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You're probably asking yourself, "What the heck is feng shui?" It's the Chinese art of placement that focuses on balancing your surroundings with the energy around you. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds. But just to be sure, we went to Sharon Mann, a feng shui expert from Esselte (a global office supplies manufacturer) to explain it.

1. Arrange your furniture properly.
Make sure your desk faces the door. "You want to see anyone who's coming into your space," Mann says. Plus, with this visibility, you'll have fewer distractions in your study area. And, to make your 12-by-15 dorm room seem larger, try bunking your beds.

2. Choose the right colors.
Use inspiring blues and greens to create an academically enhancing aura of calmness. Some real green, like a plant, is perfect in a dorm room, adds Mann. You can also gain a sense of the outdoors by hanging a poster of a landscape over your desk.

3. Reduce clutter.
Everything in your dorm room should have a function, says Mann. "You shouldn't have to reach around and dig for things." That means keeping only necessary items on your desk. Hang pictures in frames on the wall, and arrange your personal items neatly on shelves. Use crates to store files, folders, and books, and label everything using a label maker -- it will look much neater. "When you write with your hand, everything looks the same," states Mann. Also, to find things easier and keep your study area organized, use different colored folders and notebooks for each class.

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