Girls' Guide to College: Part 3 Dorm Decor

 So I am back to post Part 3 to my Girls' Guide to College. As you can already tell  from Part 1 and 2, I am an "over-packer", "just-in-case-(insert crazy situation)-happens packer", and "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink packer." Needless to say my over-packing extended to my dorm decor packing too!

First off, I think every future college dorm dweller needs to understand the size of these rooms. Yes, you probably went to see a dorm room on your tour. How nice right?! Well in my experience, the dorm they school showed was definitely more of a "model" dorm. Before my roommate and I moved in we were thinking we would have room for a futon, and so much more. Move forward to move-in day in mid-August...tiny room, no A/C, and clunky dorm furniture. Did I mention I was on the eighth floor? It was the tallest building in Harrisonburg, VA. We lovingly referred to our floor as the Penthouse of Eagle (sounds fancy!) or the Dirty bird (because it was filthy). What a dream! (By the way...I realize I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to attend college. I just want to shed light on dorm living reality.)

 It was hard to imagine how living in a room, about half the size of my modest bedroom at home, with another person was going to go. Luckily I made it through the first year, and I learned from my packing mistakes! Here are my suggestions on how to have a snazzy, fun dorm room, without all the extra clutter.

Going from top left: 1. storage container, 2. grey rug, 3. yellow throw, 4. chevron bedding set, 5. desk hutch, 6. "its beautiful here" pillow, and 7. command hooks

1. Soon after moving into my dorm, my roommate and I realized we need a place to store our snacks and plastic dishes/utensils. We ended up using this container the following year in our pantry too! It was a great thing to keep all food related things together and not scatter throughout the room.
2. A cheap rug is great to add to the floor of a dorm. Our floor was like tile? It was like whatever you walk on in the mall. Anyway we needed a rug, but we ended up spending over  $100 on it, only to throw it out by the end of the year. I say definitely get a rug, but try to stick to something under $50 - $60 so you do not feel bad tossing it at the end of the year.
3. A little throw at the end of the bed is great. I couldn't control the temp in our room, so I loved having an extra layer of covers on cold nights!
4. Stick with a bedding set that has a fun print, but isn't too busy. Also, this is another one of those things you will likely only use for a year (maybe two if you can live on campus sophomore year). And yes, definitely get the Twin XL.
5. A desk hutch is a lifesaver because there is just such limited space in a dorm. My desk hutch saved me from having my desk look like a tornado hit it. It was a great place to store books too!
6. A decorative pillow can really add a fun touch of personality to your dorm decor. I suggest just one pillow though. I had 4-5 decorative pillows on my bed freshman year, and it was just TOO much!
7. Command hooks are the best. Now they come in these funky colors that can match your decor. I used mine to hang necklaces or pictures, since we could not drill/nail into our walls.

Sticker frames

 If you're like me then you love pictures! The product above is really cool to use on your dorm walls. It requires just sticking them to the wall, and Voila! Gorgeous wall art! Frames on tables and desks get in the way, so these would be a great space-saver.

positive quote of the day:

"A rainy day at the beach is better than a sunny day at the office."

-Unknown

Read Part 1 here.

Read Part 2 here.

Girls' Guide to College: Part 2

I'm back with Part 2 of my Girls' Guide to College series! I hope everyone enjoyed Part 1! As I said at the end of that post, this post is going to be about the shoes you should bring with you.

A lot of us girls have a tendency to throw all of our belongs into bags, suitcases, and boxes because we don't take the time to think about what we really need. All of a sudden everything we have ever owned has significant importance and is a "must bring".

One item my roommate and I had too many between us were size 6-7 shoes. The bottom of our closets (small closets by the way) were filled with 50 pairs of shoes combined. We loved our shoes. Also, we were used to wearing heels in high school, so Every.Single.Pair. came with us to college.

Luckily for all of you guys, I have narrowed my list down to the nine shoes you will wear during college. I promise you will still look put together, and your closet won't be bursting with shoes!

1. Nude pumps: A classic nude pump is a shoe a college fashionista can get wear out of. I suggest bringing nude along with black pumps (#3) because some outfits are just not going to look right with black.


2. Tan wedges: For those days when the weather is nice and you want an extra little flare to you outfit, I recommend bringing tan wedges. They will go with basically anything you have that is warm weather wear.


3. Black pumps: Classic black pumps are a staple in any wardrobe, and college is no different. I wore my black pumps for nights out and when I had to give presentations for class.


4. Snow boots (or rain boots): I have snow boots on my list because where I went we got tons of snow from the end of November through March. If you are going to a school that does not get a bunch of snow, leave the snow boots and pack rain boots.


5. Brown boots: I live in boots, especially from Fall to Spring. I think a brown boot pulls together an outfit and instantly gives you a more polished look. Boots in general are very versatile because you can dress them up or down.


6. Black boots: Sometimes a brown boot just does not go, and you must wear black boots, which is why I say bring black along with brown. You can pair black boots with jeans, dresses, or skirts. As I said before they bring a look all together.


7. Tennis shoes: I love my black Vans and wear them all the time. I have gone through a few pairs during college because they are one of my everyday go-tos. I recommend bring a neutral color of tennis shoes because they will go with whatever.


8. Flat sandals: I know flat sandals are tiny and don't take up much space, but you don't need to pack 10 pairs. Grab one neutral, like cream or tan, and it will go with anything.


9. Shower shoes: Yes, these are flip-flops. These might be the MOST important shoes you will bring with you your freshman year of college. Anywhere between 30-60 girls had to share a bathroom that had 3 showers on my floor. It could be gross, especially on weekend when no one was there to clean. These are a must-have even if you share with less girls. Foot fungus on my precious little feet is a no-go!

There you have it. My nine shoes I think a college student needs to bring with them. Remember if you and your roommate are the same size (and you don't mind sharing!), you're shoe selections could double! Don't share shower shoes though! :)

Positive quote of the day:

"Keep smiling because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about."

-Marilyn Monroe