The Joy of Dorm Decor

Nikkoletta Yarov '26 smiles on her bed in front of her decor. Photo by Lucy Baldino.

As another school year rolls around, students at Marist College are provided with a blank slate — or, in this case, blank walls. 

One of the best parts about back-to-school season is personalizing dorm room decor, but it doesn’t just include sticking posters up. It can consist of throw pillows, trinket boxes, rugs, sheets and even clothing hangers, all of which are hand-picked by college students for months before move-in. 

“I have been collecting stuff for my room since about January,” said Sofia Bonvegna ’24. “I got a lot of my decor when I was studying abroad in Florence last semester, so I feel like it really ties in with my recent experiences.”

While cool trinkets and branded posters are common, small mementos and keepsakes appear in many rooms. “Some of these things were gifted to me from close friends, some I found and collected and others are stuff I made,” said Nikoletta Yarov ’26. She pointed to two paintings above her bed — one of an oyster and the other of a bottle she painted herself. 

As seen with Yarov, many students include items in their rooms with a personal touch. “A lot of the stuff in my room I have collected from things I have done, such as running races or my interests that include the music that I listen to,” said Lauren Bernstein ’24.

Lauren Bernstein '24 smiles proud on her bed in front of her decor. Photo by Lucy Baldino.

A personal touch is integral when it comes to dorm decorating, according to Kelly Ryan ’24. “I wanted to decorate my room the way I liked because if I feel like my room doesn’t represent me, I won’t feel comfortable in it, and it wouldn’t feel mine,” said Ryan. “I often think about how we live in a dorm where so many other people have lived before, so I wanted to try my best to personalize it,” she said. 

Interests, aesthetics and personality are examples of aspects that shine strongly through decor. “Things like my guitar, paintings, Taylor Swift vinyls, postcards from places I have been and my collection of cowboy hats are some items that represent me as a person,” said Mary Gackowski ’24. “All of these things I have compiled don’t necessarily go together, but they represent the story of me.”

Resident assistant Kiana Pathirana ’25 also shared how her love of colors represents her fun personality and how it is presented within her decorations. “I love color; I love the liveliness it brings to a room, so I wanted to make sure I included that but that it all went together.” 

Pathirana recently went viral on TikTok with over 3 million views on a video of her room in Ward Hall. 

While some created new visions for their bedrooms, some took inspiration from their rooms at home. Katie Ewald ’27 wanted to feel a sense of comfort in her new space after moving to college for the first time. “I wanted my room here to feel like my room at home and to make sure the aesthetics matched,” she said. 

Stability and peace are common themes in the process of decorating a room. Overall, the ultimate goal is comfort in the space that will serve as a temporary home for the next nine months.