Senior Julia O’Connor’s room in the Gamma Phi Beta house is a little slice of her home: of her hometown of Seattle and of her study abroad experience in Dublin and of the important people in her life. Above her bed, there is a collage whose central feature is a map of Seattle, which is surrounded by photos of O’Connor and her family. There is also a small canvas painting on this wall, featuring a landscape reminiscent of the Seattle area. On multiple corkboards and mirrors in O’Connor’s room hang pictures of her friends. Unlike many people, O’Connor hangs up not only pictures of her with her friends, but also humorous pictures of her friends without her in them. This shows her appreciation and admiration of her loved ones, as well as her wonderful sense of humor. Postcards from O’Connor’s travels and an Obama 2012 poster also feature prominently in her room. In addition, a copy of a poster from England in World War I that reads, “To Dress Extravagantly in Wartime is More than Bad Form, it is Unpatriotic” is a clear reflection that O’Connor is a History major. New York Times articles from when the San Francisco Giants won the World Series in 2012 also hang amongst O’Connor’s mementos. O’Connor has collected so many important items throughout her college career and displayed them prominently, so that those who enter her room get a sense of her Colgate experience and her personality almost instantaneously.

1. How does your room reflect your personal style?

My personal style is classic with a twist. My room is a classic college decorated room: it has lots of pictures, ticket stubs and other memorabilia. Yet, anyone who is in the room will get a very distinct sense of me.

2. Tell me about one particularly important item in your room.

The map of Seattle above my bed. It not only serves as a reminder of home, but I also didn’t even realize I brought it to school initially. I found it unpacking on freshman year move-in day. It was in a box that I hadn’t seen since I took driver’s ed when I was 15. It was a nice little token to find when I was homesick freshman year.

3. Where/from whom do you get your inspiration?

It’s a combination of my love of simplicity and various places and people I’ve met since I’ve left for college: at home, at Colgate, when I studied abroad. I have so many trinkets and they all tie into someone or something that has happened since I’ve gone to college.