When her eldest prepared to head off to college, Gallick joined a Facebook group of parents of incoming freshmen. That drove her to create a dorm room that felt cozy, personal and homey. By the time her oldest daughter finished her first year of college, Gallick says she learned to rein herself in. I hardly ever spend a lot of time in my dorm room except to sleep, so why get hung up on what it looks like?” If you’re prepping for move-in day, Hairston-Neal says there are a few things your family can do to start strong.