Some say that the spaces we inhabit are extensions of ourselves. Whether you live on or off campus, the space you call your own matters. The posters and photos you choose to hang on your walls, the furniture that surrounds you, the lighting you prefer, the way you share the space with another person … all of these are integral parts of your college life.
In this special collection, seven Swatties have shared their room decor with us, as well as what it means to them.
1. The Ex-Goth
Kavi Grab ’29: I don’t know if people can tell from my current mode of fashion, but I had a SERIOUS goth phase in high school. I’m talking white foundation, hanging out in cemeteries kind of goth. Today, I think you’d only know by looking at my walls.
2. The Cottagecore Dweller and the Cat
Bella Jennings ’30: I wanted to make my room feel like my room back home. The number one priority was to have my emotional support animal Gouda and fairy lights. I wanted a cute cottage core vibe with a wall to remember and honor my friends and family back home. I am honestly shocked I only had three checked bags for everything, including clothes and all my bedding.
3. The Rug Enthusiast
Quinn Mass ’28
4. The Ready-to-Move Minimalist
Anonymous Sophomore: I tend to decorate my dorm room very minimally (it’s much faster and easier to move in before the school year and move out after spring semester ends that way). I also keep my dorm room mostly clean and neat.
5. The Dream Pop Embodied
Amity Shao ’30: I tried to make my room have as many pieces of media that I love as possible — I think a room should be representative of what my mind looks like, and I think this room does it very well. I would describe it as maximalist, whimsical, and dreamy, with the lighting and the decorations everywhere. I stuck a bunch of prints made by my friends and from conventions all over the walls, including posters from “Steven Universe,” “Alien Stage,” “Project Hail Mary,” “Coraline,” Guilty Gear, “Chainsaw Man,” and Pokémon. My mirror has a very distinct outline that I really love. I also have my whole CD collection here, and the guitar I built for my Spider Punk cosplay. Also, my roommate is a life-sized cutout of Nathan Fielder.
6. The Wall Curators
Melissa Nugent ’29 and Alma Greenfield ’29: We both have very similar tendencies when it comes to collecting things, and we wanted to make our room feel as close to the inside of our brains as possible. Melissa’s favorite things are her much-larger-than-life poster of Robert Redford and the table she spent all summer painting, and Alma’s are a painting by her great-grandfather and a Fischli and Weiss poster she got at the Guggenheim when she was eight years old.
7. The Keeper of Memories
Sai Nyi Bhone Htut ’28: My room holds memories: those of my home (Myanmar) from years ago, polaroids from last fall break on the wall, and how my recent days have been as seen on the desk.
