It’s midterm season on campus, and that means stress for every student no matter how prepared. Take this overwhelming time head on by decorating your space for comfort and stress-relief.

You’re often away from home and family, equipped with a lengthy task list. Making your dorm or bedroom comfortable is essential to reducing stress and keeping good energy in your space.

If your space is a mess, that good energy is gone. If your space isn’t homey, the comfort you need is gone. Although it may take some work, having a relaxed space is worth the effort.

That is the case for Katie Cowan, a college freshman who understands the importance of a comfortable place. She went through the shocking and emotional experience of switching from the comfort of home to an unfamiliar place.

When she first moved into her dorm, she knew it needed some love. The walls were bare, and the room was dull.

“When we walked in, it wasn’t really like anything you would want to live in,” she said. “We tried to make it as homey as possible.”

Cowan and her two roommates added tapestries, photographs, and other decorations to make the unfamiliar space feel like home. Her emotional state was so much better for it.

A semester into the school year, that once beautiful dorm room bears little resemblance to a home space. Life and months of schoolwork have left a mess in its place. For Cowan and her mental health, it’s time for a spring refresh.

“You don’t want to feel like you’re living in a padded cell,” Michael Stockman explains. “It’s important to make your home a home.”

Stockman, a recent college graduate, uses his home as a space to decompress. After work or a bad day, he needs a comfortable place to relax in that is clean and decorated.

These experiences aren’t unique. There is a strong link between over-all happiness and a decorated space. According to a study done by HGTV, it is particularly important for college students.

HGTV reports that, of those with relevant college experience surveyed, 82% felt that décor impacted their happiness.  Another 76% of those surveyed felt it affected success in their studies. Clearly, the aesthetics of a space matter.

The study indicated that students are bringing memories, functionality, and comfort into their space. That means families, comfortable and study-friendly furniture, and any other pieces that make their temporary space feel like a home.

Now that students are on the tail end of midterms, getting ready for a short spring vacation, this is a perfect time to explore some fresh home décor.  

If this is your first go at creating a comfortable space, the internet is full of inspiration. There’s no shame in getting a little help. If anything, it can make the decorating experience more accessible.

Take, for example, this site with curated dorm rooms and product links. Or this site with some spring-themed dorm ideas. These are a few of the many sources of dorm ideas at your fingertips.

Take a little time for yourself this spring and show some love to your space. Try a décor a trend or just bring some pieces from home. Make your space unique to you.