By Nicole Zakrzewski, Palm Harbor University High
Two beds, two desks and a closet. That’s pretty much all you’ll find in most any dorm room. Goodbye, comfort of home. Hello, bare walls and bland industrial carpet or tile.  •  Your task, rising college freshman, is to make yourself comfortable in this uncomfortable space. Simple things make a difference, whether it be your favorite movie poster or a simple houseplant. Here are a few details to make your dorm feel like home.
Make contact
Contact paper gives you a lot of freedom. Not only can you cut out whatever you please, but you also can easily peel it off your walls without leaving a mess, usually dorm rules. You can cut a skyline out of black contact paper and then place it on your window, or you could take profile pictures of your family and cut out the silhouettes. Contact paper in a variety of colors and patterns is available at home improvement stores for about $8 a roll.
Give root to good cheer
A simple cactus from the garden department will do. It will liven up your room and need minimal care. Before you pick out a plant, check to see if it’s meant for indoors and how much sunlight it requires. Fragrant plants such as lavender and jasmine are known for their relaxing, sleep conducive properties, but check for roommate allergies first.
Picture this
You can never have enough pictures; snapshots keep you sane. Load up your desk with contrasting frames or construct a customized bulletin board and tack up your memories.
What did you say?
Stock up on motivational posters with inspiring quotes, but keep in mind that there’s a line between staying hopeful and resembling an elementary classroom. Click the college tab to find the story on a DIY quote garland to customize your philosophical display.