Spruce Up Your College Living Space with Houseplants

Story by Lexi Carter
Photo by Anne Langan

Trying to add some character to your apartment or dorm can be a little difficult at times. What’s going to look good with the color scheme? Is it going to be too expensive? (You’re broke, we know).

And, we have the solution. Stop the complicated search and pick up a houseplant. Not only do you get to forget about the fuss of looking for something to brighten up your place, but with a plant, you can also get the added health benefits.

The functional decorations not only purify the air, but can also help relieve stress and create a more relaxed environment. Being in nature is proven to reduce stress levels, so if you can’t make it into nature every day, the next best thing is getting plants, right?

Rubber Tree
In Michigan, it’s freezing a good half of the year, so it can be hard to find a plant that can withstand the frigid temperatures. Rubber trees are not only extremely easy to grow, but do best in cool climate and low lights.

For a college student in Michigan, this plant is perfect to eliminate toxins and purify the air. Living in germ-infested environments such as the dorms and apartments, students need all the help they can get to make sure their air is clean.

Spider Plants
Chances are, you’ve seen this plant before. It’s extremely common to be both outside and inside the home. Spider plants are easy to grow and manage, while purifying the air and eliminating toxins.

Snake Plant
Keeping up with plant maintenance isn’t easy, especially for college students. There isn’t enough time in the day to finish all your assignments, let alone make sure you’re watering the plants and keeping them in the sun. With the snake plant, you don’t have to worry about too much of either. This plant doesn’t need much water or sunlight to survive and absorbs carbon monoxide and releases oxygen.

Bamboo Plant
For starters, this is just really cool plant. Not only is it extremely low maintenance, requiring minimal effort from a caretaker, but it is also working to clean the air where you live. According to NASA, bamboo plants purify the air and rid it of benzene.