Back in the day when I was a wee freshman just starting the rush process, I was scared. Scared of talking to all those older girls, scared of rowdy fraternity boys throwing water balloons at me as I walked from house to house (wet, frizzy hair? OH THE HORROR), scared of not even getting into a house….

Most of all though, I was scared of what being in a sorority would do to the rest of my life. I had watched many older friends go through the whole sorority process and I knew about all the activities, meetings, date parties, social events, etc. that come with it. Would I be able to handle it all? Would my GPA?

I think a lot of people (like my parents) have the same concern: is it possible to juggle everything successfully? The answer: YES. It may not be easy, but it doesn’t take long to figure out a way to balance out friends and exams, roommates and papers, tailgates and gym dates, and this week our panel of sorority sisters is going to share their secrets for making it all happen. (Here’s a hint: it starts with “plan” and ends with “ner.”)

Gabby: Phi Theta Chi, Winona State University
A PLANNER. A daily planner with lots of space given for each day.  If you, as a college woman on her way to career-hood, do not have one yet – you are severely behind the success curve. I swear by my planner and it’s my personal belief that you can’t be successful without one, let alone be successful juggling classes, sorority meetings, events, boys, and the rest of your social life.

Rachel: Chi Omega, Indiana University
If you really love what you’re involved in, it’s easy to balance your time.  Outside of Chi Omega, I am director of an a cappella group, a reporter for the school newspaper, a critic for an online music blog, and I’ve never gotten lower than an A- in any of my classes (so far… knock on wood!).  I thrive on being so involved and love making the campus smaller for myself, and I also have a great time with all the friends I’ve met through my activities.

Lisa: UCLA
Weird but true, my grades have gotten infinitely better since I’ve taken on all the responsibilities that come with being in a sorority. I guess now that I’m always so busy, I have no choice but to majorly plan out my life and stick to a schedule. The best advice I can give is to hold yourself accountable for everything and make sure to put yourself in a position to get it done. And I do mean position. I learned quickly that I can’t write papers in my house (I live in a quad, yo), so I tend to go to class, make a plan of what needs to be done before I can get home and stay out on campus to do it. I tend to save loads of time (that would have otherwise been spent procrastinating or being totally distracted) and when I come home, I have nothing to keep me from everything else I need to do…like watching Teen Mom with my roommates.

Ariana: Gamma Phi Beta, Penn State University
For me, the best way to stay organized is my calendar. I keep everything – and I mean everything – that I need to do/want to do listed in my day planner, and keep everything color-coordinated at that. If you stay organized, go through to-do lists, and always make sure you have time for a quick nap or meal when you need it, it’s not hard to balance being involved in your chapter and other campus activities, while still staying up on your grades!!

Kit: Alpha Chi Omega, Ohio State University
The only way to balance everything is to plan ahead. This year I finally committed to keeping an up-to-date planner, and it’s by far the easiest way to stay on track. You’ll never miss a important event for your sorority or forget when your next paper is due, and it lets you know what days are free to plan time with friends you don’t always get to see.

Megan Watson, Purdue: Chi Omega
Being in a sorority, especially on exec, takes up a lot of time. Be sure to map out everything you have to get done for the week. Prioritize. You’ll have to decide what the most important tasks are and go from there! For me? Sorority president duties, then academics… THEN I get to be a normal college student and be social. Sad, but true.

[Got a question for these women? Send it on over to submissions [at] collegecandy [dot] com. In the meantime, get the DL on Greek Life from the women who are living it right here.]

[We scoured the country to find the ultimate sorority girl to share her sisterly expertise with you. After reading through tons of applications followed by hours Facebook-stalking all the candidates (which proved difficult thanks to FB's privacy settings....), we found her. She gave you the lowdown on rush and the rules of the sorority date party. And now that you're sitting pretty in your new house, she's got a few things to say about sisterly love.... or a lack thereof.]

Sorority recruitment can be many things: fun, intense, scary, adventurous, and exciting – but it can also be brutal. Warning: Expect tears. While many girls will end up in their dream house, there are plenty of potential new members that will not get their first choice house and some girls who won’t get in a house at all!

Sorority recruitment is an opportunity of a lifetime that every girl should experience BUT here’s what to do when things don’t quite go your way, every step of the way.

