10 Things You'll Only Find In A Southern Dorm Room

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17 hours ago

We don't need to tell you that the Southern college experience is a little different than those you'd have elsewhere: In this part of the world, campuses are shaded by live oaks or palmetto trees; game days are marked by sundresses and sports coats; and dining halls don't shy away from serving biscuits and gravy. Southern residence halls have their own flair and personality too. Here are nine things you'll only find in a Southern dorm room, according to our editors and readers.
Related: 62 Reasons Why College Is Better In The South
It's no secret that we love a monogram around here, and college students tend to embrace this custom to the extreme, from customized bedding and towels to shower caddies and book bags. Plus, in a shared space, personalization isn't just a matter of style, it's a matter of practicality; if your towels somehow end up in the communal washer with someone else's, it's much easier to reclaim yours when they bear your initials in colorful embroidery floss.
Old dormitories do their best, but there's some Southern weather with which no AC unit can compete. That's why you can count on the presence of a big box fan (or two) and a dehumidifier in just about every room in the building.
Like any dorm room, you're sure to find plenty of nibbles to satisfy cravings in the dining hall's off hours—just expect them to be a little different on a Southern campus. Count on Goo Goo Clusters and Moon Pies in the snack bin, boiled peanuts and Duke's mayo (in case they use a different brand in the college kitchen) in the mini fridge, and instant grits on top of the microwave since there's no stove for stirring together the real stuff.
There's not much to love about the fluorescent lighting in a resident hall, so you can count on Southern students to bring in fixtures and lamps that better reflect their personal style and make for a welcoming setting with more ambiance. We've even seen chandeliers installed, though we're not quite sure how those folks made it happen. Lamps with shades that coordinate with the rest of the decor are an easier way to set the tone without any electrical work.
We tend to overdo it sometimes in these parts, and our penchant for maximalism is never more evident than in our decorating. We've heard of more than one Southern mom calling on her interior designer to twirl up a scheme for her college student's dorm room. So if you ever stumble into a totally transformed cinder-block space, and think, 'Wow, this looks like it was done by a professional,' just know that it probably was.
You'll often see raised twin beds in a dorm room, as they allow for more storage, so a long dust ruffle or bed skirt (whichever you want to call it) is an easy way to hide away all the extra belongings while maintaining the polished look they're accustomed to in a bedroom at home.
Academics and extracurriculars require a lot of planning, but the Southern college social scene inspires its own kind of coordination. From Greek life mixers to game days, there's plenty to keep students occupied in the after-class hours, and you can count on them to be logging it all on an oversized dry erase calendar that can easily be updated from month to month.
Think mounted deer heads and ducks are only for the farm camp? Think again. When it comes to the sporting crowd, don't be shocked if they pack up their favorite furry or feathery friends and bring them along to college.
If you've ever spent a Saturday in The Grove at Ole Miss, it'll come as no surprise that you can find everything from giant hair rollers to make-up setting spray in the beauty collection of a Southern college student.
You won't find a Southern dorm room without plenty of paraphernalia in the school's signature colors. From old-school pennants and giant flags to shakers and game day buttons, no space is complete without a touch of collegiate pride.
Read the original article on Southern Living