What did your DC take to personalise their room in halls? Inspire me please!

[cathyandclaire]

Soooo... back in the day I was given loads of eighteenth gifts in bright primary colours, it being the eighties to take to Uni. Think floor lamp, kettle, toaster, quilt, cushions, bean bag and of course obligatory posters of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. They were dragged from halls, to flats for years (long uni course) and it made each dump place feel like home.

I was thinking of getting a few things for DD but it occurred to me in todays safety culture that they're probably not allowed half of those things! Also will they look like a weirdo if they take a trailer full of Ikea knick-knacks?! What did your DC take, if anything?

Oh and my mum did an awesome thing. Snuck in my suitcase and put lots of little pressies in it for me to find when I unpacked. Very lovely.

Or y'know what I'd have loved even more, for you to save your money or perhaps make a nice like 'IOU' bundle, and each month send a care package with things like a bottle of wine, crisps, chocolate, noodles etc.

What's with all the fairy lights? Must be a girl thing?
I did a shoe box of treats to be opened after we left. It had chocolate, ear phones, photographs, shot glasses and a bottle, more chocolate.
I don't think any of them bother with TVs these days.

I always loved my fairy lights made it look more cosy and pretty (sic).

I have a lot of friends still in halls and I think the three things I see everywhere are TV's, fairy lights and pin boards of photos.

Having to sit in the living area with your hall mates watching TV is crap

Lots of brilliant ideas, thanks so much all. I wondered whether TVs had been superseded by streaming on a computer.

No need for a laundry bin, she's always used the floor for that purpose

Lots of brilliant ideas, thanks so much all. I wondered whether TVs had been superseded by streaming on a computer

Depends how good the uni wifi is because some is absolutely cack for streaming, might be something to think about after that's established

Patchwork quilt. Rugs. Throws. Rechargeable battery candle holders (actual candles banned), mirrors, posters, photos.

And a message board for my door. Pre mobiles lol. Just! Was handy tho as anyone wrote on it. Funny too,

Forgot the lava lamp. 90s here too

DP made dd1 a graffiti-style canvas of Walter White to inspire her Chemistry studies . I was going to show you it, but I've just realised we can't post images in Higher Education.

DD and I have started to get a few bits together. We have bought a George Foreman grill (quick to clean with just a wipe over!). A snuggly blanket (Off Grannie) and a Phillips mood light. She is a musician and would like to take her piano she will be lost without it as she plays for ages every day.
The house is going to be quiet.

Silly mummies! Of course the tvs are still important - they need the big screen for all the gaming that will take place. One of the first things we had to send off was a multi-player console. DS watches tv on his computer. I think in his house they only time they use the tv for other than gaming is for footie matches, and the girlfriends are occasionally allowed to catch up with their soaps. No change there, then.

The boys in my DD house watch Come Dine With Me all the time if they're not gaming! DD has given up nearly all her tv programmes! Amazing because she was a proper telly head !

Come dine with me! How funny. DS rented the latest Alien film the other night and they had a film night with popcorn and stuff. I haven't seen it, but he said they all agreed it was so scary that none of them would have liked to watch it on their own in their rooms!

DS hasn't watched tv since he went. I suspect it may be different in a house share with a living room but he hasn't bothered watching anything on his lap top. I put SkyGo and Netflix on for him as well.
At home he watches GBBO and masterchef with DS2.
Next year he will be in a mixed house. That will be interesting.

My advice would be to wait until you know what colour the curtains are before you buy a lovely bedding set with throw and cushions. A lamp or two and fairy lights made my university room homely.

A printer for my room was the best present my parents got me.

Aw this brings me back two whole years

My room in halls was lovely, in an old monastery, next to a wood. I had a sink, and no one else took baths so I had one every day. And had someone to sign for my parcels in the morning.....hmph, anyway.

I took my postcard collection in, put lots of posters up, a rug, lots of coloured scarves to drape around, nice vase, pictures of John Lennon things I liked in frames I painted, a big heavy cream wool blanket and some cushions. Stuck bottle caps in the wall with blu tac and stuck up pictures taken during the year. Bought a Bonsai tree at Freshers fair. Yes, it was quite dead by the end of the year.
Thankfully they were very grubby halls, scruffiest ones at the uni, so no one cared about patchy paint when we moved out.

I had a ridiculous amount of stuff but then everyone else did too. Inc one boy who I saw unloading an enormous framed map of the ancient world, and a globe, bless him, bet he ditched that within a couple of weeks.

We weren't allowed lots of things too but no one cares. At our halls the security guards would walk round smoking weed at night. It was a nice little haven :) I had a toastie maker in my room, candles etc and we'd smoke near the window with a sock over the fire alarm.
And by the way, def get him a toastie maker, they're amazing. I think mine was cheap, under £15. And maybe some flowers to brighten up the room when you drop him off?

I'm currently at uni, and something that's really homely is wallpaper to pin to the notice boards because although you have photos etc, it doesn't cover the entire board (or in my case 2), so colourful wallpaper brightens the place up

Would also suggest a nice cuddly soft blanket because in my experience heating faults seem to happen right in the middle of winter, so not only homely but serves a purpose too ð???

Maybe a kettle, if allowed? You can get cheap ones in Argos in bright colours. I'd also suggest over the door hooks - great for hanging coats and bags in a limited space and. you can get some decorative ones

air diffusers are good too, make the room smell all nice without the fire hazard of candles

Ds used the 'tempt you in bargains' from the photo printing companies to print out about 150 photos and has made a cllage.
I wouldnt buy a lot of furniture type stuff (bean bags etc) as some of the rooms are tiny.
They will appreciate practical stuff so much more - cooking stuff, a bath mat for the shower, a decent lamp, etc.

Love this thread - reading it on the train - thought id revive it - it doesn't include the one absolute must I have to buy - at least one incredibly loud but acceptably cool looking alarm clock. My DD is an extreme night owl and the only thing that gets her up is several visits from me - the first of which she usually can't even remember.

I also promised id make her a playlist cd with all our favourite "family" music on it - if I actually get around to it.

DD's best Christmas present was a Tassimo coffee maker........

Went to collect dd at Christmas to find a decorated Christmas tree and Christmas fairy lights in her room!