Right from the start: Of course every sorority recruitment is different, but I will use my university as an example! The PNMs at Purdue visit 15 chapters in just 2 days and narrow it down to their favorite 11. If those 11 chapters also like those women who picked them (mutual selection process) then the women will return to those 11 chapters. BUT if someone happens to love a chapter and they aren’t feeling the vibe, women are released, hence the tears (see above).

Don’t sweat being cut this round- it’s perfectly normal. And let’s face it, with only 10 minute conversations, you didn’t have any real connection with anyone during this round; you just liked the sorority décor and thought the girls had on uber trendy shoes. It’s important to know the girls at this chapter DON’T hate you and you absolutely should not take it personally; first round releases are normally done based on grades or because every chapter has to make cuts. It’s just the way the process works. And it does work.

You’re halfway there: So it’s been a couple rounds now and you have it narrowed down to about 5 houses, but you get your return slip back and your must-have house apparently sees you as a must-not-have. Be calm. Trust the system. You still have other great houses that want you! Think about it this way: why would you ever want to be a part of that organization if they cut you? I heard girls say in my rush group, “If I could just go back in there one more time, I could prove to them _______.” But you don’t want to have to prove anything- be yourself. If they don’t like you for who you are, or see how awesome you are already, then you don’t want to be a part of that sorority anyway! Be positive and always continue on with the recruitment process!

They led you on: At this point, getting released from a chapter when they are on your top 3 list just seems wrong- I know firsthand, it happened to me. You’re furious at the system and the girls who got through to the next round, and you are racking your brain to figure out what you could have done differently to beat them. Worn a cuter dress? Higher heels? Told your rusher how great her outfit was even though it was so 2008? The truth is, we will probably never know.

But that’s ok – because we DO know that there are chapters that invited you back and are so excited about YOU and they want YOU as a new member in their sorority! My advice is to definitely stick with it, and at least go through with the last day of recruitment. You might be surprised, and following through doesn’t mean you have to officially commit to a accepting a bid. If you’re not feeling it, that’s fine. At least you tried.

Continuous and informal recruitment are also options! I would advise you to make an appointment or drop by your school’s Panhellenic office to learn about your different options!

What else do YOU want to know about sorority recruitment? Let’s talk the ups and downs of sorority recruitment!

[Want more Greek Speak? Click here]

Thankfully, since all our favorite TV shows did the rerun thing this week (well, except for Jersey Shore’s lame ass finale), it’s not like there was much else going on to occupy my time. That meant plenty of time to focus on making myself more approachable, and answer the many pressing questions CollegeCandy proposed:

What are the most ubiquitous college student stereotypes?

Why is everyone making such a big deal about the Glee GQ photos?

We call ourselves accepting?

Why are people still dating John Mayer?

Why are Yale frat boys so disgusting?

What does a girl’s drink of choice say about her?

At what point in a relationship can you forgo condoms?

What is it really like to live in a sorority house full of estrogen?

What happens when you wear sweat pants every day? (Hint: it starts with muffin and ends with top.)

Where is the best place in the world to be a woman?

[We scoured the country to find the ultimate sorority girl to share her sisterly expertise with you. After reading through tons of applications followed by hours Facebook-stalking all the candidates (which proved difficult thanks to FB's privacy settings....), we found her. She gave you the lowdown on rush and the rules of the sorority date party. And now that you're sitting pretty in your new house, she's got a few things to say about sisterly love.... or a lack thereof.]

When you combine 80 girls plus their stress from exams and boys, there is going to be drama. Duh. And even though sorority girls do sometimes get in crazy bitch fights over missing nail polish and whether they are going to watch Gossip Girl or Grey’s, they aren’t lying to you when they say that no one hates anyone in their house.

My non-Greek friends always ask what it’s like to live in a sorority with SO many girls. Thinking back, it’s safe to say that it’s like something between 7^th Heaven and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. No, really. It is true that we all love each other like Lucy and Mary (don’t act like you don’t know what I am talking about – everyone watched 7th Heaven) and sure, living with all your sisters can be a blast. BUT sometimes living in a house full of girls is a complete nightmare and is full of drama, drama, and more DRAMA.

Living in a sorority is just the same as living with your own blood sister at home, but on steroids. Yes, your clothes will go missing and, yes, you will see your sister tagged in a picture the next day wearing them. It happens. But that’s normal between blood siblings. And it’s the least of the problems when it comes to sorority sisters.

