Room decorations at Oxbridge

[teakwood]

I’m finding it difficult to advise DD on what to take for room decorations for her room at Oxford.

I’ve seen many dc of friends at other places with hugely decorated and homely rooms, but it seems very time consuming. I don’t want her to take too much stuff as she’ll have to schlep it home at the end of every term.

For the matter this applies to anyone with short accommodation contracts

i would just take some stuff to make it homely. here is a list of stuff my dd took:

• a mirror (if there isn't already one)

-a throw + pillows -a tapestry like this one: uk.romwe.com/Boho-Style-Pattern-Tapestry-p-337131-cat-835.html?url_from=ukplarug180622823o&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI59KWvojF3QIVEuJ3Ch1XgwQ0EAkYASABEgIwHPD_BwE which she hung on the wall. alternitely you could just bring posters

• a couple of photos

I don't think my dd has ever bothered too much about decorating her room. She's always been in older style rooms, even when in halls. Posters, photos of friends & fairly lights are as far as it goes. Nice bedding & maybe a rug or throw.

Each college will have rules about what you can put on the walls, so don't necessarily go overboard on posters etc. My dd's room had a huge corkboard area, so she had photos and postcards and a calendar etc on there, but nothing else on other walls. I think she could leave those in place during the vacations.

Fairy lights aren't universally accepted. A rug, cushions, nice throw, decent lamps all help.

Things DD took (or acquired from Cambridge market - I'm sure all uni towns have places selling this sort of stuff) - a throw and cushion (for the comfy chair), a fleecy throw, a wall hanging thing (I think she tacked it over the pin board ) and some battery operated fairy lights.

Some like to get a rug, but it may be best to see what the flooring and available floor space is like.

One point relevant to most student accommodation- white tack not bluetac, and check if even the white is allowed

Same as all PP's - My DD took cushions and fleecy throws, a sheepskins rug for the winter term. She had a couple of strings of battery fairy lights round her bookshelves and fireplace, and had lots of stuff pinned to the university provided cork board. In her first year room (pretty ropey), she was allowed posters on all her walls, her second year, properly hung pictures only, in her third year, nothing was allowed to be tacked or hung on the walls. The standard of room, and the rules, changed as she progressed up the college room lottery

I think dd is taking photos, some in a stand up frame, a big cushion and a throw. She can add to it when she gets there.

DD also adding stuff when she get there - room sizes vary so much, probably a good idea.

Although she is insistent on taking a cactus - reckons not even she can kill one of those (we'll see ) !!

A cactus may not be the easiest thing to pack, but mine did carefully select a small succulent which has survived the year and even grown a bit (I just went to check him, badly needed a dust!)

DD1 took everything but the kitchen sink to Cambridge: throw, bedspread, assorted cushions, fairy lights, a trunk and posters with wires and hooks to hang from the picture rail. Her room looked lovely but it was an absolute pain at the end of term, fortunately in the 2nd and 3rd years she was able to keep her rooms through the holidays.

DD2 is definitely following her lead, we have a mountainous pile of fabulous soft furnishings heading to Bristol this weekend!

Can't DD decide how she wants her room to be?

And why is this specific to Oxbridge?

Moni Specific to Oxford perhaps because there are more rules? Many colleges provide rooms in 500 year old buildings so can be quite strict, also they often get accommodation for the full three years, but also short terms, so you have to shift your stuff 6 regularly. If you are in other unis you get first year in freshers halls, which are pretty relaxed, and then you are off into your own rented accommodation. So, it is a little bit different.

It certainly applies to dds college at Cambridge, she gets turfed out at the end of week 9 for interview candidates, with no onsite storage, so she won't be decorating for a whole academic year, but just for a few weeks. So decorations and everything else needs to be highly portable.

(so I'm a bit worried about the mountain that appears to be growing)

DD is going to Castle in Durham. A UNESCO world heritage grade 1 listed building. So also regulated up to the eyeballs and she has to clear out at the end of each term. Has not stopped her from accumulating a large amount of stuff to take (including a cello and a guitar). All the usual paraphernalia - floor rug, cushions (x1000), throws, fake plants and battery fairy lights. I am told by old hands that you soon work it all out and that its possible to do the turnaround trip in a day. We will see which items return for second term.....

Plants ! Yes, I forgot about the sodding plants. Titus the "Extemely Spiky" Cactus, also made 6 trips a year

oh yes, dd has a little cactus family to look after. I only hope they don't grow into the monsters I ended up with when I graduated.