The year might be more than halfway over, but with winter in full swing, it's easy to look around your dorm room and just feel "blah." No matter how many times you tell yourself that you just have to get through these next few months until you can rejoice in the summer sun, you sometimes can't help but feel that the winter just drags on. Sure, the pure white snow is beautiful, but the cold and grey slush cancel that beauty out and replace it with sadness and despair.

Maybe, instead of focusing what's outside your window during the winter months, you should focus on what's inside your room. Refocus your energy to brightening up your living space and it'll help you get that much closer to defeating the winter blues.

1. CD Wall Art

This beautiful, easy-to-make wall art could serve to give your boring dorm room something different than your normal posters and personal photos. This art, made by painting a CD black and then scratching out your design, shows that beauty and brightness can come through even the darkness.

2. Crayon Art

By this point, you've probably seen enough crayon art to last you a lifetime. That just further proves how amazing it is. Crayons, after all, are cheap and canvases are always on sale. It's an inexpensive project that still comes out looking like a famous painting. Plus, it adds a wonderful pop of color to your plain white walls.

3. String Wall Art

If you buy yourself a couple balls of yarn and a wooden rod, you're already over halfway finished with this beautiful wall hanging. Unfortunately, the bulk of your time is going to be spent tying each of the pieces to the rod in whatever order you want the colors. Just be sure to wait until you're completely done attaching the strings to worry about uniform length and style. It's for your own sanity.

4. Washi Tape

Washi Tape can make almost anything more colorful. Add it to boring desks and dressers, make frames for your pictures, or even use it on your notebooks. What's even better is that it leaves almost no residue. Thank you, washi tape, for being so versatile and amazing.

5. Placemat Throw Pillows

If you know how to sew (or don't mind learning), these comfortable throw pillows not only brighten up your space, but they also give you some place to throw yourself after a long day in the cold and slush. Purchase yourself some cheap placemats from the Dollar Store and stuffing from your local craft store, then get sewing. It may take some time, but it'll definitely be worth it.