Welcome back, Villanova. We’ve been moved in for a couple weeks, and hopefully your dorm room is absolutely everything you dreamed it would be. However, many students are still struggling to make their room really feel like home. Whether you’re living in a shoebox in Sullivan Hall or in a sprawling apartment, here are some tips and tricks that can help make your space a little more cozy:

Personality: Make sure your room is “you.” Whether this means choosing blankets and pillows that are your favorite colors or hanging your favorite quotes on the walls, customizing your decor to fit your personality is crucial for making your space feel like it’s yours. 

Lighting: Lighting is key. Especially if you’re in a dorm on South or the Quad, the light fixtures provided just don’t do the trick. Try buying some cheap lamps from Target and investing in some string or fairy lights to brighten up the walls. 

Rugs: Rugs are important. They warm up a room and make it feel like a comfy home instead of a cold little box. Look online for a nice soft-looking throw rug (or two if you have room), or check out HomeGoods or Target. If your wall feels as bare as your floor, look on Amazon or Redbubble for some cute tapestries. 

Pictures: Fill your room with the places, people and things you love most. This will really make your dorm feel like home. If you’re looking for a place to print photos near campus, try the CVS Pharmacy in either Wayne or Rosemont. Their kiosks allow you to print as many photos as you want right off your phone in seconds. You can also order some cute frames for canvases of your photos, but these will just take a little longer. If you’re looking to get a little crafty, try making some collages. These look awesome either done by hand in big frames or on cork boards. You could also try using an app like PicCollage to make one digitally and then print it. 

Inspiration: If you’re looking to step up your decorating game with some aesthetically pleasing additions, spend some time surfing Pinterest to find cute quotes or artsy images that’ll spruce up any cinderblock wall. 

Apartments: How’s adulting going? If you need any kitchen decor or supplies, there’s a HomeGoods in Wayne. Its clearance aisle has decorations that can cozy up any kitchen or living space. If you’re in need of some inexpensive, easy-to-set-up storage containers for either your kitchen, bathroom or even bedroom, Target still has lots of options. 

Men: Room decorating can be tougher for you, I know, but you can put a little bit of effort into keeping your dorm from looking like a jail cell. How about a Villanova flag to hang on the wall next to your bed? Some fun posters or funny sayings? Anything to give it some life.

If you’re still feeling like your room isn’t yours, don’t worry. It takes time to make any new space feel like home.