If you’re moving out of your house and into a college dorm this fall, you’ll want to use your new bedroom to express yourself. For the first week of school, your door will probably be open all the time, and new people will be called. Having some unique things in your bedroom will automatically give you something to talk about with your new friend. They make great icebreakers, and you may even find that the two have something in common.
First, the bed is going to be the biggest in your room. Everyone else will probably have the same old bed from the same old stores, but here’s your first chance to show off your personality. I recommend choosing a paper in your favorite, bright color. This really comes alive in your bedroom. This next idea might be a little tricky so you might want to ask your grandma for some help. You know all those old t-shirts you’ve collected from every activity you’ve ever been in since you were born? What should one of them do? Every square would say something new about living life until now. An easier idea is to put some coats of those films with pillow filler and sew everything together including the holes. Give me that! New throw pillows!
Now think about what you are going to do on on the walls. Everyone will have posters and pictures of their friends so you might want something different. If you’re an artist, that’s great. Paint some lines to hang around the room so you can display your art. If not, ask an artsy friend or relative to make some artwork of something they really enjoy like a favorite toy or pet. An easier idea is to cut out pictures from newspapers and magazines, as a large collage of your life.
You’ll probably want to post pictures of all your high school friends, though… just in case I need you to get started. Who likes those boring old screensavers that come with most computers anyway? What you can do is collect all your old files together on your computer and put them in a folder. With Windows, go to Windows Screensaver in the control panel and change your Screensaver to one that uses images from your computer. (It’s called “Photos” in Vista). Then just put the folder you want to use as the folder that you put all your pictures in. This is a nice moving folder of all your pictures that new people will want to sit and watch. It will give you an opportunity to tell them about your favorite memory.
Another thing you’ll want to think about is lighting. Those lights that come into your room are great for reading and studying, but what about when you want to turn them off? I suggest you string two Christmas lights (preferably white) and hang them around the room. A cheap birthday party ideas store and pick up those two paper lanterns. By placing the lights in the middle, they make a beautiful, relaxing glow.
Remember to fill your room with things that are important to you. Just because you leave home and start a new life doesn’t mean you leave your old one behind. Do not forget
