New semesters often mean new apartments, and many students move to a new complex knowing they will be staying only two semesters. These short-lived stays can make apartments feel more like long-term hotels than homes. Here are five ways to bring a more homey feel to your new place.
1. Bring pieces of home with you
Bring a little bit of your old home to your new home. Having your favorite trinkets or pictures around your room can make it feel more personal and individual.
“I brought stuff from home: posters, artwork, something my grandma had given me,” said Russell Reeve, an economics major from California. “There were happy pictures of stuff that used to be at my house, and it made a lot of difference.”
2. Buy a poster from the Bookstore
Every new semester, the third floor of the Bookstore opens up a poster sale. From Audrey Hepburn to the Beatles to your favorite Picasso, the poster sale offers an array of movie posters, musicians, paintings, quotes and almost anything else you can think of. Personalize your place with some of your favorite pop culture. Reminders of Ferris and his infamous day off can put a smile on your face as you work through the latest reading assignment.
3. Decorate those blank walls
A picture says a thousand words, and in this case your pictures can tell you that your family and friends are still around and thinking about you, even if they aren’t as close by as they used to be.
“My family took a family photo and blew it up,” said Cory Pettit, a neuroscience major from Nevada. “We turned that into a poster, and I hung that up.”
4. Learn how to make your favorite meal
If you want your new place to smell like home, learn to cook your favorite meal and share with your friends. Bringing people together over food can make a new apartment feel more like your home.
“Cooking a real dinner makes me feel more at home,” said Priscilla Cançado, a psychology major from Washington. “It’s what we did as a family.”
5. Plan a party
Or a movie night. Just get your friends over and do fun things at your new place. Creating fun memories at your apartment can go a long way toward making it feel homey and welcoming.
