Going off to college is equally one of the most terrifying and exciting experiences in life. It is a time of growth and self-discovery when we take our first steps on our own outside of the world of our parents. Unfortunately, it's also a time where we also do have to actually study to keep our grades up so that we don't wind up wasting all of our parents' hard-earned money.
If you are one of the parents whose newly legal offspring are getting ready to head off to this grand adventure we call college, keep reading for four tips on how to create a perfect fun and functional study space that will (hopefully) motivate your student to put that tuition money to good use.
Photo Credit: Dormify
1. Personalize
As this first foray into the "adult" world is a huge moment of self-discovery, it makes sense that your student will want to put their own personal touches on their space. Working with them to incorporate cute but useful pieces that reflect their style and personality is an obvious step towards creating a study space that they take pride in and are more inclined to use. Just make sure it doesn't get too filled up with the personality that there's no room for studying!
Photo Credit: Dormify
2. Lighting
Late night studying is a simple fact of college. As are roommates. Try to keep the peace between your student and their roommate by providing them with a handy desk lamp that they can use for those last minute midnight cram sessions. Then they will hopefully not keep their roommate awake all night by having all of the lights in the room on. Well-rested roomies are happy roomies!
Photo Credit: Bed Bath & Beyond
3. Creature Comforts
Keep your student comfortable and alert during those marathon cram sessions by making sure they're well-equipped with some simple creature comforts. Snacks and plenty of vessels for hydration and caffeination are key to keeping them going. Meanwhile, additions such as comfy pillows, blankets, and fans can help to counteract the notoriously uncomfortable dorm chairs and finicky HVAC system - why do all dorms only have two temperature settings, freezing and boiling?!?
Photo Credit: I Heart Organizing
4. Multi-Functional Storage
The final key to creating a dorm room study space that your college student will actually use is to make sure there is plenty of multi-functional storage. We all know that the dorm rooms are tiny and have minimal options provided for keeping your student organized. Taking advantage of vertical space by adding an inexpensive shelf on top of the desk provides a home for all of the books, office supplies, and other odds and ends. Adding specific storage accessories and containers for papers, notebooks, snacks, etc. rounds out the function of the space.
We hope that this little guide proves helpful to all of the parents out there who are getting their young adults ready to be successful at this next stage of their lives. Try not to cry too hard as you're sending them off. They're going to be amazing.
