14 Ways to Feel at Home in Your Student Dorm Room

This is the second most popular way of adjusting to a new room. Playing familiar music that reminds you of good times in the past will make you associate your student room with happy thoughts and memories. (It’s also great for drowning out any unwanted sounds from other rooms…!)

A great way to give your dorm room some personality is to put up photos from past socials, events, holidays and photos of family and friends from home. You will enjoy being in your room when reminiscing and thinking about the fun times yet to come.

If you’re studying abroad and still trying to perfect your command of the local language, reading books will really help. 67% of international graduates said they felt settled within one month of moving into a new place and the majority felt having books in their room was essential.

Not forgetting your roots and embracing them is another key way to feel at home in a different environment. Having a few small traditional items from your home country can help achieve this. Maybe it’s a piece of traditional pottery, a good luck charm, or even just a box of those sweets you just can’t get anywhere else.

These days we have so many different ways to communicate, so it’s surprising that people can still manage to lose touch with one another! Use free online programs like Skype or Facetime (if you’re a Mac user) to keep in touch with family and friends back home. It’s great to schedule a quick call at least once a month, and using face to face video means you can show them around your place and even introduce them to your new friends!

A great way to wear-in your dorm room is by having other feet walk around it! When you introduce a friend to your place it instantly becomes really ‘your place’ and not just somewhere you happen to be staying.

You may want to keep clutter to a minimum, but you shouldn’t live in a completely empty space. If there are no signs to show this student room belongs to you, then you probably won’t really feel at home. Students don’t always have stacks of money, so focus on furnishings that are useful but still personal – such as lamps, pillows, coasters etc.

If you’re not comfortable when you get into bed, throw it out! Ok, maybe don’t throw the whole thing out, but it’s definitely worth investing in comfortable duvets and bedding. After all, providing you with a good night’s sleep is one of your dorm room’s main responsibilities.

Make use of all your senses! Think about how powerful your sense of smell is; it’s a direct link to a memory (be it good or bad). Consider the aromas you enjoyed back home. Maybe having a few small pots of herbs or spices that remind you of home cooking will help you feel at home. Or perhaps you have a favorite scented candle or aromatherapy stick. Don’t underestimate the importance of the right aroma when you walk in the door.

Last but not least, throw a ridiculous student party! (Or a sensible one, your choice.) Getting to know other students in your dorm or building, and introducing old friends to new friends, is a great way to feel at home and make a statement to yourself that you have officially moved in!

Matthew Blake is a recent graduate based in Leeds, UK, and was a Student Ambassador for his university. He surveyed international graduates working in Leeds on behalf of Pearson PTE, who offer English-language exams. His passion is to help students and graduates by giving them useful information, and he moved house four times in his four years of studying.