By Raena Doty
Arts & Features Editor
Some hobbies can be difficult for students to keep up with when they live on campus - often because the space in on-campus housing can be a bit limited.
For Aili Schiavoni, a sophomore fashion design major and hobbyist cosplayer, she found living in Peirce Hall her freshman year made it hard - even impossible - for her to practice her craft in her own space.
This year, she said she chose to live in a premium single in West Hall - but not just because of the space.
“I got bullied into it,” she joked, and added her now-suitemates wanted to live together, but she still wanted the personal space offered by a single room, so she chose to get a premium single in a West Hall suite.
She added even though it wasn’t her original plan, she’s absolutely loved having the space to practice her craft.
“I just like having the ability to walk around, and I do a lot of pacing,” she said. “Having that extra floor space to lay things out, work on things - it’s been very helpful.”
Schiavoni described the decoration in her room as “baroque rococo,” and said, “It all actually started with tea sets.”
She added when she was young, she went with her family to a tea shop where they brought out food and tea in an actual tea set.
“I was obsessed with the teacups immediately,” she said. “I was just like, immediately hooked on it, and that sort of aesthetic of like the fake gold and the roses and all that fine china, porcelain look definitely branched out into what my room has become.”
She added the first tea set she ever got for Christmas is in her room now, proudly on display.
“It’s not anything super fancy, and so that’s why I feel the most comfortable bringing it places,” Schiavoni said.
“I actually brought it to campus when I was living in Peirce, but I kept it all completely packed into a box and under my bed. But I took it out and then I’d get people together for tea,” she said.
Aside from the decoration, Schiavoni said the layout of the room was important to her.
“I went online and I found the floor plans of the building,” she said. “I cut it out on an art app and I moved the things around.”
She added she wanted her bed to be next to the window and to have a large space in front of the door to work, host guests, and pace.
For living on campus, Schiavoni said her “Comfy,” a type of hoodie made of sherpa, is absolutely essential.
“Especially now that I have suitemates, because you just throw that thing on, you can go anywhere in this building,” she said.
Schiavoni said students living on campus should “go with your gut on what you think you’re going to be comfortable with.”
She added she knew she didn’t want to have a roommate and she didn’t push herself out of her comfort zone just for the sake of pushing herself out of her comfort zone.
“I got very fortunate that I met the people I did and I’m now sharing my spaces with them, but it’s not something you should feel like you have to do,” she said.