The first days of autumn are upon us, and most of us are ready for sweater weather, the handful of trees to change color and pumpkin flavored everything. Autumn is the season of comfort and warmth that comes from being cozy.
Sometimes, though, it can be a bit of a task to make a dorm room as comfortable as home, especially during this season. Though it can be tricky, it is certainly not impossible. With simple DIY projects and a little shopping, you’ll have your room ready for fall in no time — cozy feeling and all.
The first step in creating a comfortable dorm environment is getting it to smell like fall. Go to any of your favorite home fragrance stores, and they should already be stockpiled with the latest autumn smells, such as spiced apple and pumpkin pie. It’s ideal to get these smells into your dorm by way of scented candles. You do not need to burn them; most have a strong enough scent that it will all eventually disperse into your dorm. There is also the option of an electric candle warmer if you want a stronger scent. Be mindful, however, that it is against school policy to have candles on campus. There are plenty of shops where you can go to scout out your favorite fall smells, from Target and Bed Bath & Beyond, to Bath & Body Works, and Michael’s. And if you are unconvinced that candles will get your room smelling like fall, there are always fragrance oils, which are sure to add an interesting look to your dorm with the reed diffusers needed to spread the smell throughout the room.
What would fall be without snuggling into bed while a cold wind is blowing outside? Now with the heat passing, it’s more inviting to pile up the pillows and have a thick comforter on your bed. To continue with the seasonal themes, try getting some bed covers with warm fall colors: red, yellow or brown.
A change in season is always a good excuse for making crafts and getting started on that DIY project you’ve been meaning to do. If you want some ideas for DIY projects but don’t know where to start, Pinterest and BuzzFeed have you covered.
If you have a cork coaster, consider cutting out different leaf shapes from it. Its natural brown color coupled with the silhouette of a leaf will give your dorm a feeling of leaves falling, especially if you scatter multiple coasters around your room.
Never underestimate the power of tying things to string. From pine cones to leaves you find walking back to your room, secure these items onto the string to create a banner in your dorm for next to nothing. You can also add letters to this banner for added cuteness or to save on a happy birthday banner for any fall-friends you may have. Along with this, if you tend to keep flowers in your room, you can wrap up your vases with any extra string you have lying around for a seasonal look. You can also continue to decorate with leaves by gluing them onto index cards and creating mini-posters that you can place all over your walls.
Along with your room, you can also spruce up your wardrobe with felt projects. Felt is a resourceful material; you can use it to make simple slippers, decorate a headband and even create a sleep mask.
Use this season as an excuse to really make your dorm feel like a home away from home.
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Follow Edith Lagos on Twitter: @LagosTacos
As published in the Sept. 26 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