Here are some of the more pressing issues (read: watch your back):

Boyfriend stealers? Check.
I recommend you do your research before falling head over heals for some hot, older frat star. Chances are if he’s that good looking, an older sister in your sorority has already taken her turn with him. Do yourself a favor and move on before things get serious, or half the senior pledge class will be on you like Chi Os on quesadilla day. Don’t be that girl.

Room picks? Obvi.
Everybody knows that there are certain rooms in the house that are way better than others. Most houses have a point system that allows girls with the most points earned (based on GPA, philanthropy, house involvement, etc.) to have the most privileges and get first dibs on rooms. BUT you will guaranteed have that one friend that will beg you (even though you have more points than her) not to take the room she wants… and for some reason if you take that room anyway, game over. I have no advice for you on this, just a heads up. Good luck.

Birthdays? Geeeez.
For someone reason, most of us seem to think that our birthdays should be national holidays. Update: not everyone cares, BUT you better be at every pledge sister’s party. Trust me, she will remember if you were a no-show, then you will have no reason to act surprised when no one shows up for yours.

When it comes to a house full of estrogen, fights are inevitable and sorority living is no exception. At all. Ever. For real. You can’t prepare for everything (especially when there’s always at least 5 girls with PMS), but do yourself a favor and try to diffuse whatever potential drama you can.

What CRAZY sorority drama goes on at your house? Do YOU have a juicy story to share? Let’s talk sorority drama!

[We scoured the country to find the ultimate sorority girl to share her expertise with you. After reading through tons of applications followed by hours Facebook-stalking all the candidates (which proved difficult thanks to FB's privacy settings....), we found her. And now, with sorority recruitment under way at many schools across the country, she's getting down to business and sharing some tried and true rules to ensure you make it from random PNM to adored active sister.]

As a die-hard sorority girl, I have no problem admitting that I know exactly what it takes to successfully join the sorority that is right for YOU. And trust me, there is one. It might not seem like it on the first day of rush when you’re being shuttled from house to house and having 3 minute conversations with tons of girls, but there is.  And when you get in there and connect with the members, you’ll know it.

But let’s get something straight. Everyone might be telling you how sororities are ‘values based organizations’ and members choose new members based on what’s on the inside.

And we are….
And we do….

Most of the time. But, much like in every other aspect of your life, first impressions are important. If you want to put your best foot forward/make that gorgeous old Victorian mansion your home for the next few years, be on your best behavior and avoid these 5 MAJOR don’ts for PNMs (potential new members). In Boilermaker Country, we call these no-nos the 5 Bs.

(Keep in mind, even if you don’t want to be in a particular house, it’s good to avoid these topics out of respect….or just to keep the convo from getting super awkward.)

1. Bush – Please, please, PLEASE don’t add your two cents on your political stance. A) Your luck, your overpowering and down right-scary obsession for the Democratic party is in total opposition of the woman rushing you, and B) how boring. There is no Panhellenic sorority based on political beliefs, so just avoid it. 

2. Buddha – Now, there are some sororities solely based on religion and believe me, they will let you know. For example, Sigma Delta Tau is historically Jewish, and it is important to them that they maintain a majority Jewish group of women in their chapter. It’s only when you are in a sorority like SDT that it is acceptable to bring up religion, because it is important to them, too. Make sense? It would be your best bet to look this up ahead of time before you begin the recruitment process.

3. Boys - Who doesn’t love them? But admitting to the members of a certain sorority that you recently hooked up with some guy on campus from a top fraternity isn’t going to get you in. Actually, it might hurt you. That hot guy (what was his name again?) that you hooked up with may be the ex-boyfriend of the girl rushing you. Ever think about that? Leave boys out of the conversation.

4. Booze – It is totally unattractive to talk about how wasted you got the night before in explanation of your current hangover. A) No one cares. B) That’s probably not the classiest thing you can say. If you feel like you need to make it a point of letting your rusher know that you like to have a good time, try adding in that you’ve noticed how fun campus is on the weekends. But really, if you are going through recruitment, she already knows that you are fun and outgoing.

