Dorm Décor:
Ottoman: If you don’t have one seriously consider investing in this piece of furniture that doubles as a comfy additional seating and a storage space. Shower caddies can also double as racks to keep your notebooks, keys and other supplies. More lounge seating like bean bags and collapsible chairs are a must.
Electric Kettle: With colder days ahead of us there are sure to be moments when tea, coffee and hot chocolate feel like a necessity.
Good lighting cannot be stressed enough. It never hurts to have more than one light source. Lanterns and Christmas lights will add some drama to your room’s lacking atmosphere.
Other items to invest in if you already don’t them: mini-fridge, shelves, wall mirror, and bed risers. Stock up on things to do in your leisure time, recreational stuff like games, cards, video game systems, etc.
Step up your ramen game
There’s something inspiring about seeing a bland cake of ramen straight out the wrapper—mildly depressing, sure, but inspiring. It’s like a blank canvas in noodle form. Using add-ons may be a good way to spice up a one note meal that is the equivalent of eating a rice cake sandwiched between two paper plates.
Give hard-boiled or fried eggs, left over chicken, green veggies, a touch of lime or lemon a try—respectively, of course, although some might make for interesting combinations. Sriracha, soy sauce, and hot sauce are also great condiments to add some heat and salt.
Ramac n’ cheese
It’s the ultimate ship name for a romance between two of the cheapest instant mini-meals known to the broke masses. My personal favorite is cheesy ramen. Shredded cheddar or Cheese Alfredo 
Sauce yields the best results, adding an extra punch of flavor and creaminess. After cooking ramen, be sure to drain remaining broth. While hot, incorporate cheese.
Egg drop
Crack an egg, beat it in a bowl separately and then add it to your soup with the water is boiling. Allow it to coat the noodles while it cooks in the broth.
Chicken noodle
Shred that meat from last night’s dinner to make an all new meal. But don’t stop there, toss in carrots, broccoli and other veggies to add some nutritional value. It’s perfect for a chilly day, or trying to nurse you through a cold.
A life hack a day keeps the doctor away. Try these dorm hacks to make your life just a little bit easier:
1. Use dryer sheets to scrub out deodorant stains.
2. Phone chargers are notorious for having a short life span. Try using an old spring from a pen to save it from bending and the wires from fraying.
3. Use the sticky strip on the backs of Post-It notes to clean the crevices in your laptop keyboard.
4. Need a quick and easy speaker? Fit your phone into an empty bottle or place in a glass cup to amplify the sound.
5. Saving closet space: Place soda pop tabs on your hangers so that you can hang multiple garments. If you have clothes that you aren’t wearing or you need to move a large amount of clothes at the same time, slip a large garbage bag over them while they are still hanging up.
Pull the draw string and press the air out to save space. This also makes for much faster packing and unpacking. Instead of messily folding your clothes and then stacking them, try folding them and then sit them vertically in your storage space like file folders.
6. If you are having a difficult time keeping all of your power or charger cords untangled or organized, discarded items such as bread ties and paper towel or tissue rolls can be recycled to keep those unruly cords in check.
7. Most stores have those handy chip clips stocked in the snack aisle for you to purchase, but we’re a bunch of cheapskates trying to save money here. The good news is that you can snap the ends off of pants hangers and use them to keep your chips and other bagged perishables fresh. The bad news is you’ll be out of a good hanger.
8. Taping the power strip to the already existing outlet
9. Utilize space at the foot of the bed stacking is a really useful method to save room, and also staying organized is key because you just focus better and feel better all around!
Zhana Johnson
Senior Features Editor
About Post Author
