How to Make Your University Accommodation Feel Like Home

I’m a big believer that making your accommodation feel like home is one of the greatest ways to make yourself more comfortable at university and that it will boost your overall morale and happiness here. I often find during the first couple weeks of university once the newness has waned off a little that you can find yourself in a slump and your environment reflects that.

However, if you make your room something you look forward to seeing and a place that makes you feel fulfilled, relaxed, and like a home you feel a lot better about yourself. Forget the mentality “that you will move in a year so there’s no point” and replace it with “you have a year to decorate your room to reflect your experiences in first year.” Let your room become one of your fondest memories as it is the place you will spend the most time in and it’s the place you end up in most nights.

One of the things I think is the most critical and essential parts in decorating is lighting.

Now whether you’re an LED light person or a fairy light person, we can all come together and agree that blinding white lighting is the common evil. A lot of the university accommodations do use it, however. Personally, I’m a fan of warm lighting; I believe it’s the most comforting. In films it’s used to create the feeling of alienation and alertness which are vibes we do notttt want for the place you come home and sleep in every day. Whereas warm lighting is associated with comfort, family, and happiness. By warm lighting I do mean hues of orange and yellow. This does not mean I’m telling you to make your room look like a ball of sun, but lights can be pretty inexpensive on amazon -being around the price of £10.

Bring some of your own possessions. I know it's fun to decorate your own bedroom because it allows you to buy new decoration and pieces but don’t forget to bring pieces of your home with you. Most university rooms come with pinboard where people pin pictures of friends and family. I personally loved putting up the polaroids I had collected over number of years. At Boots, you can cheaply print pictures from your camera roll that you can pin to this board. Over your time at university, especially during freshers, you also collect a lot of memorabilia and pictures you can add. If you like sticking things like posters, make sure you use an adhesive that won't leave residue or marks on your wall to avoid losing part of your deposit.

I think foliage and plants are also a really popular way to decorate your room, it adds life and helps fill the empty spaces as many accommodations usually come with a lot of storage spaces. Dotting items here and there also works effectively in making your room feel more comfortable. If you have any hobbies, you can display or any trinkets to fill space.

Most importantly make sure you personalise your room to your taste with emphasis on comfort.