Freshman Jenny Pyle must have a fountain in her room.
With a fountain, Pyle can guarantee herself good karma.
"It's all about using design to boost your good karma," the journalism major said. "It's a little difficult to do it here [college] because the rooms are so small, but I made sure I had a fountain in my room. If you can't have a fountain, play music of water - it promotes good karma."
Pyle is one of millions who believe that feng shui, a school of thinking that dictates simplicity, will yield positive energy into their lives.
"Many college students do not practice the feng shui idea," said Qing Zhang, assistant professor of Chinese at Ball State University. "Most of them are young, and most may think feng shui is superstitious."
According to fengshuitao.com, feng shui began over 6,000 years ago in China and literally translated means "wind water." An ancient Chinese art, it is based on different elements of astrology, geology, intuition, mathematics, philosophy, physics and psychology.
Celebrities such as Donald Trump are not the only people who practice feng shui.
People from all walks of life utilize feng shui for different reasons- some are looking for ways to organize their homes, others want to increase their financial prosperity and still others desire to cultivate new relationships.
For students, especially freshmen who feel overwhelmed with their new environments, feng shui can be the answer to feeling less stressed and finding better balance between their academic and social lives.
"I love feng shui," Pyle said.
Five ways to live a more balanced, feng shui-centered life:
1. According to the colleges.com, the most important thing to remember while implementing feng shui in any space, especially one as small as a dorm room, is to avoid clutter. Excess stuff prevents the flow of chi in the room. For dorms where eating, sleeping, and studying are all done in one room, use screens to separate the areas. This also helps minimize distractions; for example, while you're studying, position the screen so you can't see the TV, which can lure you away, or the bed, which can make you want to take a nap instead of hitting the books.
2. If possible, have your feet facing away from the door. Colleges.com says that having your feet pointed at the door is considered the death position. This position also causes all of a student's personal chi to flow out of the door.
3. The fundamental elements of feng shui are wood, fire, earth, metal and water, and each element has corresponding colors that can help balance the chi in a room, according to fengshui.about.com. If screens are used to separate areas in a dorm, the two sides can be painted different colors to balance the energy in the different parts.
4. Adding plants can also help balance the chi in a room. Plants help absorb the bad chi and bring more life into the room. Good air and light quality are also important. Open windows and air purifiers, along with natural lighting help keep the chi flowing through a room instead of concentrating it all in one area.
5. Lastly, keep decorations to a minimum, but make the posters and pictures you do put up full of color; too many decorations adds to a feeling of chaos and disharmony, but strategically placed artwork can balance the five elements in a room.
"My number one tip for students wanting to use feng shui is to buy a little crystal-type jewel at a store like Hobby Lobby and use a string to hang it in front of their window," said Pyle. "When the sun hits the crystal it will make a rainbow across your entire room, which is good karma."
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