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Living alone and entering the whirlwind that is my 20s, I find that making my room into a safe and comfortable space is just as important as it was when I was a teenager.

In a place where diaries were kept locked in boxes tucked underneath the bed, where giggles and stories about high school crushes were shared during sleepovers, and a photo of Finn Wolfhard hung over the baby pink wall, my childhood room has always felt like an island of my own as though I was Circe in Aeaea. It was like my little corner of the world where I could sing as loud as I wanted to, cry as hard as I needed to and attempt to ‘pick up’ pilates for the 31st time without being judged by anyone. 

Looking around my room right now, I can see some similarities to my teenage room – pastel sheets, posters on the wall and a very messy desk. I guess when you’ve moved away from home, you’ll always long for some sense of familiarity. Artist Mohamad Hafez said, “If you can’t get home, why don’t you make home?”, which perfectly describes what I’m trying to do with my room here. Not only does it carry remnants of my teenage self but it also reflects the 20-year-old I am today – it’s like an extension of myself. The printed photo of Robert Keating shows the band I’m currently obsessing over, the shoes lined underneath my mirror is a display of my current style, and the book on my side table is proof that I’m trying so hard to fall in love with reading again (I’m totally blaming that on the case readings and not my chronic TikTok addiction). I feel like it’s always nice to come home to a space that reminds you of you after spending your days around so many different personalities.

This might come as a shock to high school me but hey, dude, you’re actually so good at keeping your room clean and organised now. Matter of fact, you actually get so annoyed and bothered when your room starts to get messy. Now that’s a miracle if I’ve ever seen one! But it’s true, I believe that an organised room helps keep the mind organised as well. Marie Kondo really was onto something because every time I come home from classes and see that my desk is clear, I’m washed with relief and calmness. It’s like when you enter Zara on a normal day with the clothes all neatly hung feeling relaxed to shop as compared to when you show up during peak shopping chaos on Boxing Day. That being said, everyone has their own system of organisation. To me, so long as I don’t see my clothes on the floor and my papers are not sprawled all over my desk, I’m at peace.

Speaking of peace, making my room a tranquil place was a huge priority to me when I moved into my new unit. I feel like as university students, it’s so easy to get stressed and burnt out from all the assignments and readings that we have to do. So, I wanted to make sure that my room was a reset button or like those huge sanitising chambers they created in Vietnam to wash the stress and anxiety from me when I come home. I always make sure the blinds are up to let the sunlight in and open my windows so that the air in the room isn’t still. I’ve also finally finished creating the reading/unwinding corner that I’ve always wanted since last year! The space sits on the foot of my bed with soft floor cushions on a rug shaped like a flower. Next to it is my small bookshelf filled with novels, journals and a fluffy blanket to warm me on the cooler days. It’s nice to be able to sit there and take a moment to clear my thoughts.

It makes me happy to feel comfortable and serene in my room, much like how I felt in my old room back in Malaysia. The way my room is definitely affects my mood and thinking so it’s important to make sure that I associate it with positive emotions and energy. Ok, I’m going to go wash the pile of dishes that are sitting on my counter now before I combust with irritation.