Room Guide

Residential Life Advice

    • Bring extra seating and rugs to make your room more comfortable, especially when you have guests over.
    • If you loft your bed high enough, you can fit a couch, TV, or your desk underneath, but keep in mind how willing you’ll be to climb up to bed every night.
    • Utilize under-bed storage with storage drawers and bins for snacks and miscellaneous items store your off-season clothes in empty suitcases.
    • A mini fridge is a necessity for snacking after the dining halls are closed.
    • Coordinate with your roommate if you want to share items or have a theme for the dorm.
    • Change orientation of your furniture before you move anything in, if you’d like, because you’re unlikely to end up changing it after move-in day.
    • Bring extra lighting because some dorm rooms can be very dim.
    • Purchase a mirror for your desk or for the door.
    • Posters and photos of friends and family can spruce up otherwise plain dorm walls.
    • Stepping stools are useful so you don’t need to jump into bed (your default bed height may be too high to get into easily).
    • Throw blankets and extra pillows can make your bed more comfortable.
    • Some dorm rooms don’t have AC--check ahead of time and bring a fan.
    • Organization is key for maximizing limited space--get a small set of drawers or notebook filing system for the top of your desk.
    • Maximize closet space with a shoe rack, hanging closet organizers, or a double hanging closet rod.
    • Bring a vacuum--your carpet will inevitably get dirty and everyone on your floor will inevitably ask to borrow it.
    • A doorstop will be very useful during the first weeks of school--the best way to meet the people on your hall is to leave your door open!