Approach the Unfamiliar
Oftentimes people get so wrapped up in their own lives that they forget that there are six billion other people on the planet. Yes, friendships are amazing, especially the lifelong ones. However, someone that you have known since pre-school will not vanish if you do not hang out with them for a couple days. Be approachable and approach those that you don’t know. For example, if someone is wearing a shirt that says “Combat Airsoft” you may feign interest in order to spark a conversation which could lead to a friendship. No one ever got anywhere by staying in their shell, and neither should you.

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Probably the last thing on your mind while you’re searching for and applying to colleges is who your roommate will eventually be.  But, the reality is that after the admissions process,  in most situations, you’ll have to live with a stranger your freshman year in a college dorm room.

Whether you wind up becoming best friends with your roommate or cordial acquaintances, here is some advice from ULOOP.com on how to maintain a good relationship with your college roommate:

Do have roommate nights. Grab a bowl of popcorn, sit on the couch, or your extra long twin bed, and put in a chick-flick. My roommates and I always have Gossip Girl Mondays. Having these nights keeps your bond strong; it’s an easy way to break away from some of the stress of school, especially when it’s midterm week and you don’t say a word to your roommate because you’re cramming for your Chemistry test.

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