Moving into a completely new environment and home can be incredibly stressful for anyone anywhere. When I first moved into my room in New South, I couldn’t fathom the idea that the empty room I was standing in would be my home for the next two semesters. Even though I felt so sure that I belonged at Georgetown and DC, I couldn’t shake my desire for the comfort of the Hawaiian sunset and breeze that I would not be able to find in DC.
As soon as my family left my room, I was determined to make my room feel as much like me as possible. Here, I’ll tell you all about the things I brought to my dorm to make living in a new place feel more like home!
1. My Postcard Collection
Decorating your dorm is a surefire way to make your dorm feel more comfortable. A year ago, I started collecting postcards from all of the places I visited. Because I have such a large collection, I decided to stick my postcards all over the walls! My postcards aren’t just a collection of designs created by other people–they’re a collection of memories I’ve made with the people I love the most. Looking at my wall and thinking about my loved ones always makes me feel a little less homesick. My favorite section is my collection of Hawai’i postcards on my closet doorframe. Looking at the designs always reminds me of home!
2. Pictures
Photos of your friends and family make the best decorations. Each person in my photos has played a huge role in shaping the person I am today, and keeping their pictures with me when they can’t be here physically reminds me of all of the love and support I have from people at home.
In Hawai’i, the phrase “a hui hou” means “until we meet again.” Thinking of this familiar phrase helps me to maintain hope for the next time I will see my loved ones. Even though my friends and family are now scattered all around the globe, I always feel comforted by the memories of the time we spent together and the hope that I will be able to share my life at Georgetown with them when we meet again.
3. Headphones
Headphones are a true college necessity. Aside from being a cute accessory and blocking outside noises during study sessions, my headphones have been a true source of comfort. Whenever I listen to Hawaiian music or the songs my friends and I would sing and dance to, I feel more connected with myself and my roots.
4. Stuffed Animals
Many of my stuffed animals have been with me through years of difficult changes and college is no different. I can always count on my beloved stuffed animals for comfort when I feel like staying in bed for an extra hour!
As a huge fan of books in high school, I had a tough time deciding which books I would bring with me to college. In the end, I chose the books that left the greatest impact on me like J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey and Franz Kafka’s Letters to Milena. Rereading these books helps me to connect to the world around me and appreciate Georgetown’s beauty when I miss the comfort of home. Reading my favorite passages always helps me to focus on my purpose and new life at Georgetown.
6. Food!
Each state has its own regional delicacies. I highly suggest bringing your favorite snacks from home. Tasting my favorite cookies, konjac jelly or Hawaiian Sun drinks always reminds me of home. I have always savored the specific taste of both sweet and sour tropical fruits in my favorite Hawaiian juices, and every sip I take tastes like the comfort of my home. Eating Hawaiian food as simple as spam and rice triggers my beloved memories of eating spam musubi on the beach with my friends and family or sipping passion fruit orange guava juice on a hot Hawaiian day. Tasting flavors of home always reminds me of my favorite parts of home.
Even though I love Georgetown and Washington, DC, my home in Hawai’i is a huge part of me that I cannot help but miss when I’m away. By bringing these essentials with me to Georgetown, I have made my new life feel a little bit more like home. I still occasionally feel homesick, but the reminders of the people and places that I love around my room always help me to embrace my new home at Georgetown.