Many students are under the  impression that college is about academics, experience and building connections for the future. These students are dead wrong.  When attending a prestigious university like Trinity, the most important aspect to focus on is, of course, dorm decor.  Therefore, I have compiled a few inexpensive but adorable must-haves for the upcoming year to make your suite look absolutely fabulous.

Holiday lights: While these can be difficult to find off-season, holiday lights offer a unique way to brighten up your room.  A smart idea is to connect the top corners of your room or line your doors.  The best way to find these is to go on Amazon or eBay and order online, as many stores only sell them over the holidays.

Shoe boxes: One of the most important details to consider in your dorm room is storage.  There’s nothing more embarrassing than just throwing things on your shelves willy-nilly because you haven’t found a way to organize or hide them.  Shoe boxes are a cheap way to contain smaller items that you’ll want to be able to find later.  One idea is to cover them in wrapping paper so they’ll look cute.

Picture frames: Bringing old pictures to college is a great way of asserting your active social life back at home.  To lower the cost, head over to Target and get some plain,  wooden frames to decorate all on your own.  I personally  believe puff paint and glitter look amazing, but it’s your life.

Washi tape: Straight from Pinterest, washi tape is basically thick,  decorative duct tape. In a dorm room, it looks really nice as a liner for the outside of shelves and drawers.  It is sold at Walmart, but for a real plethora of designs, your best bet is online.

Removable wallpaper: If you’re absolutely sick of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” color pattern on our walls, removable wallpaper is a definite solution.  Simply peel and stick on your walls, doors or drawers and your entire suite will come to life.  You’ll find it at most home decor stores and online at chasingpaper.com.

Fabric and cornstarch: For those of you positive go-getters who love a good DIY project, try the fabric and cornstarch technique to cover your walls with quasi wallpaper. Exact instructions can be found on websites like Pinterest, but,  basically, you cut out a piece of fabric in the shape of your wall or door and create a paste from cornstarch and water to hold it on.  This project is also a great way to show people exactly how talented and engaging you and your DIY projects are.

Electric tea lights: If you have any old mason jars lying around, putting a tea light inside of it creates artwork. Simply decorate the glass jar with acrylic paint and your room will have some excellently quirky mood lighting. This is great for those of us who miss the freedom of candles, but don’t want to set the residence hall on fire.

Stickers: A cheap and easy way to decorate you walls is with stickers.  I personally love the large flower stickers you can find at Target or Lot 26.  Put them on doors, windows or walls to make the area really come alive.