Things I Want to Steal from My Friends’ Dorm Rooms

Sometimes, plagiarism is the right thing to do. It isn’t often, but when it is, you just gotta grab it.

I’ve gone on my fair share of room tours. It’s fun to see how everyone expresses themselves—whether that be Squishmallows, an easel, a hanging polaroid line, or an abnormal amount of vitamins (me). Here’s a few standouts that I want to highlight:

Wii U

You should’ve seen the look on my face when I walked into Willan’s room and saw this blast from the past. As a huge videogame nerd who has completed multiple runs of Link’s Crossbow Training AND owns Donkey Kong Bongos, this truly touched my heart. At Carleton, videogame consoles are really not an uncommon sight. I’ve seen a ton of different consoles, even full PC setups in people’s rooms, each with equally unique configurations (like a monitor arm mounted to a closet, TVs on top of drawers). I personally brought my gaming laptop my first fall here, but eventually returned it home after deciding that the college chud lifestyle was not for me. Don’t be afraid to bring your Switch, Xbox, or Atari Jaguar to Carleton!

In the wise words of Scott the Woz: “I always wondered what a Wii [U] tastes like.”

Lots of Books (Like, Lots of Them)

Courtesy of Luke, can one man read all of these books in the span of 30 weeks? I’m not too sure, but I sure do want them.

Your dorm is a space that expresses you the most. Don’t be afraid to horde knick-knacks, hang up posters, or be like one of those Japanese minimalist Youtubers and have absolutely nothing except a futon. It’s 100% up to you.

As for me (and Luke), reading is a big part of my life. And naturally, I’ve accumulated a good amount of books myself. But it doesn’t hold a candle to Luke’s collection.

They’re so aesthetically pleasing as most are Penguin Classics (editions only surpassed by Oxford Classics and Everyman’s Library, in my opinion). If you’re addicted to buying books as well, Carleton’s bookstore has a small selection of novels and nonfictions. Northfield’s Content Bookstore is great for newly released books, but doesn’t have a used section. I’m not too knowledgeable about this, but the spot called “Farmtown Books” seems to be a garage-sale style ordeal that is usually open during the summer and beginning of Fall Term. Carleton’s library also has a great loaning system, so definitely check that out!

Dino Blankie

Stefan’s Dino Blankie will not be his Dino Blankie for long. It will be Nick’s Dino Blankie after tonight.

I think it’s really cute and fits his room’s vibe as well. And who’s one to judge what’s in your room? It’s your room.

People generally overlook bedding/bed sheets, but I believe a good set they’re absolutely vital to your college essentials. Getting a good mattress topper will seriously save your life. My sleep quality has increased exponentially after buying one.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll spend almost 50% of your day rotting in bed. Thus, a high quality blanket and pillow is also not a bad investment. Honestly, my dorm bed might be comfier than my actual room’s bed.

Water Purifier

I never realized how life-changing a water purifier is until I saw one in James’ room, sitting there like it was a decorative art piece. Like a futuristic robot butler or something. Everybody else is always flexing their over-the-top coffee grinders and machines, but the real flex is your water.

Dorm water is… fine. It gets the job done most of the times. But having consistently cold, clean-tasting water without having to walk all the way across the hall to the water fountain? It’s a luxury worth any amount of money (it’s a lot of money). It’s one of those things you don’t think you need until you see it in action, and then suddenly you’re reconsidering how unoptimized you’ve been hydrating all your life.

It also makes you look like you have your life sorted out: “Yeah, I have my life under control. I drink water. And I’m not talking about your peasant water.” It’s definitely worth it. I just bought one myself.

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