Whether you are moving into accommodation or commuting from home, your university room will be one of the most important spaces during your student years. It is a place that will see you through mental breakdowns over assignments, excitedly getting ready for a night out, and hangovers the morning after. Essentially, those four walls that make up a tiny box in some corner of the world become a home.
However, no home is complete without the added furnishing and finishing touches. You do not want to be stuck in a blank space that feels like a study room on campus. Therefore, I highly recommend decorating your university room with the following six bits and bobs to spruce it up with a bit of personality.
Lighting
Every room should have a mix of natural and artificial light. Ideally, you want to be getting in as much natural light as possible to keep yourself healthy. But, obviously, it depends what the windows are like in your accommodation. In terms of artificial light, there are an array of options you can choose from. For more of a soft, glowy effect, it is best to invest in some fairy lights and candles. These can be used in multiple ways, from just placing them around your room to sticking them in bottles. On the other hand, if you are going for a bolder look, LED strips are a safe bet. I personally have the ones that can be controlled via Bluetooth, which is always a great party trick to show off to your friends and housemates.
Plants
Regardless of whether they are fake or real, plants are the perfect way to bring a refreshing vibrancy to your room. As someone who constantly forgets to feed and water their plants, my recent favourites are succulents, begonias, and peace lilies. Nevertheless, venturing into the plant world can be both a blessing and a curse. Once you have bought one, you are bound to want more and more. While this will turn your room into a heavenly oasis, your bank account will not necessarily look as beautiful.
Prints
Some of the worst university rooms I have ever seen have empty walls. If you do not want to look like you are living in a prison cell, it is worth putting up some cool vintage posters of photographs of friends and family. One of the most reasonable ways to do this is through the app Free Prints, which will give you 45 A5-sized prints free of charge every month. You only have to pay for delivery! For bigger posters, some budget-friendly places include charity shops or other second-hand platforms, such as Facebook Marketplace and Depop.
Mirrors
Notice the plural I have used here. One mirror is never enough! You need two mirrors minimum. A full-length one for checking out your outfit and a smaller make-up mirror to do your daily skin routine in. However, you do not have to stop there. When positioned correctly, having multiple mirrors can help make your room appear larger than it actually is. Furthermore, if you get stuck with small windows, extra mirrors can solve the issue of unwanted darkness by reflecting the natural light throughout your room. Even if neither of these more practical uses apply, there is always the benefit of having multiple mirror selfie angles. In other words, the more mirrors the merrier.
Rugs
Unfortunately, cold hardwood floors are often a feature of many student houses. After living with warm carpets for so long, they are not the easiest thing to get used to. Therefore, why not splash some extra cash on a warm rug? Not only will they increase the insulation in your room and give your feet something soft to walk on. They are also a fabulous opportunity to add a pop of colour or achieve the aesthetic you are going for.
Collections
The best way to make any room feel cosy and welcoming is to fill it with the stuff that you love. Everyone has a collection of something and what better way to put your hoarding to good use than display it all for both yourself and others to admire on a daily basis? If you are struggling for ideas, why not try: shelves of books, stacks of CDs, hung-up vinyls or a mountain of teddies on your bed!
See also: Why uni mates are friends for life