Hey!
When I was preparing for university, I think I searched way too hard for a certain ‘look’ or theme to have in my first university room. I went all out with a red & green floral theme, where everything just had to match- at the time I thought it was lovely, and I still look back with fondness at my determination to create a very coherent space visually. But I’ve realised that as my time here has gone on, I have accumulated a plethora of mismatched ‘stuff’ that I would never be able to fit into a certain ‘theme,’ so aiming for a certain colour scheme or look in my university room just didn’t matter anymore. Instead, I now bring up things that I find really matter to me: photographs, gifts from people, personal items that I feel define me. And I actually prefer this look to any coherent ‘scheme’ I have aimed for in the past!
As a student, you will have a pinboard. Some students use this for work purposes (such as their timetable, etc…), but I specifically use mine just to display all my photographs, postcards and mementos (…plus my Van Gogh calendar). I have enough planners/journals to remind myself of my academic timetable, so I use my pinboard as another wall to express my self on.
I would also suggest getting some fairy lights to create a nice atmosphere in your room. I put mine above my bed, and in the evening often only have these and a lamp on as the only light sources in my room to make it feel more cosy (the overhead light in my room is a bright white which can be clinical). I would also recommend getting posters to decorate any bare walls! I have decorated my wall with a world map, a Wuthering Heights poster which was a 21st birthday gift from my best friends, and some of my own life drawings (I also have an Arctic Monkeys poster in my room on the opposite wall, and plan to invest in a Frank Ocean one soon). To make your bed look cosy, try to get some throws/cushions in different patterns/textures. I couldn’t find a second throw for my bed that I really liked, so after winter passed I recycled my massive winter checked scarf from Zara, and now use it as a throw!
Finally: bring any items you love/random things that you feel have sentimental value to you. You could also maybe choose your folders in lovely colours/patterns to brighten up the space! I have some of my favourite books, books that I need for my course, some nice jazzy mugs for coffee/tea, and I usually have my polaroid camera on display. On my shelf, I also have an owl-shaped bookend (it looks like an owl soft toy). My mother still has the other book-end to the pair at home, and it feels like one of the small connections I have with her while I’m here. Every time I look at it I think of home. So don’t forget to bring these kind of things to uni! They make your room really feel like your own.
I hope this helps!
-Sarah xoxo