Everyone has interacted with the dorms’ lighting before. In a doubles suite, which is where I’ve roomed both of my years in NYUAD, there are five light switches in the common area. Facing the doorway, there are two on the right wall, one the left wall and two on the same wall as the door. As an incoming Freshman, excited as I was to start moving in and arranging my things, I distinctly remember not knowing which light switches turned on which light. I would spend a few seconds walking around the room and flipping on and off light switches in order to get the lighting that I wanted. 

Their placement should have been intuitive, but the light beside sink actually turned on the lights above a room’s doorway rather than above the sink. And the two light switches on the right wall turned on the lights nearer to the far side of the wall. I don’t think it would be reasonable to ask for a change in the placement of the light switches now, however at the time I had a solution to my predicament. I decided to add labels to the light switches to prevent further confusion. As an art student, I felt like it was my duty to go above and beyond with the labels and decorated them, adding calligraphy and splashes of color. Those who visited my dorm would bring it up with me, often saying it was cute or asking why I bothered labeling them in the first place. The labels, other than their initial purpose of making my life easier also served as a decoration as well as a conversation starter. 

I may have already memorized what each light switch is connected, but I now I know that little improvements can do more than make something more efficient. It can also add a little color to my day.