After years of hard work, you’ve graduated from high school, packed your bags, and now it’s time to head off to the university. Heading to college is a huge step in a student’s life, especially because it usually means leaving home for the first time. Most freshman end up living in shared dorm rooms for at least the first few semesters. After years of living at home, living on your own with a stranger in a shared room can be a little intimidating and lonely. In order to make your dorm room feel as much like home as possible, make sure you prepare for life in the dorms. A big part of your comfort will be the linens you take with you.

Though you may not spending as much time in it as you would like while you stay up late studying for midterms and finals, when you get a chance to hit the sack you’ll want it to be as comfortable as possible. Make sure you’ve got at least two pairs of comfortable sheets. Look for a high thread count. The thread count is the number of threads per square inch in the sheet. The higher the thread count, the softer and higher quality the sheet. Start at a thread count of about 300 and go up from there. It only gets better. Try to go for 100% cotton, because cotton is softer than blends. Also, you never know what temperatures are going to be like so make sure you have a comfortable and stylish comforter or warm quilt for cold nights.

The bathroom is another area you will want to be prepared for. Mom isn’t going to be doing your laundry anymore, so make sure to have plenty of clean towels. When shopping for towels, look at the size first. Towels don’t come in a one-size-fits-all pattern. There are a couple different choices. A standard regular towel size is usually 27″ x 52″ but there is also something called a bath sheet. A bath sheet usually measures at 35″ x 60″ and is an oversized, larger towel. You’ll want to look for a dense towel with lots of terry loops. Also, like sheets, cotton is king. If you use towels with something like Egyptian cotton, they will be more absorbent. In addition, you may want to make sure you have a couple good hand towels and washcloths.

Linens, the way they feel and smell, are a big part of the ambience and atmosphere of our homes. Making sure your dorm is stocked with quality linens is a good way to make sure you feel at home.

Moxii (http://www.moxii.com/)is a growing Interior Design company that specializes in student interiors. Art Gib is a freelance.

[tags]dorm accessories[/tags]