When Housing and Residence Life (HRL) representatives delivered prizes to UNC Greensboro’s 2024 Best Dressed Room winners, second place winner Chloe Nussbaum immediately called her roommate, who had just left for a volleyball team meeting.
“Allie, you’ve got to come back to the room. Trust me. You’ll want to see what’s waiting for you here.”
Nussbaum and her Cotten residence hall roommate and volleyball teammate, Allie Sweet, both won iPads for winning second place in the Best Dressed Room contest. First-place winner Lilli Cline also won an iPad, while the third-place winner, Anaesha Brown, received an Apple watch.
All winners agreed that these were impressive prizes for making their rooms comfortable and reflective of their personalities, something all the winners would’ve done anyway.
Boho Western for the Win
Transfer student Lillie Cline won the top prize for her “Boho Western” decorated room in Spartan Village’s Lee Residence Hall. The media studies major shares a four-bedroom, two-bath suite with three other roommates.
Students who land a placement in Spartan Village enjoy full kitchens and a living room in each suite. Cline’s kitchen and living room is filled with natural light and looks more like an urban apartment than a college dorm room. Her room is big enough for a double bed and her closet is sizeable (and appropriately lined with cowboy boots of all colors).
Cline’s room was one of sixteen Best Dressed rooms named for each housing area based on submissions, which included photos. This year, 314 submissions were received by HRL. A panel of judges then toured the top ten scoring rooms in person, and tallied scores for creativity, theme, and functionality to determine the grand prizes.
A Team Effort
The Best Dressed grand prize runner up was awarded to first-year volleyball players, Sweet and Nussbaum, who live in Cotten on the Quad. Although they’ve known they would be roommates since they committed to UNCG during their junior years in high school, they didn’t consider how to decorate their rooms until last summer.
“I feel like we were a little late on decorating our room, so we’ve been kind of surprised at how well this all turned out,” admitted Nausbaum, who studies kinesiology.
Sweet’s mom suggested the oversized rug to cover the burgundy carpet and align with the pastel color scheme the girls were going for. Plants came from home and the futon and tables were hand-me-downs from their siblings’ college rooms. All elements work together to create a soft, cozy space.
“People think it’s weird that we faced our beds together on one wall, but we love it,” says Sweet, an exploratory major. The unconventional call enhanced the space left in the room, where it’s easy to imagine the girls chatting about practice or classes before they turn in for the night.
Suite Sunflowers
Third place winner Brown’s double suite in Spartan Village’s McCormick Residence Hall carries a sunflower theme from her bedroom into the bright living area she shares with her roommate. “Sunflowers just bring me happiness and joy,” she says.
Psychology major Brown claims that her Best Dressed entry was a last-minute decision: “I entered at 11:59 before the 12:00 deadline. I really didn’t think it would go anywhere because who really likes sunflowers like that,” she jokes.
Mary Steele, assistant director of marketing and communications for HRL, took note of Brown’s favorite flower and ordered a custom sunflower band for the Apple watch she won.
As a senior, this is Brown’s fourth residence hall, but every year she’s had a bigger room. With such a private space in McCormick this year, she knew she wanted the room to reflect her personality.
“For 21 years on this earth, I’ve shared a room with my little sister,” Brown explains. “I’ve been waiting a long time to decorate my room with my own style, so I could be comfortable in it.”
Room for Lots of Winners
In addition to the grand prize winners, students who entered the Best Dressed Room contest qualified for random drawings for prizes and a Director’s Choice award. Video submissions were also eligible for prizes. Click here to see all the winning rooms. Here’s a sampling of some of the top scorers:
Angelina S. and Cymaiya H.’s tour of their room won the best video room tour prize.
- Cone Winners: Calla B. & Leila M.
- Reynolds Winners: Hanna H. & Brianna G
- Grogan Winner: Kimora Y.
- The Quad Winners: Chloe N. & Alexis S.; Madison B.
- Tower Village Winner: Hannah H.
- Spring Garden Apartments Winner: TiNia M.
- North & South Spencer Winners:
Martison S. & Emilia L. - Guilford & Mary Foust Winners: Olivia S. & Alexis R.
- Spartan Village Winners: Skylar C., McKayla G., Lillie C.
- Jefferson Suites Winner: Anaya P.
- Weil-Winfield Winners: Shahed A. & Amelia B.
- Moore-Strong Winners: Kelly M. & Elise S.
- Phillips-Hawkins Winner: Skye T.
- Ragsdale-Mendenhall Winner: Jay H.
The Best Dressed contest is a Spartan tradition that students look forward to each year. If you missed it this year, make sure to enter next year and HRL could be showing up at your door with a brand-new iPad.
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications.
Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications.
