College is a time full of uncertainty, growth, change and discovery. You meet new people and see new things. You learn more about life and yourself. And you move. A lot. I was not prepared for the amount of moving that I’ve done in the past three years.
It’s strange to move back and forth between home with your parents and home at school, especially if there’s hours between them. It’s mentally and physically exhausting to pack up your life every few months and move back into another place. And when you return to campus, you may not be with the same roommate, in the same room or even in the same building. There’s a sense of inconsistency and impermanence that can make you feel untethered.
Why even bother to move into a place and claim it as your own when you’ll be moving out again in just a few months?
And yet, every semester I’ve piled my car full of not only clothes and bedding and school supplies but also posters, my favorite books, strings of lights, stuffed animals and plants. I can’t handle the thought of living in a room with bare walls and shelves, even if it’s temporary. And based on some of the other overstuffed cars I saw during move-in weekend, I’m not alone in this.
I think there’s something inherently human in the desire to decorate the space we live in. It makes a standardized room feel more like an individual, unique home that you want to come back to at the end of the night and spend time in. Decor can help distinguish you from other people and display some of your personality. It also makes a room feel warmer, more inviting and less sterile. It’s important to create a place you can go back to that you enjoy being in, a place you can rest amidst the hectic flow on the rest of campus.
Though we can’t paint the walls or change the standard-issue furniture, it isn’t a hotel room. We aren’t here permanently, but we also aren’t just visiting. We live here. Your room is your space– so make it yours. Hang lights and posters on the walls– using the appropriate ResLife-approved forms of adhesive, of course. Bring pictures from home. Use lamps and throw blankets. Get some houseplants or succulents.
Plants are my favorite form of decor; not only do they bring literal life into your space, but they have been proven to decrease stress and anxiety, something that nearly every college student I know could use. They can also help improve air quality, generally make you happier, increase focus and boost productivity. There’s just something about having green living growth inside your home that makes you feel better.
Of course, plants aren’t everyone’s cup of tea (though I think they should be). What matters is finding what works for you to make your room feel like home.
Beyond that, make Wilmore your home. Make Kentucky your home. Really experience life grounded in the place you are. I don’t know where I’ll end up after graduation, but I’m here now. I don’t want to live here with shallow roots, ready to leave at any moment. I want to dig deep and sink in and settle here while I can.
Our time here is temporary, but it still has value. So learn to live into the impermanence. Lean into this season of life and enjoy every hectic, stressful, beautiful moment. Take advantage of the ample opportunities on campus, and appreciate the times of rest in the space that you’ve created.
Photo courtesy of Ellie Eberhard.
