5 Ways to Make Your Room More Zen

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BambooEveryone knows that college life is synonymous with stress; it’s a fact that college students far and wide have come to terms with. But have you ever thought that your own dorm room could be stressing you out? It might sound weird, but the placement of your furniture and belongings could be promoting poor sleeping habits or raising your stress levels unnecessarily. Here are some things you can try to do to make your room more Zen. It will help you de-stress, and promote peace and tranquility to get you through exam week!

1. Don’t treat your bedside table as a catchall. Remove the day’s clutter, all your notebooks, computer, empty cans, candy wrappers, and general mess. Having all that stuff next to you while you’re trying to get ready for bed and go to sleep can agitate you and add undue stress to your load, and you probably aren’t even aware of it. Try only having the things necessary for sleeping next to you – your alarm clock, a book, a lamp, etc.

2. Try introducing a cool color palette into your space. While you may not have much of a choice when it comes to your dorm room’s color scheme (most seem to opt for industrial concrete block white), adding accessories in hues of blue and green can make the room a more calming and peaceful environment. That will definitely help you feel better when you study, read, do homework, relax, and sleep in. And this late in the semester, who couldn’t use some more peace in their daily routine?

3. Add natural elements. Now, it’s certainly not practical (nor do-able) to add a full out koi pond to your dorm room. But placing a of couple small plants in your room helps to create a fresh, calming atmosphere. Luckily, bamboo, a staple in Zen decorating, grows in water and is extremely easy to care for. Small cactuses are also great because of how low maintenance they are. Zen is all about creating a union between the outside and the inside, so using natural fibers is a top priority.

4. Stow away all your toiletries. Don’t keep your shampoo, soaps, hair dryer, hairbrush, and other various accouterments all over your dresser or bathroom counter. More clutter equals more stress, not to mention the fact that your roommates would greatly appreciate you putting your things away. It’s all about proper storage, and luckily you can find a lot of great options for storing all of your odds and ends. Most dorms have under-the-sink cupboards or storage in the bathrooms, and that’s a great place to stick some baskets or boxes. A clean room is a happy room!

5. Add lights. The soft glow from a nice strand of twinkling lights, or any other kind of decorative lighting, can really add a soothing tone to your room. If your university’s residence halls allow candles, they are also extremely soothing and comforting. Just make sure to check your hall’s rules about that – some can carry pretty hefty fines if broken!