Coming back to the cluttered, prison cell-like symmetry of a dorm room after a hard day of classes is a staple to the freshman college experience.
However, what is intended to be a “clean slate” type of room with little to no decoration, dime-a-dozen furniture and a small, all-inclusive living space can adversely affect student study habits and add to the stress of college life.
Feng shui, the Chinese practice of spatial arrangement to realize harmony within the environment, has long been considered a method for achieving a more efficient and inviting area. Feng shui, literally translating into “wind and water,” utilizes a combination of geographical, psychological, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetic and astrological ideologies to maximize and balance the amount of Qi, or spiritual energy, moving through an area.
Although the application of feng shui to a dorm room is limited, there are a number of tips for the average student to achieve a more orderly and geometrically pleasing living space, thus contributing to an overall positive dorm experience.
Tip one: The western wall of a room is one that should be reserved for sleeping, while the east is best for studying. According to feng shui theology, the west lays in the Yin direction and is the darker, more passive element in contrast to the brighter Yang element. Place your desk along the eastern wall if you can because the east symbolizes wisdom.
Tip two: While sleeping, position your body and your bed so that your headboard rests against a solid wall and your feet point away from the door. The idea here is to not arrange your bed similar to a coffin because you will lose energy from your feet if you do so.
Tip three: Should you have had some tough times last semester in your dorm room, feel free to perform a small cleansing ritual to clear away the negative energy. Place a small amount of uncooked rice and sage, a purifying herb, in the room to do so.
Tip four: Since you can’t paint the walls of a dorm room, keep the artwork you display to a minimum, but full of color. Adding too much art to the walls will contribute to a feeling of clutter and disorganization, but color will make the room feel more homely.
Tip five: Try to keep your room as open as possible. Windows and doors are energy portals in feng shui and blocking them with furniture will only clog the Qi moving through the room.
Tipe six: When choosing color for your room, keep in mind the type of energy you want the room to convey. Prosperity will best be realized by green, purple and gold, fame by red, family by green, health by yellow and orange, knowledge by blue and career by black.
Tip seven: Remember that harmony is struck through balance. From academia to relationships, each part of your room symbolizes a different area of your life. While no part is exclusive to itself, pay attention to any move in furniture, because it will affect the energy flow, and avoid clutter. The last thing you need is a big pile of mess in the relationships part of your room.
Dorm-room living is characterized by organized chaos, with sleeping, socializing, eating and studying all taking place in one room shared with another person. While organization may seem like an unattainable dream, a measure of calm can be achieved by applying these basic feng shui principles.
Now, release the Qi, spread Zen to your friends and attain inner enlightenment.
