It’s a home away from home. A refuge. A place to entertain friends—or just oneself. A blank canvas that can be as cluttered or clean, as ornate or unadorned, as one wishes. The dorm room. Here students offer a peek into their special spaces.
Lehman
This television was in the basement of my house for years. I don’t remember it ever working. It was taking up a lot of space, and my dad was going to throw it out. So that summer I completely emptied it of all the electronic parts, painted it, refinished it, cut the top off and added hinges. Then I ordered a custom-sized fish tank to fit inside and wired the whole thing up. —James Trotta ’10, Katonah, N.Y.
Sage B
I started collecting anything that caught my eye. I bought all different types of postcards. I bought a poster of a giant barcode at MASS MoCA. All I really wanted was color and a sense of individuality. But most importantly, the decorations that go on my wall all made me smile the first time I saw them, and still do. —Amanda Esteves-Kraus ’12, Stony Point, N.Y.
Brooks
In Texas, there is a “whole lotta space.” In college, bathrooms are shared, library carrels are fought over, some classes have a lot of students and dining halls long lines. My personal space is my dorm room. —Sydney Pitts-Adeyinka ’11, Dallas, Texas
Dodd House
The room was plenty big for the two of us—so big we had to go to church tag sales to find more furniture for it. We added a few chairs, a table and some lamps, and the place started to look homey, but we still needed something to tie the room together. That’s when we found the Mickey Mouse rug. —Heath Pruitt ’11 (background), Greencastle, Ind.
Fitch
My suitemate and I combined the things we love: for me Chicago and baseball; for her bands, boxing and her inflatable moose head Mortimer. —Catalina Vielma Reyes ’10 (at right), Chicago, Ill.
Garfield
On those rare occasions when my books are shelved according to design (albeit, vague) and my clothes have finally found their way, folded or not, into my dresser, there is nothing more satisfying than absconding to the simple comfort of a room agreeably arranged. —David Blitzer ’10, Skillman, N.J.
Bryant
It’s a place where I can stop and restore myself so that I’m rested and ready for all of the great things Williams has to offer. —Jennifer Oswald ’11, Monrovia, Md.
