In terms of dorm decor here are the hard (for us maybe) truths-
They will want everything you think looks cheap and ugly. Don’t fight it. Let them have it.
They only want your opinion if it’s the same as theirs.
Fake plants are better than real ones. Don’t argue with them.
They want their dorm to look like everyone else’s.
Let’s gooooo!
The first year at college is the trial run. Don’t expect to have it all done and perfect and correct.
Fiona’s dorm was one room with 3 girls. It was a pigsty after the first week and remained that way until they moved out. Decor wasn’t really part of the equation. The girls all went to Target together and got a lot of what they needed individually. They picked a rug they agreed on which unsurprisingly was about 4 sizes too small. But lack of transportation and motivation meant it stayed. They all raised their beds so that they could shove everything under it and everyone’s “area” looked different. Fiona’s had 3820385705 billion blue plastic totes shoved under there, a cubby with baskets and literally everything else. The other two had similar scenarios. There were fake vines everywhere, Christmas lights and random things hanging on the wall. It was about as aesthetic as a hairy ballsack.
This is going to be the case 7 times out of 10. Unless your kid has a private space and/or is shopping with their roommates together prior to move-in day it’s going to be whatever. Fiona did correspond with them via DMs before they moved in but it was more to do with who’s bringing what?
This year she wants it decorated to the nines. She is in a different dorm, with different girls. There are four of them this time but there are two separate bedrooms (suites) and a common living area. She is already close with her suite mate and knows the other two pretty well. Each suite has it’s own bathroom. It’s a dream in comparison to last time. Freshman always get the short end of the stick with housing.
So here’s what I know-