A Peek Into My Dorm Room

Whenever I went to visit colleges last year, the one thing they most often left out of the tour was the dorm rooms. It's completely ridiculous how many schools I went to didn't show us the bedrooms- I mean, it's the one space you're going to be living in for at least the next year!

I honestly think they do this because the tour guides don't want to show you precisely how cruddy the rooms are- cinderblock walls, dirty floors, and three beds squeezed in a room really meant for two. 

So, in this post I'd like to show you all what my dorm room looks like, just so you can get a feel for where I live, or so you can see what a real, live college dorm room looks like if you haven't seen one before. 

Luckily, Grant House was renovated just last year (it used to be called "Grantanamo Bay" because it was so terrible), so my living conditions are more than ideal. Plus, I'm in a single! So I feel like my room is really "mine."

Here are a few of my favorite areas in my (tiny) room: 

The Wardrobe//

Every dorm room needs photos! Instead of going for the cutesy "pictures on a clothesline" thing everyone was doing (I blame you, pinterest), I decided to go the more traditional route of just sticking 'em up there. I love how my pictures are a mix of old and new, people and places, and even a few words (à la an old J. Crew catalog cover). 

The Pinboard//

While I didn't jump on the clothesline bandwagon, I did succumb to the fairy-lights trend. They're just too pretty! And they instantly make the room feel magical. Here, I have a watercolor of Boston, to remind me of home, and one of my favorite graduation gifts ever- a Lilly Pulitzer printed "L", made by one of my friends. I also added some washi tape for kicks and giggles (and didn't use nearly as much as I planned to...). 

The Sink// 

Having a sink in my room isn't as awkward as it sounds. It makes everything easier- brushing my teeth, taking out my contacts, washing my dishes, and even doing my makeup. Also I have tap water at my disposal 24/7. 

The Bed// 

Every college student loves their bed. It's honestly where we spend most of our time. I never thought I'd go for a green comforter, but when my Nana made me this "quillow" (a quilt that folds into a pillow- seriously amazing) I had to match it. And of course having something to go with this handmade quillow was way more important than any color scheme I originally had in my head. Also, I love this pillow that my mom got me for Christmas! It's from Limited Editions in Newton Highlands- another way to bring a little bit of home into my room.    

The View//

By far, this is my favorite part of my room! I'm lucky enough to have a room in the back of the building which faces Arthur's Seat. Arthur's Seat is actually an extinct volcano that can be seen from practically any part of Edinburgh. I have a fantastic view of what I like to call "something between a hill and a mountain," or, as writer Robert Louis Stevenson more eloquently put it, "a hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design." 

Dang, Rob. You've got a way with words.