5. Bucks - It might be your natural instinct to immediately talk about your (daddy’s) money as soon as you step foot into a sorority house. The houses are HUGE and decorated to the nines… every girl in that chapter HAS to be loaded, right?? Ummm no. Not at all. Sorority chapter houses are built from a variety of funds including chapter dues, alum donations and even chapter’s national funds. Talking about money might actually make your rusher feel awkward. Avoid it.

Now you know what not to do, but how do you get into that sorority that you have so desperately been trying to get in good with? (Side note: the week before MY sorority recruitment I noticed that ALL the sorority girls were gorgeous. I thought they must have gotten up at 5 every morning to curl their hair and do their make-up for class… so my roommate and I did, too. God we were naïve.) To get a bid to THE sorority that you HAVE to be in, I only have one word: don’t.

Don’t make up stuff to make yourself sound better than you think you are.
Don’t go out and buy all new outfits to impress the sorority women.
And don’t be intimidated by all the frills and craziness of sorority recruitment.

“Be yourself, trust the system,” are the two things that I was told over and over before I dove into the process… and it worked. By putting on a show, you’re only hurting yourself and pretty much guaranteeing that you’ll end up in a house with girls who are nothing like you. The sorority women want to have a REAL conversation with you and find out who you are, not who you’re trying to be.

Here’s the truth: I went into recruitment KNOWING what sorority I was going to be in. But I was wrong! Once I’d tried out all the other chapters and had really awesome conversations with the members – being totally myself – I went against my original plan and joined the chapter where I felt most comfortable. On the last day of rush, I looked around at the other PNMs rushing with me (Do this! It is your potential new pledge class!) and could see myself studying, partying, crying, laughing, and everything in between with those girls. And after all the long hours, conversations and late nights, I knew it was the house for me.

OK, enough of that sappy moment. What else do you want to know? Where are YOU going through recruitment this fall? Are you nervous about anything specific? Let’s talk sorority RECRUITMENT, women!

[Want even more Sorority fun? Follow Sorority Girl on Twitter!]

We have incredibly exciting news coming straight from the CollegeCandy headquarters. This just in: CollegeCandy is  launching  a brand new column this fall for sorority girls across the country. We’re looking for the ultimate sorority girl, a Greek life die-hard willing to dish out an honest perspective on sorority life.

She needs to have strong writing skills, a sense of humor, knowledge on all things Greek (from rush etiquette to theme parties), and an overall willingness to give advice to sorority girls (and soon-to-be sorority girls) from all over America.

Does this sound like a girl in your house? Does this sound like you?

In 300 words or less, tell us why YOU’D be the ultimate sorority girl for CollegeCandy and send it to sororitygirl@collegecandy.com by August 17th. The chosen girl not only gets a weekly column on a blog with over one million readers, she also gets to bring home up to 30 pairs of Greek flip flops for her house from www.GreekForMe.com, an online store chock full of the cutest sorority apparel and gifts ever.

Sounds like a win/win to us.
So what are you waiting for?

Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision? Need help managing those dreaded group projects? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics? We’ve got the girls for you. Hit them up in the comments or shoot them an email with the subject “College Q&A”! They’ve got all the answers you need, no matter who you are.

Question:
So I’m a sophomore and I’m living in my sorority house. I’m having the best time – there’s always someone to hang out with here and there’s always something going on. The problem is that my non sorority friends have been getting mad at me for not hanging out with them. It’s not that I don’t want to – it’s just that they live all the way across campus and I don’t have as much time to see them as I did when we lived on the same floor. I feel really torn and don’t know what to do. If I stay at my sorority house, I miss out on times with my other friends. But if I hang out with them (when I find time), I’m missing out on something at the house.

Can you help me find a balance?

Busy Bee:
It all boils down to this: Who do you like more? I think that when you like a certain group, you make an extra effort to hang out with them, regardless of the complications. On the other hand, I do understand that you are extremely busy. You have to hang out with whoever is easier to access (which happens to be your sorority girls).

Sooo, you gotta tell your non-sorority friends to meet you halfway. They can come to your place every other week, while you make it over to their dorms on the other week. Other ideas include meeting up at the campus coffee shop, making weekly study dates, or having weekly shopping hangouts.

Plus, your sisters should understand that you have a life outside of the sorority. I don’t think that you would miss that much when you go out with your friends. If you do, I’m sure some of the girls would be happy to fill you in when you get back. And it’s always good to have a life outside of the people you live with (it can get catty)! Remember, just set your priorities straight. I know it’s difficult, but just keep in mind that if you really like both groups, you have to find a way to keep them in your lives. Otherwise, you might lose a good thing without knowing it.

