How Miami students use dorm rooms as entertainment spaces

Dorm rooms play a large role in the lives of students at Miami University. For younger students especially, these rooms are where they sleep, study and often must find ways to entertain themselves.

Katie Middleton, a first-year biology major on a pre-med track, uses creativity to keep herself entertained in her room. 

“I watch a lot of Hulu and Netflix on my phone and my computer,” Middleton said. “And then I like to make friendship bracelets. So I’ll do that sometimes.”

Middleton uses the wall next to her bed to display photos from her time at home. She said it’s been good living in the residence hall so far.

Laurel Logemann, a first-year primary education major, spends around three hours a day in her dorm. Despite spending the majority of her time elsewhere, she enjoys knowing she has her room to fall back on.

When she is in her dorm, Logemann and her roommate entertain themselves with many different activities.

“We play board games, and we play Bananagrams,” Logemann said. “We listen to music. We do homework for fun. Just lots of music and games.”

Logemann described the experience of living in a d0rm as “exciting” and “a lot of trial and error.”

“It’s a new experience. It’s definitely a little bit of a shock, but it’s fun,” Logemann said. “It’s cool to share a space with people who have very similar goals.”

Inside of their room, Logemann and her roommate have decorated the dorm with many different lights, signs and colorful posters that represent different national parks.

Christian Kolianos, a second-year history and diplomacy and global politics major, has enjoyed living in a residence hall, as it has allowed him to meet new people and experience living with someone else. When it comes to dorm room entertainment, though, he relies on his devices. 

“Usually I’m just on my computer or I’m on my phone,” Kolianos said. “I’m usually just talking to my roommate if anything.”

Sticking with the color scheme of his dorm, Kolianos has blue LED lights hung across the wall. 

Gabby Ranz, a second-year biology pre-med major, lives in a sorority dorm, so she spends a lot of time in the rooms of her friends and neighbors. 

“When I’m in my dorm, honestly, I’m doing homework, talking to my friends, doing laundry, sleeping. I just like hanging out with my friends,” Ranz said. “I don’t really have time to watch movies and stuff but if I did have time I would do that.”

Taylor Brundige, a first-year undeclared business major, tends to spend his time in different buildings such as Armstrong Student Center or Farmer School of Business, but he does utilize his own dorm room for a few hours a day. 

“[I often] watch TV, do homework and talk on the phone with friends and family,” Brundige said.

Brundige also spends a significant amount of time in his residence hall, taking advantage of the community spaces within the building. 

“I’ve watched football downstairs with friends. We have a little movie theater,” Brundige said. “We play ping pong or pool.”

Morgan Simon, a sophomore psychology major, says the time she spends in her room varies depending on the day, but it’s usually around eight hours a day, not including sleeping. 

“I’m either in my dorm or my neighbors’ dorms,” Simon said. “A lot of the time we will just sit and watch movies together or watch TV shows or we’ll just sit and chat and eat. Just hanging out with each other and being chill.”

Simon also finds ways to entertain herself through creative outlets.

“I like to do my nails in my room,” Simon said. “I do my homework.”

Simon personalizes her room with shades of pink, string lights and a sign representing her sorority.

After two years of living in a dorm, Simon has described the experience as “awesome” and has enjoyed her time there. 

“I have met my best friends and my roommates for next year,” Simon said. “I love living there and being so close to my neighbors.”

[email protected]