Students live in style despite constraints

Outfitted with a funky green futon and a slew of secondhand treasures, Lauren Lundin says her West Shaw Hall dorm wouldn’t feel like home if she hadn’t added her own flair.

“I’m an art education major and my surroundings are important to me,” she said. “I can’t concentrate if I don’t feel at home.”

Describing her personal style as “eclectic and retro,” Lundin said she is inspired by the atomic era of the 1950s.

Lundin has filled her room with vintage-looking fabrics, unique wall hangings and a collection of quirky lamps she finds at garage sales throughout the summer. Using techniques she learned from her father, she rewires the lamps, which she said average about $9 in price, and brings them back to life so she can use them safely in her dorm room.

This year, Lundin decided to sign up for a single room because of her schedule.

“With my emphasis on painting, I wanted a single because of the weird hours I come back,” she said.

Since she has a single room, Lundin is able to do as she pleases when it comes to personalizing the space.

With a roommate, it’s not always that easy.

Some students decide to forgo the dorm experience altogether because they don’t want a roommate. Herb Vasquez, a mathematics junior, chose not to live on campus and moved into a studio apartment on Abbot Road.

“It’s much cheaper and money was the biggest reason (I moved off campus),” Vasquez said. “But it’s good to not have a roommate because you have more privacy and it’s just your space.”

Dean Matsudo, a Shaw Hall manager, said communication with your roommate before you move in is essential.

“The critical thing is talking to your future roommate. Make sure you consult each other (before moving in),” Matsudo said, adding that he has seen some roommates go as far as to buy matching bedding and window treatments.

He suggested taking ownership of big items like refrigerators and not splitting the cost to avoid arguments.

Once it’s decided what each person should bring, Matsudo said to consider what hall you’ll be living in before you buy any furniture. Snyder-Phillips, Hubbard, Shaw, Holmes and Case halls all have beds that can be converted to lofts, a feature that will save you from having to invest in one of your own.

Although personalizing your dorm might seem like it’s all about appearance, Matsudo also said making your room feel more like your home can help you adjust.

“Bring your favorite pillow. Bring the things that make you feel at home, like pictures of your family,” he says.

Matsudo said switching your computer’s screen saver from something generic to a photo slide show of your friends and family is one of the more popular ways students display their treasured photos.

Lundin said she likes living in the dorms and has lived in Shaw Hall since her freshman year. She has been tempted to move off campus for her senior year but instead has decided to move to Snyder-Phillips Hall. She says living on campus is more convenient than driving or taking the bus every day.

“Plus, Sny-Phi has really good food,” Lundin said.

Published on Sunday, January 27, 2008