Party Girl:
You’re in a pretty common position. Even without the sorority committment, it’s difficult to find time for all your friends during sophomore year. You all have different living assignments and some of you may have taken on jobs and Greek life as well. Finding the balance is tough…but completely manageable with alcohol. It’s the great socializer! Your campus can’t be that huge where walking to your friends’ dorm on the weekend is impossible. Dorm parties, house parties, tailgates – all of these are great ways to keep the balance. Also, I’m sure your sorority has functions that the general public is allowed to attend. Invite your friends! And while you shouldn’t start flaking on your sisters, you should make some time for your old friends by skipping one or two of the smaller events. Keep the connections alive, girl!

GPA Girl:

My first reaction was to say that your non-sorority friends sound kind of petty, but then I thought about it some more, and I think they have a point. From the way you describe it, it does seem as if you’re not really making much of an effort to see them. Then again, I have a feeling we don’t know about the full situation here–how much of an effort are they making to see you, for example? Are they trekking across campus to hang at your place?

I think you need to be really honest with yourself about how much of a priority your non-sorority friends are to you. Because if you keep telling them they’re important to you but your actions always say otherwise, they’re going to figure that out pretty quickly, and they’ll have a right to be ticked. If you start to actually back up what you say and meet up with them regularly, though, I predict they’ll cool off before long. Why do you have to go all the way across campus, anyway? Can’t you guys meet at a nice coffee shop in town or at the library to study or something?

Alternately, if your non-sisters just aren’t as important to you as they used to be, I believe you should gather some balls and be honest with them about it. There is nothing wrong with having friendships that fade away–it’s natural, and we all have experienced it–but the bogus part results when one friend isn’t honest about her priorities. You can be honest and still be nice. Try saying something like, “I’m so sorry I’ve been neglecting you guys lately. But I’m really having fun hanging out at the house, and it’s hard to motivate myself to leave. Would you want to meet up with me just once a week off-campus or something?” This is really a communication issue–just talk with your friends about how you feel, and be real with them. A solution will follow.

When I was a sophomore I lived in a quad in my sorority house. That meant 4 girls, 45 pairs of jeans and over 100 pairs of shoes stuffed into a very tiny space. With bunk beds. The close quarters were an issue when any sort of studying had to get done (“Can’t you wait until after 90210 is over to start that paper?!”) or heavy drinking was going down (“Dude, there is not enough room in here for you to do the worm…”) but we made it work most of the time.

And then we had a date party.

For those of you who don’t know, a sorority date party consists of asking guys to join you at a bar where everyone gets very, very drunk. Kind of like any other night of the week but with dresses and a photographer.

Anyways, needless to say, my roommates and I got quite intoxicated. Upon returning to the sorority house, everyone proceeded to leave their men outside and completely pass out fully clothed. I was pretty much dead to the world when I suddenly woke up out of my sleep; something smelled really bad. It took me awhile to figure out where I was, why I was still wearing heels, and why there was a slice of pizza in my hand, but when I finally came to I realized that my roommate (whose bottom bunk was a mere 4 inches away from mine) was also sniffing the air with a not-so-happy look on her face.

“Dude, what is that smell?” she asked me, sniffing the air like a puppy in heat. I began looking around the room, trying to figure out what was going on. Considering the small size of my living quarters, it took only a second to find the culprit: at 5:30 in the morning, wearing a beautiful black BCBG dress, my roommate was squatting over the bottom drawer (MY DRAWER!) of the dresser…having a bowel movement.

“SUSIE*!!” I screamed. She looked up at me. “What the hell are you doing in my underwear drawer!?”

“What?” She responded, confused. “Why are you in the bathroom stall with me?”

“You are not in the bathroom, you moron, you are in our bedroom…taking a crap in my underwear drawer!” I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or throw up all over myself. A moment later, I was ready to do all three.

Susie finally looked around and realized what she was doing.

“Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I’ll fix it.” Susie stood up, pulled up her underwear, fixed her hair in the mirror and started to clean up her mess. It was a noble thing to do (and that girl better clean up that sh*t), but Susie was still quite drunk and a little wobbly on her feet. She bent down, gathered whatever was in the drawer and walked towards the communal bathroom in the hall…..leaving a trail of poo poo along the wall as she went. It was like Hansel and Gretel’s trail. Only grosser.

