Guide to Decorating your Dorm Room

When August finally arrives, and you walk into your dorm room for the first time, there will be two beds, two desks and the walls will be blank, just waiting for you to make them your own.   Whether you are the first one to arrive or your future roommate is already there, the room will fill up fast with all the boxes and bags.  Have no fear it will all fit.  Once you have all your clothes unpacked and organized in the closet or drawers, it’s time to decorate the walls!  This is my favorite thing to do the first weekend of being at school.  I love collecting pictures and posters to hang up in my room.  You will be surprised how a couple pictures and posters can transform the standard dorm room into your own unique space.  Also, it’s a great way to break the ice with your new roommate.    

Here are some helpful tips for before and after you arrive to create your own space. 

1)      Bring lots of pictures – Pictures of Family, Friends, pets, summer vacations…lots of pictures. They are a warm reminder of days past and loved ones, especially when you are starting a new Tape vs. Sticky Tack – According to Penn State Residence Hall Policies only masking tape or sticky tack can be used on the walls and doors to hang up decorations (Penn State Housing Website). So be sure to pick some up to hang up pictures and posters. 

2)      HUB Poster sale – at the beginning of the fall semester there is a poster sale in the HUB-Robeson Center.  It’s a great time to just walk around and checkout some really cool posters.  Plus it’s hard to miss with all the flyers and poster stands outside of the HUB. 

3)      Annual Football Poster – Penn State Football is a way of life in State College and each year there is a free football poster available.  It’s a great collectable and an awesome decoration for you room.  Look for them at the HUB bookstore and also at Downtown State College stores.  Hurry they go fast!

4)      HUB Late Night Crafts – There is always something going on at the HUB on Friday and Saturday night.  They usually have some sort of free arts and crafts project.  Spend the evening creating some cool art for your room.  Could be a new pencil/pen container or a picture frame that you can put a picture of you and your Roomie in.  (LateNight)

  5)      Arts & Crafts – As the school year presses on take some time and let off some steam and let your creative side show!  Cut out some snowflakes for you window when it starts to get cold or buy some paint and posters and finger-paint or splatter paint.   I would suggest doing it outside on a nice day instead of in your dorm room where you will find splatters of paint on your stuff for the next two years… just take my word for it :)    

  6)      BE CREATIVE! – Hang up stuff on your wall that isn’t conventional posters and pictures.

I hope this helps you get excited about Penn State and all that awaits you in Happy Valley or the commonwealth campuses.  WEPO is the best and I hope you all sign up for WEPO’11, it’s going to be great! 

For the Glory!

- Erin