Butterflies, tapestries, statues, tiles, carnival masks, watercolor paintings and tons and tons of fairy lights. Entering some students’ rooms can sometimes feel like walking into an imaginary art gallery or a scene from an artsy foreign language film. Far away from just hanging posters and calendars to a plain white wall, some students pour their hearts out decorating their rooms.
Whether this is your first year living in a dorm or you have turned into a self-sufficient adult that doesn’t have to call mom every time you spill salsa on your favorite shirt, being far away from home is never easy. But here you are, living in a dorm, learning how to deal with real life and all the struggles that come with starting to become independent.
After going around knocking on students’ dorms and disturbing their peaceful weekend, I found myself in some rooms that seemed to speak for themselves now that their decorations were up. They told countless stories and memories through what their hosts chose to display on their walls and furniture.
Natalia Granquist’s ’21 room transported me to her hometown of Bali, Indonesia. She has a colorful tapestry, a traditional cloth used on special occasions that used to hang in her room at home and always travels with her. This same tapestry will one day be worn by her at her wedding, a fact that her mother repeats to her often.
Between books and everyday items, a small Ganesha statue can be observed on top of her desk. The statue was given to her by a friend, having been commanded to protect her.
Next to her window, surrounded by small pots of plants and flowers, is a beautiful Indonesian umbrella. She mentioned this umbrella is the thing that most people comment on when they enter her room. Grantquist’s corner is also covered with posters and maps from Indonesia. Whenever she is in her room, thanks to the decorations and pieces of art that she has displayed, she is reminded of her friends and family at home.
Like Grantquist’s room, many other rooms around campus hide priceless memories that add to the beauty that we can appreciate every day on campus.
