For most students, the experience of coming to college and living away from their home and families for the first time can be daunting. To create a sense of home, many students use decorations to transform their generic looking dorms into a space that encapsulates their personality and represents who they are. Upon entering dorm rooms at NYU Abu Dhabi, you will see walls adorned with tapestries, pictures and memorabilia from home that the residents have carefully selected to personalize their space.

“Moving to college is a pretty big transition ... and being able to bring a part of our childhood, home countries, family and our traditions is very important in not being homesick and also to form an idea of home in university. [And] creating one’s wall is a way to do that. I took up collaging as a hobby in my senior year in highschool during quarantine and I was inspired by the independence anniversaries back home in Ecuador where one of which is in August. The [collage] reads ‘Liberty is a state of mind,’ which was inspired by and is a reminder of the holidays and festivities in my hometown.”

*Fatema Nassar, Class of 2024, stands near her personalized jewelry wall hanger. Photo Courtesy of Aashraya Dutt. *

“It’s a jewelry hanger … I got it from a small business in Egypt. I chose to depict the sea because even though I grew up in a city, [my family and I] would go every weekend to the sea and I’ve just had a special attachment to that place and time as did my dad ... he would go fishing and we’d hang around together.”

A corner in Ellie Alan’s, Class of 2022, dorm room decorated with photos of loved ones. Photo Courtesy Aashraya Dutt.

Ellie Allan, Class of 2022

“My mom actually printed all these out and made all the frames for me in my freshmen year … I’m now a senior and I’ve put them up every single year and so [these photos] have become part of my room. You can see my nephew, my dog, my mom … and they are all reminders of home because I rarely see all these family members photographed here.”

Sophie Bass, Class of 2024, shared her dorm which includes a map of Martha’s vineyard and images from home. Photo Courtesy Aashraya Dutt.

Sophie Bass, Class of 2024

“I brought most of my photos from home because it’s nice to have a little reminder of people you love, but I’ve also added new photos and memories from NYUAD … the map of Martha’s vineyard is especially significant to me because it’s the island where my mom and dad grew up … my grandparents live there and I’ve spent a lot of my time growing up, there so it’s just another nice little reminder of home.”

Sara Ghodbane, Class of 2024, shows her polaroid wall plastered with memories crafted, both, in Tunisia and Abu Dhabi. Photo courtesy of Aashraya Dutt.

“​​The most important things sleep by my side every night. Honestly, I end up forgetting about them once I stick them up the wall and take them for granted [sometimes] … but it feels good to have a reminder every now and then that there is a lot to be grateful for, a lot I aspire to do and a lot of loved ones and memories to cherish.”

Milena Baghdasaryan’s, Class of 2023, bedside corner includes photographs taken during trips, decor made by her and a diary she keeps closeby. Photo Courtesy of Milena Baghdasaryan.

“Every item in my room has a strong personal connection to me, be it in the form of photographs taken during trips to different countries, a gift from a loved one, or even the first decor that I ever made, which, no matter how tiny and simple it was, seemed such a great accomplishment at that time. I also like keeping a diary right next to my bed so that I can take all my thoughts and feelings out of my mind and give them to the paper before going to sleep,” said Milena Baghdasaryan, Class of 2023, “As a Film major who sees life through the lens of cinematic aesthetics, lighting is another important aspect to me when envisioning the overall look of my room. The main motive behind all my decoration choices was to create a space which is nice to wake up and sleep in and where I would always be happy to return in the pursuit of inner peace and creative inspiration.”

Tanisha Deshpande, Class of 2023, has put up paintings made by her and her suitemates. Photo Courtesy of Tanisha Deshpande.

Tanisha Deshpande, Class of 2023, shared: “A few days ago, my suitemates and I decided to make a painting each and add it to a wall in our still undecorated lounge. While anyone entering our space might just see them as normal paintings, they hold a special meaning for us as a group and our lounge no longer looks as empty as it did before. Sitting together and painting created a new memory, one that I’ll always hold close to me.”

Personalizing your dorm room can influence your experience of living in that space. A dorm is more than just a space you sleep in. It is the space where you will have countless hangouts with your friends and make many new memories. The dorm rooms of NYUAD students reflect the multipurpose aspect it serves.