The path to college is full of questions: “Where should I go?” “Will I get in?” “How much will it all cost?” But when you finally get to campus, there’s really only one question left:
“How should I decorate my dorm?”
From posters on the wall to plastic crates stacked on the floor, decorating the dorm is in a class of its own—something I like to call campus chic. You might aspire one day to own furniture that is worth a small fortune, but for now, a beanbag will do.
One of my sorority sisters had one of those cool blowup sofas–in neon pink. It was pretty cool. But if glow-in-the-dark furniture isn’t your cup of tea, there are actually some classy inflatable sofas that look like the real deal—but are almost as expensive as the real ones. (Did I just call inflatable furniture “classy”? Yes, yes I did.)
For those of you whose rooms are roughly the size of a shoebox, furniture might not be a part of the equation at all. That’s where a burst of your favorite color comes in. When something is attractive to look at and comforting to come home to after class, who cares how tiny it is? Check out this photo of my cousin Amanda’s dorm room—her fun bedding (love the pillows!) and those shelves with photos above her bed make her dorm so home-like that you don’t even realize she’s got that cold cinderblock wall to curl up to at night. Nice job! Good luck with your freshman year, Amanda!
If you are lucky enough to have moved into one of the roomier dorms or suites, consider some of these options—you can find similar pieces at thrift stores near campus, which are always full of students at the start of each school year.
The Papasan chair
This odd-looking chair has long been a staple in college dorms and family rooms. The Papasan chair’s thick cushion can also be taken off and used as a small but very comfy bed for a friend who’s crashing in your dorm room for the night.
The butterfly chair
While not the best piece of furniture for promoting good posture, the butterfly chair is an easy way to cop a squat in a crowded dorm room. The best part is that it folds up into a compact little bundle and can be hidden in a corner. This peace sign chair is way groovy–can you dig it?
The inflatable sofa
Okay, so it’s not the most beautiful piece of furniture you’ll ever own. But it serves a purpose and is super easy to move out at the end of the year. This blue one is probably within most college students’ budgets, but again, there are ones with much heftier price tags that look like a real upholstered couch.
Happy shopping!
–Barbara Bellesi
September 3rd, 2010
The annual U.S. Open tennis tournament taking place this week and next in Flushing, New York reminds me that some of my favorite memories from college are the late-night tennis matches my friends and I played on campus, allowing us to get some exercise and take a break from studying.
My skills weren’t good enough to play on my university’s tennis team and definitely not to play professionally in a tournament like the U.S. Open, but that didn’t stop me from getting out there and playing under the lights at the courts on campus for fun.
Maybe you enjoy tennis, but your skills aren’t strong enough either to earn a scholarship or play on your school’s official tennis team. But here’s something cool – check and see if the school you’re applying to (or just started classes at!) is part of the USTA’s Tennis on Campus program.
More than 500 colleges and universities are involved in the program, offering sport club tennis teams, intramural tennis leagues and tournaments, and recreational and physical education classes. That equates to more than 30,000 students involved in Tennis on Campus. The teams even get the opportunity to compete regionally and nationally in the USTA National Campus Championship, where 64 co-ed teams compete for the title. (You can also find out more about getting involved on the Tennis on Campus Facebook page.)
If tennis isn’t your thing, ask students and those leading the campus tours on your visits this fall what they enjoy doing to keep active and healthy during college. Maybe it’s rowing, baseball, flag football, softball, hitting the weights at the gym, or another sport you’re interested in. And don’t think you have to be the next Roger Federer or Maria Sharapova to pick up a tennis racquet–a good dose of energy will do.
Studying will strengthen your mental skills, but don’t forget about your health, too!
–Lori Johnston
September 1st, 2010
Considering the fact that many campuses are rockin’ with all sorts of back-to-school buzz, we were very pleased to know that our Twitter chat was still the place to be on Monday at 4 PM EST. Check out the transcript and see for yourself!
Next Monday is Labor Day, so there’s no chat. We will be back in action on Monday, September 13. Heads up, high school seniors–we’ll be talking about YOU! That’s right–September marks a whole new college admission cycle, and we’ll be there for you college-bounders getting ready to take the plunge. WE CAN’T WAIT!
–The CollegeBound Network
August 31st, 2010
It’s hard to believe that this weekend marks the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and its devastating effect on the Gulf Coast, particularly Louisiana. Even harder to believe is that people are still working to rebuild their lives today. The BP oil spill, as disastrous as it was, is not in the same category of devastation as Katrina.
Five years ago, college students were gearing up for classes at Louisiana schools like Tulane University and LSU. However, Mother Nature had other plans, and so freshmen were forced to flee to their home states, where many colleges and universities opened their doors to the displaced students. While some did transfer back to their original schools in Louisiana the following year, others never returned to the Gulf Coast, no doubt wondering what their academic lives would have been like had Katrina never reared her ugly head.
The start of a new school year will always be a bittersweet time for students, faculty, and staff on the Gulf Coast. We wish them all the best of luck this year and every year. Perhaps some of their strength can rub off on the rest of us.
