College dorms and apartments aren’t the best places to be when you’re looking for some peace and quiet.
Believe it or not, you can take steps to soundproof your room at college fairly easily.
Try some of these tips out so you can block out the loud music from the people next to you and actually get some studying done.
1. Sound Blocking Curtains
If your dorm is facing a noisy street or common gathering area, you’ll want to block out some of that outside noise. They may not be able to block out all of the sounds, but noise-canceling curtains can certainly make it tolerable.
The best part is that a lot of the sound blocking curtains are also blackout curtains, making your dorm the optimal place for naps and sleeping in on the weekends.
2. Don’t Forget The Door
Though it can often be overlooked, the door is one of the biggest problem areas when it comes to noise, due to it being an opening in your solid wall. While it’s hard to fix this in a dorm or apartment that’s school-owned and you can’t do much to, there are still some ways to dampen the sound.
When you’re in the room, put a towel or sweatshirt in front of the crack at the bottom. This is usually the biggest way sound is getting in, and also the easiest thing to fix. If you really want to take it to the next level, you can try shoving cork, foam or a small pillow into the gap between the floor and your door.
3. Get Thick Rugs
The person under you will also appreciate it. A lot of dorms have hard tile floors and these can echo in your room. If your roommate is trying to sneak in late, it’s also a lot harder for them to be quiet on an uncarpeted floor. Get some thick, stylish rugs to both spice up your room and make things a little bit quieter.
4. Hang Stuff On Your Walls
You’ll have to take it a step up from posters, though. Aim for things that can add some thickness to your walls, like a tapestry or some corkboard art. Cork or foam can be great for pinning pictures and artifacts, and you could also paint it with some original work to really make it your own.
5. Rearrange The Furniture
While it may seem counterproductive to have your bed against a noise wall, thick dorm beds can actually stop some sound from getting through. Desks and dressers are also great options to place against noisy walls, stopping the sound waves from getting farther.
Also, see if you have any problem furniture. If your desk lamp starts rattling every time the music starts playing upstairs, try putting stuff under it to steady it. Keep index cards under any wobbly chair corners or uneven desks. Move anything that has a tendency to bump up against the wall frequently, making annoying noises.
6. Purchase A White Noise Machine
If you already purchased a fan for those hot late summer days, keep it on whenever you’re in the room. A thrift store could have used ones or other machines that’ll help make some noise to block out others. Another good option is to play your stereo or radio on quietly—not loud enough to disrupt other people, but enough to try and keep them from disrupting you.
If you an afford it, look into buying a small white noise or sound machine. In addition to helping you block out annoying noise, it can also help you sleep better. When you’re getting into tricky exams and staying up late writing papers, getting the best sleep you can for the limited time you have can help immensely.
Making your dorm a peaceful place where you can relax is definitely attainable. Try some of these hacks and enjoy your quieter space.
