Plants to brighten up a drab dorm room

The 2021 school year is coming to a close, and that means that the current senior class will be parting ways with Milford. Many students will be traveling far and wide for college. Leaving our little town will be hard for many students as they will be leaving behind loved ones, pets, and their households they have grown up in. But these students are leaving to plant their roots in new cities across the world. These students will create a new sense of home in the dorm rooms. One way they will do this is through decorating their spaces into something that they find comforting. One way to do that is to get plants that you can take care of in their new home!

1. Air Plants

These plants defy most laws of nature. They are true to their name and don’t need any soil! All types of air plants can be put on a shelf or in a hanging carrier and will live for years. The only thing that one has to do to keep this plant alive is to spray it with a bit of water every day or two.

Not only are they super easy to take care of, they are also up and coming for the new aesthetic of dorms. Air plants come in many different variations. From vine-like greenery, to decorative florals, they all can add an extra bit of spice to one’s future home while also giving rising college students something easy to take care of amid the stress.

2. Snake Plants

As someone who has killed a cactus before while also owning a snake plant, I can attest to the fact that these plants are some of the easiest to keep alive. As a college student, something easy is ideal. This plant can survive both over-watering and drought, as well as high and low light. This plant can grow happily in any situation, from sunny Hawaii to the coldest of Michigan winters.

All snake plant varieties have some sort of zebra stripes, which can appear in a horizontal or vertical manner. They grow in a duo color scheme, with a dark green and a much lighter green. This colorway adds lots of dimension to a room and can be easily paired with a fun pot to add some necessary extra color to a room.

3. Peace Lilies

Being the only flower to make it on the list, peace lilies are flowers that can endure even the roughest care. The recommended way to take care of them is to leave them alone for the most part. The only thing a caretaker has to do for a peace lily is to water it with two ice cubes every morning and allow them to melt throughout the day.

The only downside to these lilies is that they are only in bloom for a portion of the year. For the winter seasons, it is a barren stalk. If you don’t mind having it look a bit odd for a portion of the year in anticipation for some beautiful blooms, then this is the plant for you.

4. Spider Plants

Spider plants are another member of the “hard to kill” group of plants. It takes a lot to harm these plants, which might be why they are named after spiders. They can handle any amounts of water, light, or heat, which makes them a good plant for those who are traveling all across the country (or world) for school.

However, spider plants offer something that the other plants on this list can’t: they are super air purifiers. Having a spider plant in your dorm can help keep the air in your room fresh, even if it’s in a building with bad air circulation, which is something most people don’t know they need until they get there.

They also increase the humidity of the room they are in, which pairs them up perfectly with air plants that rely on high humidity levels to survive. These two plants together are a perfect give-and-take situation for students.

5. Aloe

At this point, most have heard of aloe, but few people have grown it for themselves. Even in the colder climates, aloe is particularly easy to take care of. Aloe plants only need water a few times a week and don’t need to be fertilized.

These plants pack a lot of bang for their buck. The little care that is required for them makes all of their benefits even more worth it. If you are going away to somewhere sunny for school, you can harvest your own aloe to treat sunburns.

Even if you avoid sunburns, aloe can also be used as a moisturizer and be very beneficial to your skin. It can even alleviate stress breakouts, which few can escape in their college years.

Though taking care of plants might not be for everyone, it is an easy hobby to get into for college students who are looking to add decor to their dorms that aren’t old papers or notes. There is also so much peace to be found in taking care of something that will grow to showcase the time and energy one put into it.