--The CollegeBound Network
August 27th, 2010
Your first college test may be happening soon, even this week. You may feel as if you didn’t get enough time to study, or you’re worried that the exam will be so completely different than anything you’ve taken. But if you’re acting chill leading up to text day because you think you learned in high school how to bluff your way to an A, think again.
Professors, especially those with tenure who have years of experience, can quickly spot a blunder or bluff.Check out the examples of these real test answers, which we were given permission to use from “College in a Nutskull” (2010, Workman Publishing) by Andres Henrikkson, chairman of the history department at West Virginia’s Shepherd University.
Literature
• Henry V is about a king named Richard III.
• The first major work by an American author is The Holy Bible.
American History
• President Lincoln was shot in his Ford
• The G.I. Bill required all veterans to take medical examinations.
Psychology
• Telepathy is a condition linked by scientists to excess cell phone use.
• Some people do not cope well. This copulation problem can lead to heroin or alcohol abuse. Alcoholism may involve drinking.
Music
• Mozart had to compose his Requiem posthumously.
Political Science
• Socialism is like when you go out with your friends
Geography
• Longitude is like latitude, only longer.
• The United Kingdom is located somewhere out there. It is made up of England, Scotland, and Northern Israel.
Whether you’re new to college or just starting your last year in high school, think about how you’re preparing for your exam. If you try to wing it, your lame guesses could end up in a book for others to read and have a laugh.
–Lori Johnston
August 25th, 2010
Yesterday’s #CollegeBound Twitter chat was another great meeting of the minds in higher ed. Considering that many colleges are starting classes this week, our Twitter stream flowed steadily for the entire hour–which was all too short for us, yet again.
This week’s chat was titled “Tackling the Back-to-School Jitters,” a topic that is near and dear to students of all ages, not just freshmen. If you missed it, check out our transcript and know that you are far from being alone in having back-to-school butterflies in your stomach.
We’ll be back with an all-new chat next Monday at 4PM EST. Join us, even if just for a few tweets!
–The CollegeBound Network
August 24th, 2010
Summer reading lists are the norm for high school students, so if you are college bound, you might have been surprised to get a letter or email from your new school with a list of required reading.
In fact, there are actually hundreds of colleges and universities across the country that have some type of required reading for freshmen. Unlike in high school, where an exam or a paper might accompany the reading, colleges like to assign reading material so that students can jump into discussion with classmates and professors right away.
I’m an avid reader myself, so I’m an advocate of assigning summer reading for college. For those who don’t love the printed word, it could be a good time to turn over a new leaf, since there is a LOT of reading to do in college, regardless of your major. The good news is that many schools that assign reading usually keep in mind that it is the summer, after all, and have chosen books that are as readable as they are thought provoking.
Check out what some of your fellow freshmen are reading this summer:
Texas Christian University—Fort Worth, TX
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. This non-fiction best seller about fostering peace through the creation of schools in Pakistan is a must-read in general, but TCU students now have an added incentive—co-author Greg Mortensen will be giving a lecture on campus in January.
Gustavus Adolphus College—Saint Peter, MN
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jaime Ford. Now in its 11th year of the Reading in Common Program, Gustavus Adolphus chose Ford’s historical novel about the power of forgiveness to fuel discussion among freshmen, faculty, and upperclassmen this fall.
Roanoke College—Salem, VA
When the Emperor Was Divine: a Novel by Julie Otsuka. Roanoke is celebrating the sixth anniversary of its reading program, for which a panel of students, faculty, and staff choose books that are not only engaging, but relevant to incoming freshmen.
Western New England College—Springfield, MA
Outcasts United by Warren St. John. This book tells the story of a youth soccer team–comprised of refugees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East—playing in a town in Georgia. Faculty opted for St. John’s book because the theme of feeling out of sorts in a new place just might apply to college freshmen.
Susquehanna University—Selingsgrove, PA
This year, SU has chosen a group of readings that correspond to the theme “A Sustainable Future.” Titles on the list include Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, and The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson.
Has your college assigned freshmen reading? Do tell…
–Barbara Bellesi
August 19th, 2010
I just got back from a wonderful vacation, and I’ll freely admit that I lost a few bucks in the resort casino. “All in good fun,” I told myself—though I can definitely appreciate the fine line between “fun” and heading off to rehab for a gambling addiction.
That said, I’m on the fence about Ultrinsic, a website that allows college students to gamble on their GPA. College students can create their own monetary incentives by logging on, setting a GPA goal, and then studying hard so that they can cash in at the end of the semester. It sounds cool at first, especially if you’re one to set your sights on a high GPA, but it does make me wonder: Whatever happened to old-fashioned hard work?
Students at Rutgers and Princeton are already using Ultrinsic. Many are intrigued by the idea, especially since they have a lot more control over their grades then, say, blackjack or roulette. But with the crackdown on credit cards for college students, it seems that Ultrinsic could fuel other bad financial habits. Not to mention, of course, that college is a pretty expensive enterprise in itself, and college students aren’t known for rolling in extra pocket money.
What do you think? Is your GPA worth a gamble? Let us know.
