Parents going overboard on dorm spending

[Anonymous]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2025/08/19/luxury-dorm-decorating/

Interesting take. What do you all think?

[Anonymous]

Not this again.

[Anonymous]

Some helicopters just never make it back to the airport.

[Anonymous]

I had friends in the early 2000s who put up wallpaper in college.

[Anonymous]

This is a rich people problem.

[Anonymous]

My son has a dust mite allergy, so no extra fabrics. Looking at picture of dorms, there is no way any of us in the family, men or women, or any of his friends, or my daughter and her friends, would like that sort of clutter. They all prefer a more minimalist look.

I don't understand the reasoning, frankly:
1. It looks like such a pain to put up and take down. I understand the really fancy ones just hire companies to do it.
2. It's just feels so SMOTHERING in a tiny space. I'd feel claustrophobic.

[Anonymous]

Paywall so I can’t read it, but who cares? If you/your kid wants that and can afford it, go for it. If you don’t want to, don’t. Live and let live. How other students decorate their dorms does not affect you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paywall so I can’t read it, but who cares? If you/your kid wants that and can afford it, go for it. If you don’t want to, don’t. Live and let live. How other students decorate their dorms does not affect you.

So why is it a news story?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paywall so I can’t read it, but who cares? If you/your kid wants that and can afford it, go for it. If you don’t want to, don’t. Live and let live. How other students decorate their dorms does not affect you.

It's one of those trends where the most over-the-top dorms go viral on the internet, and 99.99% of kids don't want that much stuff in their dorms. Even if you have the money, you don't want the hassle, and the dust that will cling to everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Paywall so I can’t read it, but who cares? If you/your kid wants that and can afford it, go for it. If you don’t want to, don’t. Live and let live. How other students decorate their dorms does not affect you.

So why is it a news story?

Slow news day? Fluff piece on a social phenomenon? Why do people write about what celebrities wear on the red carpet? A published article doesn’t make something universally important.

Just because there’s an article on it, do you think you have to follow suit? Do what you want and let other people do what they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a rich people problem.

Statistically college in general is a rich people problem. Not DCUM rich, obviously, but most of this country doesn't even attend, much less worry about dorm decor.

[Anonymous]

It’s a very small, truly insane part of humanity but - unless you are the minimalist roommate to this sort of circus, I guess it’s pretty harmless in this scary world.

[Anonymous]

It's the "Look at Crazy Rich People" activity people have loved to do ever since some humans had more than others. It's popular because it makes people bond over a common "enemy". Laughing at them and ridiculing their choices is better than taking up pitchforks and sharpening the guillotine blade.

No normal people (and very few wealthy people) decorate to that extent, obviously. It takes a decorator/crazy parent and movers to do all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paywall so I can’t read it, but who cares? If you/your kid wants that and can afford it, go for it. If you don’t want to, don’t. Live and let live. How other students decorate their dorms does not affect you.

I don't know if you can see just the pics?

[Anonymous]

Everyone is different....it seems like overkill for my tastes - and I feel like it was more something my friends daughters were into. I have sons. Rather than being judgemental of others - I was grateful to not have that be a component of going off to college for my family.