My first year at college, I was super concerned about feeling homesick. So, I brought everything that I thought I would need to make myself feel at home. I definitely do suggest this; feeling at home in a new space is necessary and helps make the jump and adjustment easier.
The fall semester was great. I loved the way my room looked and I 100 percent felt at home.
The problem that I encountered during the spring semester is that I had somehow accumulated a lot more stuff. My room was cluttered. There were things I had previously thought I needed that I never, ever used. These things were legitimately just collecting dust. (My room was dust central, probably because we had pretty crappy air circulation.) I had so many things in my room. And then, I joined a sorority, which added to the amount of things in my room collection. My room was comparable to Kim's Antiques, a little visual for all of you 'Gilmore' fans.
I'm the type of person that gets stressed out by messes. So, I was stressed out by my schoolwork, I was stressed out by exams, and I was stressed out by my room that I was never, ever able to organize.
When I was little, my mom made me clean my room every night before bed. I developed a low key addiction to cleanliness. During high school, if my room was a mess I would stay up late to put everything away. It was almost cleansing. Organization keeps me sane.
I also, shocker, am a bit of a procrastinator. When I procrastinate, I typically don't do anything productive. I feel guilty if I'm doing anything other than what I'm "supposed" to be doing. (I need to realize that anything productive is better than nothing.) So, even though I could have been cleaning, I wasn't.
Throughout my first semester, my room was my sanctuary. During my second semester, my room became something that I ran from. I accomplished absolutely nothing in my room.
Anyway, the point of the story that I want you to take away: clutter and unused items are distracting.
This school year, I plan on taking only clothes, bedding, and minimal school supplies i.e. pens, paper, pencils, books.
I live relatively close to school, so if I find myself sincerely missing something I will be able to go get it. Though, since I already have made a home at college, I don't think making my room feel super home-y will be necessary. Of course, if you attend college far from home, you won't have the liberty to run back to get that favorite sweater or book, or water bottle.
I highly suggest bringing the bare minimum so that your room continues to be a place of refuge and not a place that provides you with nightmares about being consumed by it. Easy organization and order are keys to college success.
