For some reason, I like taking supa tough photos at work on Photobooth

We’ve hit July. Only two months until we begin a new academic year at UBC. It’s crazy to think I’ve already finished more than half my summer. Will I be ready to give up summer and go back to term papers and textbooks?

I don’t think I’m ready for writing and studying, but I am ready to be back in Totem Park. Lately, I’ve been missing Totem like it’s home and Niagara Falls never existed (sorry Mom). I miss my little cube of a room. I actually LIKE having a small cube. I made it my own space.

Every morning I woke up to the view of the Dene court yard and Kwak/Salish from my bed

Here’s how I rocked a little cube, which is something almost all first year students are presented with. It doesn’t matter if you are in Totem or Vanier next year, you’ll be presented with your dorm room when you move in and it’s your mission to make it feel like your own.

First off, I made friends with two girls on my floor who helped me take apart my bed frame only to put it back together so it was as high off the ground as possible. UBC leaves you instructions when you move in so you know how to adjust the height of your bed frame. This proved for ample room under the bed for things like the dresser that comes with your room, a fridge if you get one, and other things like big pieces of luggage from moving around the world to UBC Campus.

Next, I rotated my bed. Instead of having my bed against one wall that was facing my desk and dresser on the other, I moved my bed against the wall where my window was. I got this suggestion from an upper year student when I moved into residence. I put my desk next to my bed to make a ‘L’ shape in my room. My dresser was tucked under my bed along with all those big items. I still had room to access my closet and mirror. It made my room feel less like a dorm room and more like a bedroom with a ‘home’ vibe. It also proved for more space for things like visual art parties.

Meet Mychal, the guy wearing the Nootka shirt on my floor. He’s the Nootka House President next year. We had a visual arts party during first semester when I took this photo. You can see where I put my bed and to the right where the chair is peeking out is where I put my desk.

In addition to your cube, you are given a dorm chair that most likely is wooden with black seats that has been used many times over the years. I dressed it up and made it comfy. I kept a big green pillow from Ikea against the back rest and I folded up a plaid blanket from home on the seat. It made those long nights of studying feel a lot better.

I recently went to Ikea and bought my new bed sheets and pillows for next year. Meet the newest pillow (below) to take home on my chair next year. Is it weird that I get really excited with picking out bed sheet colours, pillows and lamps for my room? I’ve got two months until move in and I’ve already bought almost everything I need including Volcom posters from ebay.ca.

Start dreaming of what you want your dorm room to look like next year. I was in love with my first year dorm room and I want you to feel the same way. Just don’t make the same mistakes I did with being messy which included accidently smashing a glass lamp. Broken glass is not a good thing.