Turning a dorm room into a sanctuary

Dorm life is notoriously depicted as being drab, gray and sometimes even a bit moldy. However, when given the right amount of tender loving care, residence hall rooms can easily be transformed into creative hangout sanctuaries.

For Kathryn Lambert, a freshman whose major is undeclared, a place to call her own is of the utmost importance.

"I don't function in a boring place very well," she said. "I need somewhere to come back to that's my place."

Lambert's creativity comes in the form of newspapers lining every white concrete block wall of her home away from home. An artistically-placed broken mirror adorns one wall, as well as a pink floral piece of wrapping paper that gracefully connects each corner of the room.

She describes her space as "spontaneous, chill, and relaxed," which stems from nothing more than the wish to be original while still saving some cash.

Lambert's surefire way to get a dorm room looking spiffy is simply to "pick things off the ground and tape them to the wall." This solution to monotonous décor should be more than reasonable for the average college student, regardless of financial situation.

She looks at a dorm room "like a new canvas," exemplifying the notion that bland walls are to be embraced rather than feared.

For Lambert, pristine isn't necessarily equivalent to perfection. Rather, her advice is short and sweet. "Make beauty out of mess," she said.

Alex Josway, a freshman majoring in jazz guitar, also finds importance in personalizing a new space, but with a more condensed approach.

While Josway does believe that a room "represents who you are," his personal decoration focuses on just one attention-grabbing piece.

His faux antique record player displays his love of music and adds a musician's touch to his desktop.

"I enjoy music in pure forms… and it totally looks cool," said Josway.

Although an extensive record collection may not fall into the hands of many students, for a passionate music major the idea of a wooden, antique player is perfect.

"I like things old school," he said.

Similarly, Michael Koludrovich, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, has an affinity for records.

He and his suitemates covered one wall with black vinyl, rummaged from garage sales, and another with a plain white sheet, ideal for film projecting.

Koludrovich said that the projector, accompanied by a vast amount of extra seating, was a "good way to break the ice," particularly during the first few weeks of school.

He also added that "blankets and extra seating are probably the biggest thing" when it comes to creating a place to relax.

His roommate Tyler Koelliker, a freshman majoring in pharmacy, agreed.

Moved in a week before the rest of his roommates, Koelliker described the lonely room as "horrendous." He suggested placing "anything [in a room] that would make it more homey" to avoid typical impersonality.

Not having fully bonded with his new roomies before move-in, he jokingly said that "it takes a large projector screen to bring four strangers together."

While much of the décor in this upscale bro pad was cheaply salvaged, Koelliker believes that it's a good idea to have "one big aspect in the room that's out of the ordinary."

In addition, a quirky skeleton hangs from one wall, as well as a life-sized cardboard cutout standing ominously near the shower and a humorously daunting hazard sign posted on the bathroom door.

"Little touches like that make the difference between having a normal dorm room and one that everyone wants to hang out in," Koludrovich said.