My twins are both in college, and their dorm rooms show just how different they really are from each other
Courtesy of Cheryl Maguire
- My twins are both in college, and they just so happened to go to the same school.
- Their dorm rooms show just how different their personalities really are.
- My daughter's dorm is decorated with her favorite things, while my son took a minimalist approach.
My twins both attend Fordham University in New York, but that's where their similarities stop.
Over the summer before their freshman year, my daughter asked me several times, "When can we go shopping for my college dorm room?"
Once we picked a day, we asked her twin brother if he wanted to join, and his answer was, "Nope."
Meanwhile, their younger sister was excited not only to join us but also offered to help pick out items like a comforter for her brother.
Although they're twins, this difference reflects their differing personalities. My daughter is a planner and an artist who loves colors and design. She likes to know what to expect. She also had a clear vision of how she wanted her dorm room to look. Her plans weren't extravagant; she didn't hire interior designers like some students.
My son, on the other hand, is laid back and more of a "go with the flow" type. So it wasn't surprising that he was only interested in purchasing the essentials — with no preference for colors or materials. We bought him a plain gray comforter and basic items like sheets and towels.
The process of decorating the dorms showed their personalities
When we arrived at their college, it took about twice as long to move my daughter in compared to her twin brother. He's a minimalist, so he didn't have a lot of clothes or extra furniture like his sister did. She brought a rug, chair, rolling cart with shelves, and all her art supplies.
Once they were moved in, the process of decorating began. As you can imagine, it didn't take my son too long to make his bed and unpack his clothes. Whereas his sister spent several hours lining up her posters and artwork, organizing drawers, and arranging string lights.
Courtesy of Cheryl Maguire
She brought a plant because she loves the outdoors. Over the summer, she worked at a garden center, and she frequently went on hikes or outdoor runs.
The following year showed some changes but also stayed the same
For their sophomore year, they used most of the same décor from their freshman year — with a few additions.
My daughter's plant didn't survive her freshman year, so she decided to purchase a new one from the New York Botanical Garden. As a Fordham student, she receives free admission to the gardens and goes on weekly runs along the trails. By buying a plant there, she hoped to bring her love for the outdoors into her dorm. She also bought a plant poster from the gift shop that identifies different plant varieties and added some of her own newly created artwork to the walls.
Courtesy of Cheryl Maguire
My son still has his basic gray comforter, but he added a rug and some posters. He loves music, so most of the posters reflect his musical tastes. He doesn't watch much television, but over the summer, he watched "Breaking Bad" with his friends, so he decided to get a poster from the show. Since his dorm is dimly lit in the basement, he added some LED strip lights that change colors. His personality is slowly coming through in his dorm room.
Still, their shared college has brought them together
Despite their different personalities and interests, attending the same college has brought them closer.
My daughter even helped her brother pick out the rug for his dorm this year. They've also decided to meet for dinner once a week to explore the city's restaurants.
Who knows — maybe while they dine, they will swap décor tips and start a quirky twin design business.