Meet Hannah, a Dormify summer intern, who is from a small city in Cleveland and has always dreamed about a life in New York. During the school year there was always so much talk about internships, so she figured why not try to find one in the city and see if she could ever see herself actually living there. A great resume booster and life experience all in one! We caught up with her to talk about all things dorm, college, & city life. Check out Hannah’s minimalistic bohemian dorm and learn more about what inspired her decor!
City Life
Tell us where you are living this summer! How did you find out about it?
I’m staying at NYU summer housing! I had no idea where to begin when it came to finding a place to stay in the city, so I really just searched around on Google for the best options for students with internships in NYC!
Tell us about your dorm location?
My dorm is in an amazing location. You are right in between Greenwich Village and East Village, and an easy 10 minute walk from some of the best shopping you will ever experience in SoHo!! It seriously could not get any better.
How did you find out about the Dormify internship and what was your favorite part of working for dormify?
I found out about the Dormify internship while scrolling through the Internship section on College Fashionista! Overall, working for Dormify was an unreal experience and I loved every second of it, but my favorite part was definitely whenever we did photoshoots!
If someone was coming to NYC for only a weekend what would you tell them to do?
My biggest word of advice is to not try and do too much! As amazing as the city is, if you try to squeeze absolutely every attraction into two days time, you will be way too exhausted to actually enjoy yourself. My top picks for things to do here include: shopping in SoHo, walking the Brooklyn Bridge, having a picnic in Central Park, and exploring the Whitney Museum.
Dorm Life
You were only living in your NYC dorm for a short amount of time. Any tips on easy ways to make your space feel like home?
I definitely tried to incorporate a good amount of decor from both my dorm room, as well as my room at home to make it feel more comforting and homey!
Living in a room with three people, how did you make your bed and section of the room your own and separate from your roommates? How do you incorporate your own personal style?
I would have to say my personal style is very minimalistic and boho, and I really tried to incorporate that through the use of muted and neutral colors, as well as plenty of texture! I think a good tip for incorporating your own style while still keeping it cohesive with your roomies style is by both including a few matching throw pillows or decor pieces. This way, you can be totally unique in most aspects, but the room still feels tied together.
What was your favorite part of your dorm room?
Definitely my bed!! There is nothing I love more than falling into a million throw pillows and snuggling up in my cozy blanket after a long day of exploring the city.
What advice would you give to future students planning on living in NYC for the summer?
The biggest downfall of staying in my dorm is the fact that there is no kitchen or fridge available. NYU requires you to have a partial meal plan in this situation, but I still have to pay for a large majority of my meals out of pocket, and that has added up super quickly. I would definitely suggest trying to find housing with a kitchen because it will totally save you a large amount of money in the long run!
Step 3: College Life
Is your dorm decor at Miami University similar or different?
For the most part my rooms were pretty similar! I think my room at Miami definitely had a beachier, more Cali vibe, whereas my room here is more boho, but as I said earlier, I definitely tried to incorporate a lot of decor from my previous room in here!
Tips for living with roommates in such small spaces?
It can definitely be hard at times living with multiple other people, but I think the biggest tip I can give is to just be respectful and considerate of each other and accept that compromises will have to be made!
What is your favorite part about living in a dorm in college?
It’s so nice always having people around! Back at Miami, the girls on my floor had a huge group chat and we would constantly text each other funny things we saw around campus, or to check if anyone wanted to go grab food somewhere. This coming year, all the girls in my sorority are living on the same floor, so I’m really excited to see how that goes!
What pillow best matches your personality?
I would have to say the Maya Knit Pillow! It has such a cool, boho, laid-back vibe, and I totally think that exemplifies my personality.
Did your style in college change from your style in high school?
Honestly, not really! I think my biggest style change happened around sophomore or junior year of high school, and I have really only noticed minor differences ever since. I think if anything I’ve begun taking a more minimalistic approach to things, but overall, I think my style has kept the same vibe!
What was the most useful product that you purchased for college?
This is really random, but actually an air mattress! I lived in a single at Miami and I would always have friends or my mom come visit and just sleep on that! Everyone on my floor would always ask to borrow it for when their friends came to visit as well. It was seriously so nice to have.
Looking back, what would you tell to your high school self?
I would tell her to stop worrying about her future so much, because it’s always going to work out in the end! You just have to let life take its course, and whatever is meant to be will find its way. There is absolutely no reason to stress over the small things!
