Leaving Wellfleet for her freshman year at UMass Amherst, Kenna Valli packed hundreds of pictures of family and friends, painstakingly arranging them in her dorm room with the approved adhesive. Spring break coincided with the first wave of quarantine closures. She decided to play it safe and haul the photos home with her. As the break became a permanent stay at home, Kenna recreated her college photo wall above her bed.

In other households, kids are moving furniture, painting walls, and hanging string lights. Alyia Vasquez, 13, created a “Zoom nook” and painted her walls lavender. Niev Witnauer is gradually taking over an underutilized guest room across the hall. Stuck with parents for seemingly interminable hours at a time, young people are controlling what they can: their own space. —Molly Newman

Alyia’s Zoom nook provides both comfort and bling. (Photo Liberty Schilpp)

When Kenna recreated her college photo wall at home, she used foam board so she can transport it more easily back to school, she hopes, in the fall. (Photo Sandy Valli)

Missing their jewelry making class with Jody Craven at Nauset High, Bella and Lili Hay created a jewelry design work station in their room. (Photo Traci Harmon-Hay)