Dorm Rooms

DEBORAH CROMBIE: There's been a lot of buzz in the news and on social media lately about college students having "luxury" dorm rooms, some decorated by professional designers, that cost their parents thousands of dollars. My granddaughter started 4th grade this week, so I had to send my daughter a link to one of the pieces with a note saying, "Are you ready for this? It will be here before you know it!"

Wren is going to absolutely rock 4th grade!!!

But this got me thinking about my one semester in a dorm. This was the year I turned eighteen and went off to a state college, where I failed so miserably at everything that I went home at Christmas with my tail between my legs, never to return. At least not to that school! When I did eventually enroll in what became my alma mater, I lived in a ramshackle garage apartment, decorated with zero money and a lot of help and energy from my parents and an aunt and uncle. It is still one of my favorite places I've ever lived.

What people are spending now on dorm rooms would have paid half a year's tuition at my private liberal arts college, and I'm still wondering just how you can spend $5000 on half a room with a single bed...

In my limited dorm experience, I don't think I took more than a single bedspread, sheets, and towels. The building was round, so the rooms were pie-shaped and arranging anything comfortably was impossible. Who thought that was a good idea, I wonder?

I certainly think that kids going away from home for the first time, moving into a room that they may live in for four years, should feel comfortable in their space. But I'm wondering what happens when one student's parents spend such big bucks on their child's half, but the roommate's parents think bed-in-a-bag and an anglepoise lamp are all their kid needs? Sounds like a recipe for conflict to me…

So, dear REDs, did you live in a dorm? Did you like it? And did your decor consist of more than blu-tacked posters on the walls?

JENN McKINLAY: I did two years in a dorm in the late 80’s and my entire floor was on the same page. We all showed up with a fluffy comforter and matching sheets, a hot pot, REM, Duran Duran or The Police posters for our walls, hot rollers for our hair and cases of Aquanet hairspray. Pretty sure Gen X put the hole in the ozone layer. Eek! 

When the Hooligans moved out, they skipped the dorms and went right into student apartments, which meant their furniture was donated from various family members who wanted an excuse to upgrade their own furniture. If there is an aesthetic that includes piles of laundry everywhere, a television as big as the wall, and chairs built for gaming, that would be theirs. 

RHYS BOWEN:  I had three years in a women’s residential college ( the British equivalent of Vassar etc).  There were several dorm wings but also former private houses in which I spent two years. The rooms were furnished— just. We brought our own sheets, comforter and decorations. Also lots of shilling coins to feed the meter for the gas fire! We ate in the very fancy dining hall with high table and lots of quaint customs. 

I loved every minute, sitting in someone’s room having coffee after dinner or gathering for late night study. I am meeting my college friends in October for our annual get together. About 12 of us have stayed close all these years!

LUCY BURDETTE: Rhys, you’re so fortunate with those old friends! My school was all male right before I started, so the main challenge was finding extra long twin sheets to fit the long, narrow bed designed for young men:). I also brought a thin cotton spread from India and an old stereo in a wooden case with tall legs. We listened to a lot of Cat Stevens.

Our daughter Molly stayed in her sorority for 3 years. All the girls slept on a big sleeping porch with bunk beds. Shhhhh! If you wanted to chat, you either went downstairs or to the dressing rooms, designed for 4 girls with bureaus etc. I would be so mad at the parents spending thousands of dollars on decor!

HALLIE EPHRON: I lived in a dorm for three years. The first, with one of the sourest people I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet. I did not get off on the right foot with her when I encountered her, day one, as she was commandeering the bed she wanted and the better bureau. I thought she was my roommate’s mother.

That first day we walked to Woolworths (Broadway and 110th) and bought matching bedspreads. And a little rug. That was it. Our “honeymoon” period was brief.

And I cannot remember furnishing my daughters’ dorm rooms. It just wasn’t a “thing.” And I’ve got a few more years to find out what’ll be up with my grand-girl and, as I need to keep reminding myself, it’s not my problem.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I was in a dorm with a computer-assigned roomie who became my best friend for life (she’s arriving Saturday to spend a week with me!) It was the early eighties, and we had everything Jenn had, along with a bunch of Ramone albums (me) and an artistic bong (Rachael.) We decorated by painting one accent wall chocolate brown and putting up our own art work with that gummy stuff - this worked better than you might think because Rachael was an art major.

No decorating when Victoria went off to her first year single at Smith or Spencer to Trinity. But when Virginia went to U Maine! Oh, the texts were flying. She and her roomie agreed on a pink, white and black scheme, since they both already had items in those colors. 

I realize the Insta/ Tik-tok/ YouTube images of decorated rooms are totally OTT, but let’s face it - you’re going to be buying new stuff anyway (unless you already have those extra-long twin sheets at home…) and with a little coordination, the girls can be living in a pretty, pleasant place that’s nice to come home to after a stressful day. Note I say girls; my experience with boys’ rooms is that no matter what you start out with, at the end of the semester it’s become the Black Hole of Calcutta.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I, too, went to an all-female college, it was very exclusive, and the total number of students was 400. My freshman year, I  got a school-assigned roommate who was perfectly lovely, but with whom I had nothing in common. She did not like the Beatles. Or reading. And she would be asleep at 9PM while I stayed up–well, for instance, once I spent hours affixing an array of  glow in the dark constellations to the ceiling. She also ate real food, while I went through a phase of eating only tea and oranges, like Leonard Cohen’s Suzanne. It was a relationship that was not meant to be. Besides the Pleiades and a record player, I cannot tell you one thing about that dorm room.

My sophomore year, I was the luckiest person in the world to have a room of my own on the dorm's third floor, with a dormer window and a slanted ceiling and everything. It was perfect. I spent all my time there on the twin bed I pushed against the wall and added bolsters and pillows to look like a day bed, and pretended I was a serious person. I read SO much, but only books that had not been assigned in class. 

College was dreadful for me, though, and my mind is blank as to the rest of the decor.

These days? I think decorating a dorm room should be a moment where a student can finally have whatever surroundings they want, whatever that turns out to be. Parents stay away.

DEBS: This is all fascinating! I am envious of those of you who made friends for life and had late night chats. I remember my roommate's name, and that's it. But just in case I sound like too much of a weird loner, I'm still best pals with my best friend from 3rd grade!

I wonder if Wren will still be hanging out with her bestie a few decades from now...

How about you, dear readers? Did you live in a dorm? Love it or hate it? Did you pull out the stops on the decor?