I started staying in my own room when I was in high school.
Before that, I used to sleep in my parents’ room to conserve electricity—at least that was what I would tell my friends. But it was more because my mom and dad couldn’t quite let go of me just yet.
But slowly, the need for my own space grew, and the late night study sessions and early wake up calls eventually forced my parents to finally send me off to my own room at our house in Acropolis in Libis.
Although one would think that the transfer would be the time for me to celebrate my newfound adolescent freedom, I found it quite challenging to turn my room into a personal “comfort zone.”
My room had a certain theme in mind when it was designed, with lots of wooden accents and rustic antiques giving off that classic Western aesthetic vibe.
For the adults, my room’s appeal to them was obvious and it received its fair share of compliments.
But for a growing young boy like me, fresh off the sanctuary of my parents—the room looked terrifying. The rustic antiques that gave such a homey impression would create shadows that I thought moved in the night.
And the wooden accents? It would creak and make sounds that would scare me off my bed. Needless to say, it was not a smooth transition.
But really, all I needed was a bit of time and growing up, and my room eventually evolved along with me.
The shelf of antiques eventually gave way to a small personal library that ranged from the likes of Harry Potter all the way to Esquire magazines, a reflection of the way I’ve grown through the years.
Meanwhile, the wooden frames now display a variety of fitness items which have become fixtures in my exercise routines.
Despite these little changes, the original character of my room remains. It still looks like it came straight out of a cowboy classic, but this time, with small, earnest tweaks that made my room uniquely my own.