At the end of a long day, students like to come home and decompress in a private environment. When it comes to making their personal space, it is common for students to decorate using a reflection of their personality. Here are some ways Ball State University students created a comfortable dorm room space.
Jaidyn
(She / Her) Schmidt / Wilson
Jaidyn Bush is attending Ball State for a bachelors in dance and a minor in animation. For her freshman year, she is dorming in the Schmidt/Wilson complex.
For Jaidyn, a relaxing space involves touches of nature. When it comes to making the ideal environment, she likes to incorporate natural lighting, plants, and follow an earthy, neutral color scheme. An organic, decorative approach makes her space peaceful and soothing.
As a dance major, Jaidyn mentions her busy schedule and how she prefers to come home to a peaceful, minimalist space.
“I just want to be able to come back to my room and have space to chill,” she says. “I don’t want everything to be cluttered and not have space for me to sit down and woosah*.”
Alongside those elements, Jaidyn finds it important to surround herself with the things she loves. Her dorm features a comfy corner that includes representations of all her favorite things.
For example, her favorite music artists.
“I have all of the posters of my favorite artists. I have Steve Lacy; J. Cole; Tyler, the Creator; SZA; and Rihanna.”
Jaydin’s dearest dorm item is her cozy chair. It displays a Keith Haring blanket, a Mario Kart star plush, and a thrifted decor pillow.
*The term “woosah” is used to describe the feeling of relief or calmness in the midst of chaos.
Bruno
(He / Him) North West
Bruno De Jesus is a resident at North West Hall, the design and education living-learning community. He is majoring in construction management.
When it comes to creating a personal environment, Bruno strives for simplicity.
“I wanted to keep everything compact in order to maintain space,” Bruno says. “I like keeping things efficient.”
When walking into Bruno’s space, there’s a display of his personality. His favorite element in the dorm is his record player. Bruno enjoys collecting vinyls and listening to all sorts of genres of music.
On display there is Blonde by Frank Ocean, along with Michael Jackson and Kid Cudi. Surrounding himself with the music he loves makes his space feel more personal and comforting.
Bruno intends on utilizing his space for alone time. His desktop is placed under his lofted bed and decorated with colored LED lights to soften the vibe. Being able to adjust his lighting to his liking enhances his mood and comfort levels within his space.
Sky
(He / They) DeHority
Sky Foxworth shares a room in DeHority Complex with their emotional support animal, Benji, the snake.
Throughout their room, Sky incorporates Japanese artwork, mushrooms, other reptiles, and accumulates a cottage-core theme. They describe it as cozy and plush.
To Sky, an important environmental factor is lighting. They utilized warm-tone lighting, such as string lights and a standing lamp, to cozy up their space. A personal favorite of Sky’s is the string lights that hang above their desk.
“I love the yellow lights because you come down here, and it’s like your own little blanket fort,” Sky says.
Sky enjoys these cozy, little details because they bring a sense of warmth and security.
Nostalgic elements could bring happiness into a space and set a merry tone.
From corner to corner, Sky’s room is filled with fun and personality. Their room contains an assortment of frog items: plushies, blankets, figures, and even a frog-shaped humidifier. The matching items bring their room together and make it feel cohesive, which is satisfying.
AJ
(She / Her) Woodworth
AJ Trimpe is living at Woodworth Complex for her first year as a graphic design student.
Visitors that step into AJ’s space are welcome with a waterfall of string lights and colorful bedding. AJ loves to decorate her living space with vibrant colors and warm, cozy lighting.
“Overhead lighting is just not the vibe sometimes, especially at night,” AJ says.
She also has hints of her own artwork posted around her dorm room.
AJ’s desk area holds most of her most prized dorm room possessions. She likes to surround herself with a collage of photos that hold friends and family.
If AJ was to describe her space in three words, it would be “girly, boho chic, and comfy.”
Jake
(He / Him) Botsford/Swinford
Jake Spears is a media and production major who is happy to call Botsford Swinford home.
Jake dorms alone which allows him to manipulate his space as he pleases. He enjoys sharing his space with friends and other guests.
“Everyone is always in here, it’s kind of a communal space at this point,” he says.
Jake made a guest-friendly setup, which includes a pull out couch, fridge, and TV.
He has been playing guitar for 11 years, which inspires him to incorporate music references throughout his dorm. Some of his posters include Pink Floyd and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He also put together a music corner in his room where he records and displays his many instruments.
Jake’s proudest element is a detailed tapestry that he showcases in his lounge area. The item holds personal values and joyful memories for him. He attained the tapestry from a Pink Floyd cover band show he attended.
Being able to have a personal place to gather with friends and practice his music is an essential factor for Jake.