I couldn’t help but scream. And kick. And cry. And throw up a little in my mouth.

Soon the entire sorority was awake and screaming along with me. Eventually our house mother showed up, shooed us all out to a neighboring house to get some sleep and closed down our house for some major Clorox action. Upon returning, my room became a lovely, spacious triple and Susie got a single.

Was it fair that she got a single to herself? No, but no one wanted to live with the pooper.

Sorority house. Not whore house.

As college students, we are constantly inundated with new knowledge. It can be useful, thought-provoking, or crammed into our head on a Starbucks-fueled binge several hours before an exam. However, very rarely do we question the validity of all this new knowledge (unless you take philosophy classes, then you’ll question away).

That’s where College Candy comes in. We’re not going to debate whether or not the Theory of Relativity actually exists (a disappointment, I know, but I’m a communications major and stopped taking science classes after Baby Bio fresh year). However, we are here to thoroughly investigate the most widespread college knowledge (no, not rhyming)—the myth.

Recently, a good friend of mine came to visit me at escuela. When she got here, we screamed and squealed and moved all of her bags upstairs into my room. We chatted and caught up for a while, before I offered to give her a tour of my place.

I adore giving house tours, because the place where I live is so much more than my home—it’s my sorority house. I love showing friends and family all the beautiful details of our old Southern mansion, pointing out hidden symbols and telling the histories behind everything that decorates the house.  My guests are usually very interested and complimentary, so I was kind of bummed when I realized my bestie was being super quiet (and not in the “I’m-so-jealous-you-don’t-have-to-cook-or-clean” kind of way).

When I asked her what was up, she sighed and told me that she’d always wanted to live in a sorority house, but unfortunately the city where her campus was located strictly forbade her chapter from having one. “Why the anti-Panhellenic attitude?” I asked. To which she replied, as thousands of collegiates before her have, “Well, under city law, any more than 5 women living under the same house is considered a brothel.”

Whaaaat?! Brothel? Huh?!

Seriously, all those movies and books have it wrong. No, Sorority Row, we do not throw giant foam parties in our formal sitting room (my House Mom would spontaneously combust). Sorry, Alexandra Robbins, we are not having “naked parties,” and not all of sorority housing is glamorous (I’m a 21 year old woman who sleeps in a bunk bed). Hell, we aren’t even allowed to have guys upstairs (ever)! How the hell could a sorority house, or for that matter, any female dwelling be considered a brothel based solely on the number of its occupants with vaginas? I decided to investigate.

Turns out, this rumor has been circulating for quite some time. Richard Roeper commented in the Chicago Sun Times that it was “the most widespread piece of university folklore making the rounds.” That was in 1994, and not much has changed.

According to Snopes, the myth probably originated due to confusion and misinterpretation of “Blue Laws” and zoning restrictions.  “Some municipalities do indeed have zoning laws prohibiting more than a specified number of non-family members (male or female) from living together, but not even in those cases would a household in violation of those codes be labeled a brothel.”

More importantly, any law that stated such doesn’t apply to fraternity, sorority, or any other form of intentionally communal living. So, good news for my friend (if she wants to contact her national headquarters and start some hardcore fundraising), sororities (and fraternities, and non-Greeks alike) can indeed all live happily together under one roof without the city labeling them as prostitutes.

Unless, of course, they are exchanging sex for money. That might be a problem.

As much as you’d like to deny it, it’s time to pack those bags and head back to school! Whether you’re shacking up on campus in the dorms, going solo in your own apartment, or looking forward to a packed year in the sorority house, those blank walls can look pretty unfriendly. Even if you’re not the homesick type, jazzing up your empty wall space can do wonders in making you feel more at home in your new school-year pad, and you’re likely to find that even the most cramped or most run-down of places are a whole lot more bearable with a little added personality.

Look back on fond memories of last summer while you have new fun times in the fall with a wall photo sleeve, or mark your limited territory over on your side of the tiny dorm room with an initial marquee light fixture. No matter what cool and trendy wall decor you throw up, it may never be a four-star resort, but hey — it’s home!

Check out the slideshow at Stylehive for some fun and quirky wall hang-ups!