Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many students have not been able to visit and admire each other’s dorm rooms and houses. Thus, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Talia Zitner ’23 created the series “Wesleyan, Welcome to My Crib” to showcase the creativity and ingenuity of student interior design. This week, Talia Rodriguez ’24 shares her colorful, cozy room in 200 Church:

Ever since I thought about going to college, I was so excited to decorate my dorm room. While it was definitely harder due to COVID-19, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out!

My desk area: I love that my desk sits right in front of my window. I can see out onto the Middletown skyline (maybe not as iconic as New York, but beautiful all the same). On my desk I always keep my glitter pens, crayons, and sticky notes for if I need to jot something down during class. I also have two (fake) plants and an essential oil diffuser to keep a calm vibe. 

Cozy corner: This semester I wanted a place I could sit that wasn’t my desk—where I work—and my bed—where I sleep—so I brought a chair from home. So far, especially with the color lighting, it’s a great place to unwind after a long day or to call a friend (or usually my parents, haha) from home. You can’t see it too well, but my favorite part of my room, my rug, peeks out from just below the chair.

Bed area: Ah, where all the magic happens. I love this section of my room because it has all my posters and pictures of family and friends. It’s a little high up—I have to do a sort of pole vault situation to get up there—but with my mattress pad, the bed is super comfortable!

Bookshelf/bedside table/more pictures: I would like to point out that this semester I fashioned a little earring holder out of a wire and some foam core, which I’ve been enjoying. You can also see some postcards from the Washington Monument (I’m from Maryland), Modern Love (a delicious vegan restaurant in Brooklyn), and a lovely museum in Vermont.

This year, it is incredibly important to have a room that you feel comfortable in, one that you can last a 2-week quarantine in. While it has its quirks, like being pretty small and not having a closet, I love my room and the ways I’ve decorated it.

To participate in our “Wesleyan, Welcome to my Crib” series, reach out to Assistant Arts and Culture Editor Talia Zitner at tzitner@wesleyan.edu.

Talia Rodriguez can be reached at tirodriguez@wesleyan.edu.