Sharing a dorm room is one of the defining experiences of college, and so is figuring out how to signal I’m sleeping, I’m on a call, or I’m just hanging out without a dozen awkward texts. A two-sided door hanger solves it. One side looks like a chalkboard with Roommate, KNOCK FIRST! and tick boxes for what you are busy with; the other side looks like a cork board covered in sticky notes saying Come on in! It is practical, funny, and very dorm-like.
Chalkboard Side: Knock First
This hanger measures 4.25 x 11 inches and is printed on both sides. The front has a wooden brown border around a slate grey chalkboard. Roommate is written in yellow Kalam at the top, KNOCK in big white Permanent Marker, and FIRST! in pink, with a yellow chalk underline. Busy with: introduces four tick boxes drawn in white chalk: studying, sleeping, on a call and other: ________. Back at: ________ is written in yellow. A little chalk ledge at the bottom holds a stick of white chalk, a yellow chalk, and an eraser.
Cork Board Side: Come On In
The reverse is a cork board, warm tan with a fine speckled texture. A big yellow sticky note pinned with a pink pushpin says Come on in! in Permanent Marker. A white note with a green pin says Leave me a note: with space to write, and a pink sticky note adds door is open, snacks are shared. Room 214 is written at the bottom in bold marker.
The Cork Texture Is Editable
The cork grain on the back comes from the editor’s background Pattern feature, using the Texture pattern in a darker brown over a tan page colour. Change it in Backgrounds, Pattern: increase the grain, change the cork colour, or remove the texture for a plain board. The chalkboard side has a solid slate background.
Tick Boxes for Every Dorm Situation
| Situation | Tick-box label |
|---|---|
| Late-night study | studying |
| Recovering from an all-nighter | sleeping |
| Video call with family | on a call |
| Online exam | exam, do not enter |
| Partner visiting | company, text first |
| Getting ready | Changing, 5 minutes |
Edit the four tick-box labels to the situations that come up most in your room.
Using Dry-Erase Markers
Laminate the hanger and use dry-erase markers to tick boxes, write the date on the back, and leave notes on the cork side. Wipe clean and reuse every day. Chalk markers also work on laminated surfaces and look even more like a real chalkboard.
Roommate Agreements
Many colleges encourage roommates to write a roommate agreement covering sleep schedules, guests, quiet hours, and shared items. The door hanger turns parts of that agreement into an everyday tool. Discuss what each side means together, so both roommates use it the same way.
Personalising the Room Number
Change Room 214 to your room number, building name, or both roommates’ names. Some students add their names in different colours on the cork side so visitors know who lives there.
Recolouring Chalkboard and Cork
The chalkboard can become black or dark green, and the frame can change from wood brown to white for a modern look. On the cork side, the sticky notes can be any colour; match them to your dorm décor or school colours.
Beyond the Dorm
The design works for shared flats, sorority and fraternity houses, boarding school rooms, staff rooms, and even home offices shared by siblings. Change Roommate to Housemate or Sis as needed.
Cutting the Hole for Dorm Doors
A dashed circle near the top marks the handle hole, and a dashed slit marks the cut. Dorm doors usually have lever handles; cut the slit a little longer so the hanger slips on easily. On the back page, the slit is mirrored to match.
Printing Both Sides
Download as a PDF and print the two pages back to back on heavy card, or print each side separately and glue them together before laminating. Campus print centres often offer cheap colour printing and lamination.
A Move-In Day Gift
Printed and laminated with a pack of dry-erase markers, this hanger makes a great move-in day gift for a first-year student, or a welcome present from a resident advisor to every room on the floor.
Resident Advisor Use
Resident advisors can adapt the hanger for their own doors: RA on duty on one side and RA off duty, call the desk on the other. It helps students know when to knock and when to seek help elsewhere.
Respect and Communication
A door hanger is a tool, not a replacement for talking. Use it to avoid awkward moments, but check in with your roommate regularly about what is working and what is not. A little communication makes shared living far more enjoyable for both of you.
Quiet Hours and Exam Season
Most residence halls set official quiet hours on weeknights and extend them to round-the-clock quiet during finals. That is when the chalkboard side earns its keep. Tick studying, write the time your library session ends on the Back at line, and your roommate knows not to bring the whole floor in for pizza. When the exams are over, flip to the cork side and let the celebrations begin. Some halls even run a floor-wide challenge in finals week, with every room showing its hanger so the corridor stays calm.
Sleep Schedules That Don’t Match
An early riser paired with a night owl is one of the classic roommate pairings. The sleeping tick box is the simplest fix: whoever goes to bed first ticks it, and the other knows to come in quietly with the lights off and a phone torch only. Agree on a morning routine too, such as alarms on vibrate and getting dressed in the bathroom, so neither of you starts the day grumpy.
Dorm Hanger Specs
- Size: 4.25 x 11 inches, two pages
- Front: chalkboard Knock first with tick boxes
- Back: cork board. Come on in! with sticky notes
Dorm Door Hanger FAQ
Can both roommates have their own version?
Yes. Make two copies with different names and colours.
Why can’t I select the cork grain?
It is a locked background texture; change it from the Pattern tab in Backgrounds.
What size is it?
4.25 x 11 inches, two-sided.
