When you go to college, there are a lot of things that you’ll have to get adjusted to. There’s a new schedule, new friends, and just an entirely new location in general. It’s really exciting, but it can also be intimidating. Of all of this “new nest”, dorm life is the part that you may find most challenging. In your dorm, you’ll have to get used to a twin bed. If you’ve had a queen- or king-sized bed before, a twin bed might seem very cramped. Don’t worry. There are tips out there that can help you make do with a twin bed, even if you’re not used to one.
Mattress Pads
While you might not be able to widen your bed, you can raise it. The dorm mattresses are notoriously uncomfortable, and being able to pad your bed so that you’re able to feel comfortable where you are will help you sleep. One of the causes of tossing and turning at night is a lack of back support while sleeping, and if you have that, you’ll be able to adjust your sleeping position to fit on a twin-sized mattress without sacrificing the quality of your sleep.
Have a Night-table Next to You
If one of the reasons that you prefer a queen- or king-sized bed is because you like to put the rest of your stuff on it, then you can make do with a night-table at the side of your bed as opposed to an extra-large bed. If you miss the illusion of having more space to put your laptop, charger, cellphone, iPad, and whatever else on there, having a table near your bed can fill that gap.
A Newer (Non-Dorm-Issued) Mattress
The dorm mattresses aren’t very comfortable. They’re standard issue, meaning that the college is buying them by the thousands, and they aren’t looking to make each bed a luxury. You can switch out your dorm mattress for one that is more comfortable. A Lull mattress is delivered in a box, making it portable. Once removed from the box, they expand to their full size. They are much more comfortable than the dorm beds, and come with therapeutic support and a layer of cooling gel at the top of the mattress. While you might not be able to widen your bed, you can certainly make it as comfortable as possible.
The R.A. Loophole
If you sign up to be an R.A. (Residents’ Assistant), your room will probably come with two beds and no roommate. You can push those two beds together to form a queen-sized bed (twin plus twin equals queen in terms of the size). Make sure that your beds are strapped together though; you don’t want to fall through the gap in the middle of the night. If you fasten them securely together, you will be able to sleep on the larger mattress with ease.
Personalise It
A lot of what college life involves is being able to find your own rhythm and decide what you want to do with your future. Personification isn’t just for your academic and personal life; however, you can also take the time to make your dorm room feel like it’s your own by decorating it the way you want. You’ll have a roommate, who will also be trying to get used to sleeping on a twin mattress, and the two of you can put your heads together and find out what the best way to stylise your room is.
Cute Decorating Ideas
Twinkly lights aren’t just for the holidays. A cute idea that will make your dorm room feel homey and cosy is to hang up soft white lights. This way, if you’re on your laptop late or have a book-light on, there will be at least some soft light behind you so that your screen isn’t the only thing illuminating the dark. You can even set the lights on a timer so that you don’t forget to turn them off.
Another decorating idea that will help personalise your bed area is to turn it into a canopy. While the canopy bed frame officially isn’t something that your dorm room comes with, you can take steps to privatise your bed area by hanging sheer curtains across the length of your bed. That way, when you want to go to sleep, you can pull the curtains and feel like you’re in your own little cocoon. This is especially helpful if your roommate is always up late.
In your college dorm, you are going to have to adjust to having a twin bed. If you’ve always slept on a queen- or king-sized bed, this might be difficult for you. However, if you personalise your living area, switch out your mattress, pad your mattresses, and/or add a nightstand to get more space, you’ll be able to make do with the twin and sleep as comfortably as you would otherwise.
Photo by Griszka Niewiadomski from FreeImages
