Making My Room Feel Like Home (Even with Shared Showers)

By Ayero Moro, Australian National University, Australia

One of the first things I learned on exchange: you can’t control everything – but you can control how your room feels. And for me, turning my dorm into a little slice of home  made all the difference.

I stayed at Fenner Hall, one of ANU’s student accommodations. It’s right in the centre of campus, super convenient, and very social. My room came with a bed, fan, desk, shelves, and pinboards I printed out photos from home, took a couple of books from the op shop I knew I wouldn’t read (but looked good), and added fairy lights, of course. Within a week, it started to feel like mine.

Living in halls meant sharing kitchens and bathrooms. I never thought after Unsworth I’d be in student accomm ever again. Fenner had shared shower areas, which I was a little unsure about at first, but lets just say it could’ve been worse. Each cubicle was private and spacious enough. I brought shower slides and a robe, which made the whole experience way more manageable.

Privacy-wise, it was about finding balance. My room was my quiet space. But just outside, people were always around for a chat, a group dinner, or a late-night debrief in the corridor. I liked having both: connection and a door I could close when I needed to reset.