Does your poorly lit dorm room feel like it’s missing something? Does it need a finishing touch? Indoor houseplants are aesthetically pleasing and contain physical and psychological benefits. I know what you’re thinking; “I could never keep a plant alive,” but you’d be surprised how many plants thrive on neglect. The thought of taking care of a living plant while simultaneously trying to take care of yourself might seem challenging, yet it’s totally worth it.

Houseplants are great for looks, but they also can play a little bit of a role in your health. It’s a given that dorm rooms aren’t ranked high in cleanliness. Even if they are clean, chemicals from cleaning products can make indoor air unhealthy to breathe in over long periods of time. According to a 2009 Pennsylvania State University study published in the American Society of Horticultural Science’s journal HortTechnology, found that many indoor plants such as golden pothos, succulents and other low maintenance plants improve indoor air quality.

In biology, most of us are taught that plants convert the air we exhale, carbon dioxide into oxygen. Aside from improving the quality of air, researchers at Penn State discovered other benefits of houseplants such as:

• Reduced stress levels
• Reduced eye irritation
• Increase in humidity (less dry skin)
• Improved concentration
• Productivity increase
• Positive effects on headaches and hoarseness

Who knew taking care of a little plant could boost your productivity in life and potentially education?

So, which plants are low maintenance? Snake plants, spider plants and succulents are low maintenance. If you didn’t know, the entire state of Utah is a giant desert, and succulents thrive best in the desert.

Succulents are the perfect plant for a busy student. Accidentally forget to water your succulent during the three weeks of midterms and fall break? No problem. They only need to be watered once every one to two weeks. Though succulents originate in very dry and hot temperatures, they thrive in bright light. So, keep them in the windowsill. Other low maintenance plants like pray plants and pothos family (vines) are great plants that only need to be watered once or twice a week.

If you want to boost your productivity and quality of life, I highly recommend getting a little plant or two. Houseplants can be fairly cheap and easy to find at your local grocers or home improvement store.