Some might consider a residence hall room their home away from home, and knowing that, may wish to decorate their rooms the way they want.
However, when living in the residence halls, there are certain guidelines that must be followed when it comes to decoration.
If students want to hang up posters or other wall decorations, it’s important to remember no holes can be made in the walls, said Sarah Waters, Director of Residence Life.
There are alternatives available without putting holes in the wall. Students can use sticky-putty or blue painter’s tape to hang things, she said.
Some people might feel like blank walls are not an option. Freshman Lexie Dunn said she likes to see people’s walls “semi-decorated, not too decked out.”
Color choices can affect how a student studies in his or her room, freshman Lauren Collins said.
“For your bedroom, you want cool, calming colors like blues and light purples,” Collins said. “For studying you want like energizing colors and bright stuff that will help you concentrate.”
If students want to use lights to decorate their rooms, they can check the student handbook to see if it’s allowed, Waters said.
Junior Jordan Beveridge said he used clear Christmas lights to create ambient lighting in his Falcon Heights dorm. He strung the lights on each of the four walls, and hung a strand from one corner to another, he said.
Safety also plays a part in decorating. For the safety of everyone in the residence halls, nothing can be hung from the ceiling, and everything must be fire retardant, Waters said.
Rick Lofgren, Harshman hall director, said to check first to see if something is allowed.
“Have fun, if you don’t know if something is allowed, or if it’s not allowed, talk to your RA first, because it’s better to find out before you purchase something,” he said.
Items that are very commonly found in dorms are refrigerators, microwaves and electronics, Lofgren said.
“Electronics are the biggest thing right now,” Lofgren said.