One of the largest proponents of homesickness, at least for me, was not personalizing my room. It’s easy to walk into your all-beige room and immediately associate it with other less favorable institutions.

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all seen those YouTube videos of extreme dorm room makeovers: wallpaper, rugs, new lighting and the list could go on. Unless you have an HGTV show you haven’t shared with us, you don’t need to go this far to make your dorm feel like home! Free of charge, here are my four key tips to make your dorm feel more like you:

1. Lamps are your best friend, and it’s even better if they cast a warmer tone of light. The fluorescent lights are one of the most austere features of the Bates dorms, and one of the easiest fixes. So turn off your lights, plug in a few lamps and already feel more welcomed.
2. Hang something on your walls. This can be art prints from Goodwill, Bates pennants, posters, or if you’re feeling artistic make something yourself! Covering just a small portion of those beige walls in something unique and personal is one of the best tricks to make your room more like home.
3. Another way to add warmth both physically and decoratively is to add rugs. This could be a big area rug for both you and your roommate or a few small rugs around the room – I have one in front of my closet and one by my bed.
4. Finally, never underestimate the importance of a color scheme. I know that we get our roommate notifications pretty late so it may be hard to coordinate a complete color scheme, but I do recommend limiting your new dorm goods to two colors: a neutral color and a favorite color – I did beige and pink and my roommate did gray and purple!

No matter what you choose to add to your dorm or how you choose to arrange your furniture, the key is to stay true to yourself!