With the first week of classes officially in the books, students have finally settled into their dorms for the new school year. Whether a first-year or seasoned Kenyon veteran, decorating new spaces presented an exciting and memorable challenge for every student. 

Roman Savage ’27, who lives in Gund Residence Hall, shared his thoughts on the move-in process: “My first impression of my dorm was that it was big,” Savage said. “The set-up of the room was really nice as well.” 

Students’ creativity flourished. With residence hall rooms coming in all shapes and sizes, many jumped at the opportunity to make their dorms home. “For the common room, we decided to go with a Midwestern-home theme,” Owen Rodstrom ’26, a Caples Hall resident, wrote in an email to the Collegian. Rodstrom lives with two suitemates, Josh Greville ’26 and Henry Rodrigues ’26. “We wanted to decorate the suite with lots of live-laugh-love decor,” Greville added. “The Midwest-mom style, you know?”

As the move-in process marched on, students moved furniture, lofted their beds and, most importantly, decorated their walls. For a few students, decorating has proven to be a challenge, as Manning Hall resident Bettirose Epstein ’26 shared: “I have a lot of empty space in my room that I desperately need to fill.” Greville agreed: “Unfortunately there was more wall space than we bargained for and now [the live-laugh-love decor is] just weird, endearingly.”

Students highlighted the elements they were most fond of. “We’re all runners on the track team, so the sign that says, ‘Does running late count as exercise?’ is my favorite,” Greville said. Epstein particularly loves the art and posters she has up.

Naturally, many students have a specific item they cannot live without. “A big staple of our dorm is the foam roller we keep in the common room,” Rodstrom said. “We run and exercise a lot every day and we’re usually pretty sore, so it’s nice to be able to roll out.” For Rodrigues, it was his “Costco bulk packages of snacks.” Savage prizes his Tottenham Hotspurs jersey.

Whether living North or South, in a single or a double, students agree that moving in and decorating the entirety of their dorm is ultimately a rewarding process. Although it is challenging at times, it is a great opportunity to make it feel like home. And of course, some students prefer the simple life as well. Regarding a TV propped unceremoniously against a wall, Greville quipped: “We definitely can live without a TV stand.”