If you're anything like me, you love HGTV. You're thrilled at the idea of renovating a space into something completely unrecognizable and think trips to Ikea, Target, Kirkland's, etc are the highlight of your week.

This is exactly why I was so excited to move into my dorm last fall! I had my own space and I could do absolutely anything I wanted to with it.

The commercials on television and the ads sent home from my university made it all too clear that dorms weren't nearly as bad as people made them out to be, right?

Wrong.

I walked into my hall and was immediately overwhelmed by the fact that my dorm had an uncanny resemblance to prison, and after recently binge-watching Orange is the New Black, I truly believed I was about to live in one.

Even though the advertisements are all a lie and many of the ways you can organize and decorate your room are against the regulations set by your RA and the housing administration, there are still ways you can turn your prison-like space into something beautiful.

1. Use extra lighting

The lighting inside of your room is dull and only enhances the bland feeling of the room. Bring a couple of bright and/or colored lamps to make your room pop! Fairy lights always add a magical effect too.

2. Loft your bed

I know it is an absolute pain to jump in and out of bed every time you want to snooze (think of it as motivation to be more productive). Nevertheless, lofting your bed allows you to expand the size of your room by a significant amount. You are able to add seating, a fridge, microwave, storage crates and anything else you could possibly need without limiting your overall floor space.

3. Posters are your best friend

There is no better way to cover up that puke yellow colored paint than to plaster posters, calendars, photos and tapestries over every bare space. Make sure you use command strips to hang these up!

4. Invest in curtains

Curtains can give you and your roommate (if you have one) some privacy, as well as act as a better shield from unwanted outside light than the cheap window shades do.

5. Make your room... you

The most important tip is that you need to do what makes YOU happy. Create a theme you love, or don't create one at all! Just remember to get the most out of your space and own it. This is your home for the next year, and the space you're living in should feel just like that.