Jazzing Up Personal College Life

I’ve been thinking about my new room for 2008-09, mainly, how I should jazz it up and still keep it green and economic. My first year’s dorm sufficed my needs: it contained a lofted bed, a desk and a roommate. This year, I want to make it a little bit homier. My room’s bigger, so I’m not sure whether to loft or not. Unlike my freshman year, this year, I want to have some more time to myself. My life consisted of school, student organizations, a LOT more studying and the rest went to friends. While,I adore my friends, I get frustrated with the endless go go atmosphere.

So here are some ideas I came up with some exciting ideas:

1. Get An Aquarium: Exciting! I love fish and I specifically wanted a Betta splenden, or Siamese Fighting Fish. Not only are their flowing fins beautiful, they are supposed to be one of the hardier and easier fish to keep. So I avidly researched stuff and even compiled a list of things to buy and almost hit the order button. But then I paused. I live in South Korea during the summers and winters; that’s at least a third of a year that I couldn’t take care of it. The fee for maintaining the fish and starting the aquarium was high. I do have the money, but honestly, I could find better usages for it. Get An Aquarium fails.
2. Project Scuba Dive: I’ve been long fascinated with this underwater pastime since a good friend in 4F (9th grade in the American system, my pseudo-8th grade year) is a scuba diver. Besides that, I’ve always loved water and the ocean. There’s a Scuba Club at Purdue, so I was like, GREAT! I researched this avidly, too, and was super-duper pumped. The certification fee for the diving certification is great: only $250. BUT I definitely don’t have the heart to just spend over $300 (I need to buy basic equipment, too) of my parents money for a whim, so I’m postponing this idea till next year, when I have more of my own money. So Project Scuba Dive.
3. Go Artsy/Crafty: I crochet, knit, knot (macramé, y’all), cross-stitch, used to go to art school and enjoy clay and sculpting activities. A lot of the stuff I do don’t even cost much, and are environmentally and wallet-friendly. I won’t be spewing out Irish Fisherman Aran sweaters or crochet hyperbolic planes, but probably more immediate projects like macramé or friendship bracelets and/or pick up polymer clay sculpting again. Also, I lost all of my hats and ear warmers, so I can easily just knit or crochet one up when need be. I hate Indiana winters; I feel like my ears are about to sawed off cell by cell, and after that unpleasant sensation, I get an intense migraine, and I desperately do not need another reason to take more ibuprofen products. I’m going to try some more recycle/reuse things, if I need anything. So Go Artsy/Crafty, most likely.
4. Go green!: I mean, literally, not that I don’t think going green is cool (see my previous post), but have plants in the room! I’m no green thumb, but they smell good and many are low-maintenance. On top of that, they’re cheep, good for the dorm air and a serene side project to keep me occupied when I need a vacation from life. Maybe a aloe plant, since I like how they look and smell. Apparently, they give out salicylates and magnesium lactate which will help prevent bronchitis, allergies and sinusitis, and as I am the queen of allergies during dust season, maybe the plant can serve as my anti-drug. I’ll probably get a pup in a larger pot, and then watch it grow. I’ve been thinking about starting from some herb seeds, but I guess it depends if I can keep up with one plant first. So, I guess I’m really going GREEN.

So this is so far what I’ve come up with. Any ideas, y’all?