Feng shui in dorm room ensure good chi

While studying in a cramped dorm room late last year, Kristal Baustista was feeling overwhelmed, as usual. Her finals for her business classes were looming, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas student felt the weight of the tests pressing on her each time she sat down at her desk to cram.

“I looked up to release the tension in my shoulders and realized I was staring at a picture of a building with an arrow pointing right down to my desk,” Baustista said. “Just looking at that arrow over my head made me feel more anxious.”

She immediately took down the picture a former dorm dweller had left behind and moved her desk to the only window.

“It literally changed my view of my upcoming (tests),” she said. “I was so much more comfortable sitting at my desk, even though my head was buried in a book.

“I have feng shui’d my new dorm room, and I am so excited to start the school year. The space feels like it’s working for me, not just my furniture in a new box.”

Feng shui is a Chinese origination that brings order to a chaotic home or room through the placement of existing furniture and art and the addition of key elements such as water and movement, which can be manifested in a fountain or fan.

It might have an exotic sounding name, but its focus is simple: create harmony in your space, no matter how big or small, open and light, or dark and cramped.

Whether it is a dorm room, home or office, feng shui can help you focus on what is important and make you feel better about being in the space you tend to spend so much time in, according to Magdalena Brandon, interior designer and feng shui specialist.

“Call it chi, or flow, everything is filled with power, energy and spirit,” she said. “If you are cutting chi, you can sense it.”

To ensure good chi, feng shui specialists use a bagua, or energy map, that breaks down each section of a room or building into focused quadrants. It is rather easy to use for those who want to make quick changes to a dorm room or small space.

“The first thing you want to do for a dorm room is position your bed so that it is not directly under a window and make the room feel like a box,” Brandon said. “Move it to the left or right of the window, whatever works for you and then place your desk where you have complete access and are comfortable sitting.”

A key feng shui tip is to not have your back to the door while you sit at your desk. The feeling of unease might not be immediate, but it can subconsciously cause a bit of anxiety as you feel you need to look over your shoulder every time you are at your desk.

Removing furniture you might have inherited or boxes of books and other college-prep detritus brings better focus in general to any area you inhabit.

“Feng shui energy cannot penetrate if the area is cluttered, (so) the first step is to always de-clutter,” she said. “Once you’ve de-cluttered the space and it feels open, you can look to the bagua for what you want to focus on at the moment, from better study habits to income to love.”

The bagua is specific and is broken down for each section of the room.

Flowing water, mirrors and glass enhance the career and life path area.

“Since career’s main element is water, it is vital that water be in this area,” she said. “We can use water fountains, mirrors (or) crystals for enhancement. This area will support your career change or enhance your current career. It is not always necessary to use paint, and it is important that our accessories carry the shades of blues and blacks.”

For the benefactors and travel area, metal or round shapes tend to be beneficial as are symbols of helpful people such as Mother Teresa or a parent. If you hope to get to Paris by the springtime, add a map of your intended destination in this area to bring better chi to that area of your life.

“I always have my clients use pictures of places they want to travel or have a world map,” Brandon said. “Having symbols of helpful people or pictures also enhances the flow in this area.”

If creativity is lacking in your current state, place round shapes and any artwork, doodles or other artwork in this area with a focus on gray, white, pastel and metallic colors.

“The area is on the right side, halfway point of the home,” Brandon said. “Whether it is for work, fun or family time, this is an important area.”

If love is lacking in your life, nurture the relationship quadrant with plants and pottery or photos of you and your beloved or other symbolic representation of your ideal relationship. Pepper the area with reds, whites, pinks, yellows, earth tones and symbols of love.

“The area for relationships is in the far-right-hand corner of your home,” Brandon said. “This also relates to self, family, friends, co-workers, etc. It is imperative that when furnishing this space, pairs are created. Matching lamps, tables, chairs, etc.”

If you are hoping for fame or fortune to come knocking, or if you hope to improve your professional reputation, make sure to tend to the middle of your space. Accentuate it with candles or colors such as red and orange.

“This is also a good place to display awards and recognitions,” she said. “Fame is all about who you and your family are. Do you have an area to display awards and recognitions? Words or phrases that relate to you? In my fame area, I am able to put my certificates of appreciation, and completion.”

If money and abundance are your goals, go to the left-hand back side of your space with flourishing plants and tiny water fountains.

“Not only do we want abundance of money, we also would love to have an abundance of time, energy, friends, etc.,” she said. “This area also requires water energy for movement.”

Family and good health take the middle left side of your small space and can get overlooked. Brandon has a quick fix for this area.

“This is the best place to have family photos, healthy living photos,” she said.

A bookshelf in the knowledge area in the front left side of your space can boost your study endeavors.

“This is a great place for books, personal inspirations as this energy supports you knowing what to do next,” she said.

For all its suggestions and details, feng shui’s main goal is to get you to consider your space and your goals for a happy life. Once the many things we tend to hold onto are removed from the area, the process becomes easier.

“Clients will find that when the de-clutter process has begun, they have an abundance of negative and positive energy shifting,” she said. “When items are stagnant for a while, they accumulate a lot of negative energy. The goal is to have the energy moving through the entire space with no blockages.”