Freshman Kaylin Logan’s personality truly shines through her dorm room. As soon as I walked in the room, I immediately felt like I knew the girl who lived inside it. A combination of decorations, gifts from friends, and bit of clutter make Kaylin’s Willow Hall room a true home away from home. “I put things together regardless of whether they match or not,” Kaylin explained when asked about her decorating style. The result is an eclectic mash of items that somehow go perfectly together.
Inspired by how lively and lived-in her room felt, I decided to play a game with Kaylin: I picked five items from her room and guessed what each item represented. She would then tell me if I was right or wrong, and share the meaning behind the items. The results? Kaylin’s room told me more than you would think.
- A drawing of Kaylin
Me: I’m guessing you’re really artsy, and drew this self-portrait. Maybe you’re an art major?
Kaylin: Close! It is a picture of me, but I didn’t draw it. The picture was drawn by my friend Emily from my hometown [Flemington, New Jersey]. Come to think of it, a lot of my decorations were gifts from friends.
- A Lumineers concert poster
Me: You definitely got this at a Lumineers concert. Do you like to go to concerts and music festivals?
Kaylin: Yes, I got the poster at their concert in Madison Square Garden. I love going to concerts with my friends. Before coming to Rowan I went to all of my concerts in New York, but I’m excited to get into the Philadelphia music scene. Rowan is actually closer to Philadelphia than my hometown is to New York City, so going to concerts will be super convenient.
- English and Western Civilization textbooks
Me: So, this book is definitely for your Western Civ class. Are you a History major? Or maybe English?
Kaylin: Technically, my major is Exploratory Studies. I’m in the Rowan Select program, which is a program for students who need extra help getting used to college-level coursework. I’ll be able to declare a major once I finish my first semester. But I do want to be an English major, so you were kind of right!
- A Boston University water bottle
Me: You obviously don’t go to Boston University, so you probably stole this from a friend, right?
Kaylin: Correct. One of my best friends from home goes to Boston University, and she left this at my house over the summer. I also have a different friend’s sweatshirt from McGill University in Canada. Sometimes I miss my friends, so I like to have souvenirs from their schools as a reminder of them.
- An empty hummus container
Me: Did you eat hummus for lunch?
Kaylin: Yup, I love hummus. I accidentally got locked out of my room earlier, and I had to wait for my RA to open my door for me. The whole time I was waiting, all I could think about was the hummus in my mini-fridge. It’s the perfect snack between classes.
All in all, Kaylin’s room helped me get to know her in a unique way. The items in her room told the story of her past, her hometown friends, and who she is at Rowan. Everyone knows that a picture says a thousand words, but today I learned that a dorm room says a million more.
Story by: Kayla Arias, senior double major, public relations and advertising
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