Plants are small, green sparks of life.
As they line the windowsills in cute pots, absorbing the sun and growing a little bit every day, they make first-year students feel more at home at UNC.
Each student independently interviewed used the same word to describe having plants in their rooms: “homey."
Anyone who has lived in a dorm room knows surface space is limited, but first-year dental hygiene student Carmen Li decided to sacrifice part of her space to her plants.
The plants line the shelf above Li’s desk in small brown pots. Twine bows around a few of the pots gives the scene a cohesive feel. On the desk below the shelf, a Marimo moss ball happily rests in a small glass bowl, obviously well cared for in the perfectly clear water.
“It adds a certain touch to the room,” said Li. “It makes it feel more homey. You’re more connected with nature.”
Other items on Li’s desk also point to her love of plants: two small leaf bookmarks and a Bulbasaur figurine, which is a grass-type Pokémon known for its connection to plants.
“They’re little small forms of life,” Li said. “They make me happy, and I like to take care of them.”