Phil Burwell, senior sports management major, senior biochemestry major Nikole Kesler, senior marketing major Lindsay Young and Blake Freeman, senior business management major, display items they have acquired through the process of “Dumpster diving.” Dan

Credit: DKS Editors

Senior biochemistry major, Nikole Keslar, admitted she’s picked up items from the side of the road and used them to decorate her house.

The items were lime green chairs, which she said were not the best quality but “were good for a college porch.” She added she would pick up roadside items again if she found something she liked.

Keslar said she just recently became involved in decorating. Other students may soon identify with her interest as they move into new apartments and houses before the new school year begins.

Alexis Ols, senior gerontology major and intern at La Maison, an interior design business in Akron, said although decorating her apartment is a recent development, she’s been interested in decorating since her sophomore year of high school.

Sarah Bzibziak, junior interior design major, has also had a long-term interest in decorating. She said she’s been interested in decorating for about five years now.

“I like it because it takes a lot of creativity during the whole process, and the final product is usually very satisfying to look at,” she said.

Although Bzibziak does not have her own place to decorate, she said she is able to put some of her ideas into effect at home in New York. While Bzibziak said she shops for décor items at a variety of places, she also said she’s usually more creative.

“I prefer makings things myself,” she said. “Now that I know how to use power tools, I am pretty handy and can make different types of furniture.”

Keslar said she likes to shop around for the best furniture prices. After finding furniture, she said she shops at places like JCPenney and Macy’s for accent pieces.

Ols, on the other hand, said most of her furniture came from other people.

“I would love to shop for furniture, but I will admit most of my pieces are hand-me-downs,” she said. “But I work with them.”

Ols said she’s able to find items anywhere from Bed, Bath and Beyond to yard sales and second-hand shops.

“I will never be done (decorating my apartment),” Ols said. “There’s always room for improvement.”

Contact general assignment reporter Denise Wright at [email protected].