Let’s face it, Uni will never be home. As you begin to settle into a semester-time routine, this fact becomes even more profound. Uni just isn’t quite the same.
Home has years of history, friends and family and most importantly functioning heating… and although university will begin to feel like a second home (eventually), this might not be the case for you just yet. To help you speed up the process, I have created my own little list of tips based on my own experience that have helped me get comfortable. Enjoy:
First of course – Pictures
How could I start and not mention pictures.
This is probably so obvious that I don’t know why I’m mentioning it. Either way, my room is full of them. Across my pin board, in frames, in a box, wherever you look I probably have pictures. Family, Friends, school, my local area, my birthday, as a child, Christmas etc. Not only do they remind you of good times but they also make your room look brighter and less bare. It’s nice to have a familiar face or place around you when you come back from a long day of lectures in a city you realise you know very little about.
Second is – Colours
Following on from pictures making your room look less bare, my second recommendation is colour. When first given your accommodation you can’t help but agree that it looks like a prison cell/hospital room. It’s bare, confined and identical to your neighbours. Basically sans personality…
What I’ve found best to combat this and make me feel more at home is colour. A lot of people make colour schemes when shopping for uni. Mine was garish rainbow. Emerald greens, bright oranges, yellows, baby pinks, teals etc. This is because I find a lot of bright colours puts me in a good mood. They make me feel at home and as if my room is my own space. If you relate at all to this then this could work for you as well, inject some more colour into your space for a brighter atmosphere. If, on the other hand, the mere thought of this much colour is making you sick go for a simpler neutral colour scheme to make your room feel more like yours.
Thirdly we have – Plants/Greenery.
I read somewhere that bringing nature inside is good for you. I can’t remember where, but I promise it’s true. Whether that be cacti, succulents, bouquets, pictures of plants or even fake plants any type of greenery will brighten your space and lighten your mood. It adds something fresh and bright to a room and fills your space literally and metaphorically with life. Even better, If like me you kill every plant you touch and can’t afford fresh flower on your student budget, a fake bouquet on eBay only costs a few pounds and makes your room feel a bit more lived in. It all comes back to the idea of adding individuality and warmth to the room.
Fourthly, (Getting nearer to the end now I promise) – Blankets and cushions.
As we live in the North of England this is a must on a purely survival basis. However its benefits exceed this in that not only are you no longer freezing cold but also the cosiness of layered cushions, throws and blankets makes you feel warm and cosy and less home sick/isolated in the middle of nowhere. It is a key part of the Danish practice of Hygge as well which is all about cultivating contentment and security and is additionally a great practice to get into on your post uni late nights to further amp up your homely levels.
Last but not least – Something from your room at home.
Be that your fairy lights from home or a habit you’ve always done (hands up for my use desk chair as a wardrobe team) keep your structure, environment and routine as familiar as possible to how you did at home to make your surroundings as familiar as possible. I chose to bring the same fairy lights I’ve had in my room for about 3 years with me and they’ve helped me feel more at home instantly. I have proceeded to break several of the bulbs but that’s a story for another day.
I can’t guarantee these will work for you, as although my Pinterest boards would suggest I’m not an interior designer or expert home maker, however they have worked for me and they may be a little help at least for you.
All the best,
Nana 🙂