Fitting all your clothes into suitcases was an experience in itself, but moving them in to that small dorm room “closet” of yours will be an even larger debacle. Once you begin unloading all your clothes and shoes, you’ll hopelessly come to realize that you’re very rapidly running out of room. The four drawers you thought you had to fill up slowly diminishes to one and the shoe shelves just cannot seem to shelve anymore.

Whether you wear it every day or want to tuck it away until you need it, it will be tough to find a spot for whatever it may be. Storage areas are rare and closet space is scarce. It's a troublesome moment when you become aware that you’ll have to go without the free frisbees and foam fingers you collected last year. Things take a turn for the worse when drawer space turns into a Hunger Games/ "survival of the fittest" situation. It’s a whole new story if you go to school in a place with seasons like I do. Finding somewhere to hide your parka and the multitude of socks you don’t need until the snow starts falling seems impractical. You make it work (because you have to) but, come to think of it, dorm living is an experience of its own.

Not all of unpacking should be stressful. The fun part is decorating your dorm room. Leaving home is tough, but that doesn’t mean you should be compelled to fully leave home behind. Bring things that remind you of the place you come from like posters and pictures. Cover your ceilings with lights to make the space you are going to live in seem just a bit cozier, like the bedroom (and millions of pillows) you sadly had to forsake. How you set up your home away from home plays a substantial part in your college experience. Make it comfortable but also fun – practical for the nights you just want to lay in bed and for the nights you want to invite a bunch of people over. If you do it right, your room will work perfectly to relax in and as the meeting place for you and your friends. Bring in the coffee maker and a mini “pantry” of all the snacks you could ever want at 2 in the morning and you basically have a full kitchen… right?

Maybe you'll bring back the Jonas Brothers posters you had on your door in middle school, or you'll give a more normal impression and stick with a basic letter or tapestry (until you eventually bring the JoBro poster out anyway). Whatever you choose, it's your space. Figure out how to maximize the area you have and put up all the decor you can – with Command strips of course. Enjoy your new home & your roommates, college is what you make it!