College move in days. The excitement and sense of independence to leave the comfy security of home and move into a cinder block dorm room.

My freshman room was an open double with an unappealing human who insisted on being in charge of the interior design.

I still have orange nightmares between the room decor intermixed with the present day vomitious Agent Orange.

My roommate, Jill, even noisily munched color appropriate Cheez Doodles during the middle of the night, sneaking jumbo size bags under the sheets.

Apparently, decorating a dorm room has taken a bougie turn.

College students are spending big money on decorating. To make their rooms feel homier, students, or more likely their parental units, will shell out approximately $1,365 per person this fall.

Allegedly, some students are going a whole lot further than picking up a matching set of extra-long twin bedding at Target and a side table at IKEA.

They are hiring interior designers sometimes for $10,000.

Custom fabrics are being ordered for the curtains and monogrammed pillows. Linens are top quality. Couches and coffee tables are on the bucket list along with fancy headboard and dust ruffles. Handmade murals and removable wallpaper are adorning the walls. Luxury light fixtures to replace fluorescent lights are ordered and real wood hutches, shelves and cabinets are custom-made to fit the room.

My head rested on the cinder block walls supported by my throw pillows from Bed, Bath and Beyond. My mattress was prison cell quality.

This elevated dorm room trend started taking off post-Covid, when students realized how important it was for them to be happy and comfortable in their space

Spare me. At some point you need to put on your big girl and boy panties/briefs.

I was happy my parents footed the bill for my education.

My mother was outraged that she had to spend $300 for the hideous polyester bedspread with matching bolster and orange lace curtains.

My mom saved my design spirit by acquiring Marimekko sheets and pillowcases…that brand was new, stylish and relatively pricy for linens back then. The sheets were assuredly not 1000 Egyptian thread count.

I assume an education and career path is insignificant when the priority is making sure you are emotionally comfortable and your cinder block room is highly Instagrammable.