For most New College students, living in a Pei dorm room your first year is a rite of passage. You’re placed with either one or two roommates who will most likely either remain a close friend for life, or become people you awkwardly pretend not to see every day around the school’s small campus. There will probably be mold in the shower (try not to get sick), walk-ins on events you did not want (or need) to see, the room’s old residents knocking on your door, people jumping your balcony, people partying while you’re trying to study and more.
Despite popular opinion, though, life in Pei doesn’t have to be hell -- in fact, it can be one of the best experiences in your wew college career. Some of my best friends today are my former Pei roommates. Here are some life hacks that helped us get through our first year:1. Making the most of your Pei room.
A Pei room may look a little small for three inhabitants, but fear not, you’ll all fit. If you have a balcony, especially a second-floor double balcony, congratulations! You’ve pretty much won the Pei room lottery. If not, don’t worry. There are still plenty of ways to make your living experience rewarding and fun.
Furniture along the sides of the room will expand your space greatly.
Putting your new, college-issued closets next to each other conserves a lot of space. Likewise with your beds and desks. If you have a triple, leave the beds lofted along the walls and decorate the center of the room however you wish.
2. If you choose not to de-loft your bed, get a guard rail.
Everybody’s known someone who’s fallen off of their lofted Pei bed. This is more of a personal preference thing, but I like to literally live life on the edge by hanging off the side of my lofted bed. To make sure that I don’t wake up on the floor in the morning, I installed a guard rail. It’s a smart idea to get one, especially if you’re sharing your barely-wide-enough-for-a-single-person bed with another person.
3. Hang a full-length mirror outside of your bathroom door.
You can get one for $3-$5 at Walmart. Believe me when I say that this will be a life-changing decision. When I moved out of my room first year, I almost forgot to take the mirror with me because it had become such a vital part of the room. Even if you don’t care much about your appearance, it’s super convenient to be able to check yourself out right before you head out the door.
4. Put multiple dresses on a hanger.
I say “dresses,” but I really mean “any sleeveless clothing item that is put on a clothes hanger.” Simply layer the straps like so and you’ll not only save space in your closet, but you’ll also have to buy less hangers.
5. Use the KonMari organizing method.
Marie Kondo, Japanese tidying genius and author of "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up," invented the KonMari method for de-cluttering your home and storing items in a neat and tidy way. This is a lifesaver when you have a closet and three drawers to put all your belongings in. Not only will you save a lot of space, but you'll also know where everything is and won't have to spend an extra five minutes trying to locate your favorite shirt! Check out an illustrated tutorial here.
6. Build a loft around your bed.
Above: Front view of my Pei roommate Haley's loft in darker pink, and a front and side view of my loft in light pink
This was a genius idea by my roommate, Haley, and one of the best things I did to my Pei room. As long as it isn’t a fire hazard (aka near any light sources), a loft will give you some much-needed privacy in a room that you have to share with two other inhabitants. Making one is really simple: you will need safety pins, Command strips and enough fabric to cover the front and sides of your bed. Simply safety-pin the velcro part of the Command strip to the outside of the fabric and stick the Command strip in place on the ceiling. Do this until you’re satisfied with the placement of your loft. I recommend getting two large swaths of fabric (about two yards each), and leaving an opening in the middle. My roommates liked to have a lot of privacy, so they chose heavier fabrics to use, while I chose a sheer chiffon that closed off just enough of the outside world. The inside of a loft is super cozy. Once it’s up, you’ll be able to sleep, study and relax with ease.
7. Fluffy rugs make your room look a lot cozier.
Get a fluffy rug for the room, especially if you expect your room to be a social gathering place. Who can resist digging their toes into a soft surface?
8. Getting to class on time.
Pei is pretty far from the academic side of campus, especially if you plan on walking to class. Here are some tried-and-true methods that I used all of first year to get myself to class on time:Make your alarm a really annoying song, set it on full volume and put your phone in a place you can’t reach easily
If you do this, you’ll be forced to get out of bed and turn off your alarm or suffer the wrath of your roommates. Once you’re up, resist the sweet urge to get back in. Instead, force yourself to get dressed and head to class.
9. Know when to leave for class.
If you drive, give yourself five minutes for wherever you’re going on campus, because that light at Tamiami can take forever and a day. Try not to pull all your hair out in frustration while you wait.
If you walk from Pei, use the first few days of class to figure out exactly how much time you take to get from Point A to Point B. Here were my times first year. I lived in third court, often stopped to talk to friends and was a fairly fast walker:
To class at College Hall: Leave 20 minutes early.
To class in Heiser: Leave 15 minutes early.
To class in ACE/the library: Leave 10 minutes early.
Your walking time will likely be different. Figure this out early and save yourself a lot of trouble later on.
Living in Pei is both an ordeal and an adventure, and I hope that your memories of living there will be cherished for years to come. Do you have your own Pei room life hacks? Comment them below or email me at vivian.chenyao14@ncf.edu to get them featured in the next article!
