Lucy Haley
Moving away from home to a new city for university is a huge change to adjust to. While you’re learning to live somewhere new, making new friends and attending lectures, sometimes looking after yourself can take a backseat. This means your university room becomes all the more important. So, here Lucy Haley suggests five ways to make halls feel more like home.
- Lights
Fairy lights can both look cute and decorative while also creating a cosy atmosphere to wind down and relax. Alternatively, strip LEDs transform your room into the go-to pre’s location. Battery operated lights are allowed in halls, so a trip to Wilko or Primark is a must for good deals on these.
- Bedding
It’s definitely worth a little splurge on items that you will be using a lot
An important part of making your uni room feel cosy is making it comfortable too. Bringing cushions, blankets and throws are ideal for this. They are also such an easy way to brighten up the room and add a pop of colour. With shops like B&M, Wilko and Dunelm having these items at reasonable prices it’s definitely worth a little splurge on items that you will be using a lot.
- Photos
Photos of family and friendly can make an empty uni room in a new city feel much less daunting. Student halls usually have pin boards which are perfect for filling with photos, whether they are polaroids, photo booth strips or standard photos. Websites like Free Prints are a cheap and easy way to get photos printed and delivered. Just be careful not to blue tack them to the walls or you may not get your deposit back!
- Diffusers
Having a nice smelling room is so important, especially if your room is anywhere near the kitchen or communal toilets. As halls don’t allow candles, a reed diffuser is a great alternative. Not only do they look cute on your desk, but they can freshen up a room in no time.
These can be picked up from most supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda, as well as home stores like Dunelm and Primark. While some may appear costly, they do last a very long time so are a good investment.
- Posters
Posters of your favourite films, hobbies or artists: there are lots to choose from
Posters are another good way to use your pinboard space to make your new room feel like your own. During Welcome Week there are usually poster sales around the Portland building. Whether you’re looking for posters of your favourite films, hobbies or artists there are lots to choose from.
Desenio is a great online website with thousands of prints to choose from in a variety of styles and sizes to fit any aesthetic. They often do promotional discounts and sales so keep an eye out for these.
An empty halls room is just a blank canvas
With such a wide range of shops and websites offering these uni room staples, you really don’t need a large budget to make your room feel cosy. An empty halls room is just a blank canvas. With a few simple additions, it will soon feel like somewhere to relax, recharge and call home.
Lucy Haley
Featured image courtesy of CHUTTERSNAP via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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