Opening the door to your first room in college can be exciting and disappointing. You didn't expect the size of the room to be so small, the air conditioning so loud, or the floor tiles to be that color...

So here are some tips from older college students who have been through the residence hall days to help you make some good decisions in decorating your new room!

1.  Candles are a no-go. Sometimes these rooms smell odd. If you need a fresh-smelling room, I suggest the Glade air-fresheners. Using candles in a residence hall is not worth the fines you’ll receive from Campus Living. The air-fresheners are less maintenance and you get all the benefits of a fresh smelling room. 

2.  Curtains. Even though the rooms don’t come with curtains, you can always work around it using Command hooks. Buy the large ones from Target (approximately $10) and an extendable rod to hang your adorable curtains so that annoying sun can't wake you up when you're trying to sleep in.

3.  Rugs. The tiles in some residence rooms can be cold and uninviting. Target and Wal-Mart both have amazing deals on rugs the perfect size for your room. You can get one for your frozen toes in the morning, and make a huge statement in your room! Make sure it matches your pillows! 

4.  Which brings me to my next point: pillows. Accent pillows can be expensive at places like Target ($30? We’re too broke for that), so I suggest TJ Maxx. They have a plethora of options, with crazy designs and cool colors perfect for any room. While some residence hall beds are too small for too many pillows, you can always put one in that foldable chair you picked up! 

5.  Bulletin boards. These are the perfect way to keep up with your crazy schedule, post pictures of your sorority sisters or friends, and a nice place to hang up those sorority buttons that keep accumulating. Affordable, easy to hang up (you know how I love those Command strips), and you can paint them yourself with some acrylic paint. Add your own flair to any bulletin board and you’re sure to have a cute board hanging up. 

6. Organizational cubes. These are the perfect place to put shoes, books, set your TV on top, etc.! You never want guests to come over and see all of your shoes or books lying around, so what better way than to buy some storage to make the space more open? 

7.  I wish somebody could have told me this, but shelves are a great thing to have in your room. I suggest purchasing the light floating shelves from Target (only around $15) and using some Command strips to hang them up (they stick, I promise!). You can put more picture frames, knick-knacks, or even a convenient place to put your phone when you sleep at night.   

Please keep in mind every residence hall on campus has its own rules, so make sure you’re not breaking any rules prior to decorating. You can always ask your resident advisor for any questions!