–Barbara Bellesi
August 18th, 2010
How did it get to be halfway through August already?
We love summer, but like all of our college-bound friends out there, we’re chomping at the bit to get started with the new school year. Chances are that you’re using these final days to spend quality time with family and friends, but we know you’ve got college on the brain. The last few pre-college days are like the calm before the storm, and we discussed this very topic in our latest weekly installment of #CollegeBound chat on Twitter.
Unfortunately, we heard that some Twitter apps made it difficult for all of our tweeps to make it to the chat, so we’re hoping that the interwebs behave themselves for next week (4PM EST on Monday, to be exact). In the meantime, enjoy a transcript from yesterday’s chat.
Tweet ya later!
–The CollegeBound Network
August 17th, 2010
My freshman year, I didn’t know my roommate, so we chatted before school started about what items we were both bringing to the dorm, though we still brought to college our different styles.
After my freshman year, it was fun to take shopping trips with my friends to find fun but cheap furniture, bedding, posters, and other items for our dorm room or apartment. I still have one part of a set of candleholders that I bought with my best friend, Stacy, for the room we shared in our apartment (we also bought matching bedspreads).
There’s so much cool stuff to buy for college, but of course, you don’t want to blow your budget so you have nothing to spend on textbooks, food, and another costs that pop up during the semester. Of course, hitting garage sales and thrift stores is a good way to find cheap items, but you may want some new items as well.
Here’s a look at five affordable, practical, and funky items for dorms. They’re all things you can justify to your parents because they’re needed for storage and basic living.
1. Storage containers. Forget plain and boring. You’re going to need to store school supplies, makeup, class notes, and other items, but you can do so in a stylish way. The Container Store’s geometric floral boxes ($19.99 for a set of four) have cute prints that can add pizazz to your organization efforts.
2. Pop-up hamper. I hated doing laundry in college (well, I hate it now, too), but at least this pop-up hamper is easy to haul back to your parents’ house or the Laundromat, and it collapses when everything is nice and clean. Versions like this spiral pop-up hamper ($9.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond) come in colors like fuchsia, green, and blue and hold a whopping three loads of laundry. By the way, Bed Bath and Beyond is having a “Home Sweet Dorm” Sweepstakes with a grand prize of $10,000 in cash, a $5,000 Bed Bath & Beyond gift card, and a personal consultation with HGTV Designer.
3. SlouchBack. Space is limited, especially in dorms, so you may not have room for a bed and a couch. Andrew Goetting, a 2008 graduate of Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, knew that too, so he created the SlouchBack. It inflates and turns a bed into a couch, saving space and helping you with your all-night viewing of “Gossip Girl,” playing XBox with your roommate, or watching college football. It inflates in 30 seconds, has a micro suede cover and costs $99.99.
4. Tools. You’re growing up and need to learn not to rely on your parents to do everything for you. Even having a set of tools handy can be helpful. Why? Because you never know when something is going to fall down or break down. Take it from my college experience. The furniture in my freshman dorm included a large wooden bookcase that was attached to the wall. I had a bunch of books, picture frames, and other items on the shelves until one day when it all crashed to the floor. I could have used a hammer and nail right then, but I instead had to wait a while for someone to fix it for me. The items from Little Pink Tools, such as the $59 tool pouch and belt with a hammer, pliers, screwdriver, and more, seem to be a good choice for the chic college female, plus 10 percent of sales are donated to breast cancer research.
5. Drawer chest. You’re going to want to have items that can be pushed out of the way when all your friends are in your room and also close by when you’re in a hurry to make it to that early class. And let’s admit it, you’re probably going to have too much stuff to fit into the dorm furniture your school provides. So items with wheels are a plus, like Target’s chest with casters ($59.99 for five-drawer, $34.99 for three drawer).
Let us know some of the stuff you have purchased for your dorm, too!
–Lori Johnston
August 12th, 2010
Previous Posts
For those of you whose rooms are roughly the size of a shoebox, furniture might not be a part of the equation at all. That’s where a burst of your favorite color comes in. When something is attractive to look at and comforting to come home to after class, who cares how tiny it is? Check out this photo of my cousin Amanda’s dorm room—her fun bedding (love the pillows!) and those shelves with photos above her bed make her dorm so home-like that you don’t even realize she’s got that cold cinderblock wall to curl up to at night. Nice job! Good luck with your freshman year, Amanda!
This odd-looking chair has long been a staple in college dorms and family rooms. The Papasan chair’s thick cushion can also be taken off and used as a small but very comfy bed for a friend who’s crashing in your dorm room for the night.
While not the best piece of furniture for promoting good posture, the butterfly chair is an easy way to cop a squat in a crowded dorm room. The best part is that it folds up into a compact little bundle and can be hidden in a corner. This peace sign chair is way groovy–can you dig it?
Okay, so it’s not the most beautiful piece of furniture you’ll ever own. But it serves a purpose and is super easy to move out at the end of the year. This blue one is probably within most college students’ budgets, but again, there are ones with much heftier price tags that look like a real upholstered couch.
