This has been a stressful week. First, move-in day, then classes start,and you haven’t even started unpacking. Am I right?

Well, I’m sure that if unpacking is a distant thought, then so is decorating.

Please don’t fret. I have creative, yet inexpensive, ideas to turn your room into the epitome of college cool.

Don’t throw away old calendars. If you liked the pictures enough to buy the calendar, then cut those pictures out and hang them on your walls.

I know those walls in the residence halls are crumbling and/or moldy, so cover up those unsightly blemishes with a beautiful Indian tapestry. Not only are they pretty to look at, but they cost about $20. They’ll cover one of those nasty walls in one flawless swoop.

The Salvation Army and garage sales have a lot of treasures that can be salvaged. Old vases and furniture can give a lot of character to an otherwise boring residence hall room or apartment. Beware, though, of the free couch sitting out by the bus stop. Any furniture that your neighbor is begging you to swipe is probably covered in pee, puke or something else equally unsanitary, so check everything thoroughly, especially under the cushions.

If you’re in the residence halls, stackable crates fit in most small areas and give you a place to put your books. They also create a shelf you can use for other items.

Do not forget to ask your community adviser for decorating ideas. They’ve been around for a while and have many ideas to help make your room look great.

“Last year, I cut stuff out of magazines and made a collage,” said Jameelah Rheaves, a senior FCNS major and CA for Stevenson North. “There was a hair advertisement that said, ‘You wish you had this body,’ so I cut it out and added it to the collage. I also put pictures up of my friends and cut sayings out of magazines and used them as captions. I found one that said ‘Where my girls at,’ and put it up over my friends.”

Blacklight posters and glow-in-the-dark stars make a nice party environment. The VCB, Downtown Discs and the University Bookstore have a variety of blacklight posters. You can get posters of your favorite band, animal or even one telling you how to make your favorite drink.

Now gentlemen, feel free to glance over at the next story – this next paragraph is for the ladies.

If you are into the feminine stuff like flowers and butterflies, then I have a cute idea for you. Toule material and silk flowers are a cost-efficient way to make your room look cute. Toule is material used for wedding veils. It’s light and airy and has many holes. You can cut the flowers off the stems and stick them into the material. You can make small flower arrangements across the material with different-size flowers. When you’re finished, just hang the whole contraption on the wall. It’s cute and it doesn’t wilt.

Now it’s time for you to get the creative juices flowing! Good luck with your semester!