While college is full of new, fun, and exciting experiences, it is also meant to challenge you in new ways – one of those ways? Roommates.

Roommates are all part of the experience and can be a great way to make lifelong friends, learn new things and, of course, save money. As you embark on shared spaces we brought in Emily and Isabella, two students living in New York City, to share how they still find their own space in their shared spaces.

They shared that after learning about SenseForward they gained a heightened awareness of how their environments can actually impact their physical and mental health…how everything that they touch, taste, hear, smell, and see can affect how they feel. So when they embarked on roommate life, they made a conscious effort to find small ways to enhance their shared and private spaces using their five senses as their guide.

Here’s a few things – by sense (duh!) – they did to own their space within a shared space!

• Sight: We didn’t realize how expensive kitchenware can be – ha! So when we went to purchase pots and pans for our apartments we both ended up with the Our Place Always Pan – it’s beautiful and insanely functional. Isabella shared, “I love cooking with this pan as it is not only practical for small spaces and cooks so many different things, but it’s a personal touch of me in my shared space with my roommates. The colors and aesthetic fit my personality and it is something of my own that I know I will be bringing with me into my next home.” Emily added, “Cooking releases my anxiety and clears my mind, and the Our Place Always Pan simply takes my midday break to the next level.

When I am using this pan, I am living in the moment filled with delicious aromas and positive colors. The room may be shared, but the experience, end result, and pan, are all mine.”

• Sound: From the sounds of the city (which we love most of the time, but other times not so much) to roommates on calls or listening to their own music – one essential item we needed were noise ???? canceling ???? headphones ???? . Emily shares that, “the sound of my roommates music, phone conversations, and class zoom calls don’t exactly help clear my mind in the mornings nor wind down at night. Know calm headphones brings me to my desired alternate reality. My kitchen and living room may look the same, but the sounds I choose to hear impact how I feel when walking in them. When I want to be pumped up after a long, stressful day, I play Lizzo to change the feeling in my apartment and create a smile on my face. My absolute favorite part about these headphones are that they stay put on my head no matter if I am laying in bed or on the run in New York City. Sometimes after a long day, we just need a moment to tune out the world and breathe, and I do that with Know Calm Headphones.
• Smell: “Have you ever walked into your friend’s house and noticed there is always a specific scent?” Emily recalls a memory, “Going into high school my sister decided that she too wanted a “signature scent”. It took her the whole summer to find the perfect perfume and it became a yearly occurrence – ‘A new scent for a new start’. I decided to similarly choose my room’s “signature scent” through my Vitruvi diffuser. The consistent smell every time I open my door to my room is so comforting, and has helped me tremendously when feeling homesick.”
  
  Isabella added, “The Vitruvi diffuser has become a staple in my routine. I never found myself really ever using other diffusers previously from owning the Vitruvi stone diffuser, but now I find myself turning it on when I wake up and before I go to bed, and any chance I have during the day if I am in my room. The sight of it is incredibly calming and grounding, but what is even more important is the smell. I always love putting citrus scents that elevate my mood and gives me a good motivating start to my days, and a calming eucalyptus or peppermint for when I go to bed. The consistency of having a scent that grounds you in your different moods or feelings has really improved my daily routines.”
  
• Taste: We are both so guilty of the water cup graveyard in our rooms. It might sound crazy, but after buying a beautiful and functional water bottle from BKR we actually use it – like we can’t go anywhere without it. Isabella shared, “Being surrounded by roommates constantly and having to share spaces that may be cluttered with all our belongings and necessities combined, can make our space feel overwhelming. When it comes to my own space I try to find things that can be less overwhelming, and having the BKR water bottle as my morning, night, and all day water source has made my space feel clean and consistent in my routine.”
  
  Emily chimed in, “Being in college, working part time, and acting on the outside means I am constantly on the go. The BKR water bottle has become my go-to on a time crunch, and saves me so much money! I remember in high school buying water bottles from the school’s vending machine and wasting so much money and plastic. My favorite thing about the BKR water bottle is that it’s not only beautiful aesthetically, but it is the perfect size to get enough water in without lugging around a heavy bottle. I’ve never liked metal water bottles because I always felt like they changed the taste of the water. BKR is glass, meaning it tastes good, but with the rubber protector on the outside I know it is long lasting.”
  
• Touch: Isabella opened up about her struggle with anxiety, “I have tried so many things to reduce [my anxiety]. One thing that has always bothered me about it, is waking up and going to sleep knots in my stomach. Since finding the EVJ lifestyle, one product that has helped me with this issue is the Bearaby Napper Weighted Blanket. Since sleeping with it I no longer have this feeling and it has become a significant part of my sleep routine. This blanket is so soft and comfortable, and I chose a color I love and will never get sick of. It has added a personal touch to my space that I always enjoy using and seeing.” Emily added, “As someone who is across the country from all of her family and friends, sometimes I just want a warm hug. The Bearaby Cotton Napper Weighted Blanket tucks me in at night when I need that extra support, drifting off into a deep, mind numbing sleep. This blanket is one of those essentials that completely changes not only my sleeping patterns, but my mood when I wake up in the mornings. My days never start off negative, and I always feel refreshed and clear minded when I wake up. Sleep is so important, especially while I am in college trying to juggle school, work, acting, and a social life. This blanket makes my days run a lot smoother and is my biggest must-have!”

Emily and Isabella shared that their biggest takeaway from living in an apartment for the first time, is that even though it is temporary, it is still their space. The only way for it to feel safe is when there are familiar objects, smells, sounds, tastes, images, or even the feeling of a warm hug. They have upped their quality of life and mental health by trusting the experience of their senses and the results from these products.