How to keep a dorm room cool in hot weather

Start at the window, not the fan. A room that never gets afternoon sun stays cooler than a room with a fan fighting a bright window. Then move the air, then cool the bed. Those three steps handle most dorm rooms without spending much.

If the air conditioning is broken or very weak, skip to the last section and report it.

Step one: block the sun

Sunlight through glass heats a room fast. If your window faces the sun in the afternoon, close the curtains or blinds before the sun arrives, not after the room is already hot.

• Thermal or blackout curtains are the best single buy for a sunny window. Check your housing rules first, because some buildings supply their own.
• Light-colored curtains reflect more than dark ones, in general.
• Keep the window closed in the hottest part of the day if you have air conditioning. Opening it lets the cold air out.

Ruling: block the sun first. Nothing else you buy works as hard.

Step two: move the air

A fan does not cool a room. It cools you by moving air across your skin. That is still useful, because that is what you feel.

• A small clip-on or desk fan aimed at your bed or desk does most of the work.
• If the room has a door that can be left open and a window across from it, a fan pointing out of the window helps push warm air out in the evening, when outdoor air is cooler than indoor air.
• Turn the fan off when you leave. It does nothing for an empty room.

Check your housing handbook before you plug in anything with a motor or a heating element. Most dorms allow a small fan, but rules vary.

Step three: make the bed cooler

You spend about a third of the day in bed, so it matters. Dorm bedding for a hot climate covers the full list, but the short version is light cotton sheets, a thin cover and nothing silky.

• Remove the heavy blanket. Keep a fleece throw for cold air conditioning instead.
• Wash sheets weekly. Fresh sheets feel cooler.
• Put the fan so it blows across the bed, not at your face.

Step four: reduce heat you make yourself

Electronics make heat. A laptop on a bed or a charger under a pillow warms the area around it.

• Charge devices on a desk, not on the bed.
• Switch off lights you are not using. Older bulbs give off heat. For more on lighting, see best lighting for a dorm room.
• Do laundry or cooking in the shared areas where possible, not in the room.

A simple temperature check

Buy a small room thermometer if you want to know whether the room is really hot or you just feel hot. It also gives you something to point to if you need to report a problem. Write down the reading at the same time for a few days. Many people feel uncomfortable above the mid 20s Celsius, but comfort is personal, so use the reading as a tool and not a rule.

When to report it

If the room is uncomfortably hot every day even with curtains closed and a fan running, tell the housing office. A broken air conditioner is their job, and a hot room is not something to put up with. If you feel dizzy, sick or unwell from heat, move somewhere cool and get help from a nurse or doctor. Do not wait for the weekend.

A worked example

These are planning numbers only. Say you have AED 150 for cooling:

That is about AED 110 to 170. If you must cut, drop the thermometer. Keep the curtain and the fan. Cost per use is very good here, since both get used every single day of the term.

Small habits that add up

None of these costs money. Each takes seconds.

• Open the window at night only if the outside air is cooler and your housing allows it.
• Keep the door closed when the air conditioning runs, so the cold air stays in your room.
• Hang damp towels outside the room or in the bathroom. Wet fabric adds moisture to the air.
• Wear light, loose clothes at home. Cotton is a safe pick.
• Drink water through the day. Staying hydrated helps you feel better in heat.

Heat affects people differently. If you have a health condition, ask a doctor how to stay safe in hot weather.

Skip this term

• A big standing fan that blocks half the floor
• Ice packs and gadgets that cool for twenty minutes
• A second fan before you have fixed the window