How to Pimp Out Your Desk

By Christina Sterbenz

Bird Library may be a good place to have sex, but it’s not so hot for studying. No offense to E.S. Bird, whoever the hell he was, but I don’t like libraries in general unless you need to research something not available online. Yes, I know someone who knows someone else whose sister’s second cousin had to do that once.

I’ve heard that for every 50 minutes you study, you should probably take a 10-minute break. At the computer cluster at Bird, you can peruse YouTube, or even YouPorn if you’re feeling frisky, but you don’t really have a lot of options as you’re surrounded by other people cramming for tests. Your home, however – whether it’s a dorm, house, or apartment – offers constant fridge access, a bed for an emergency cat-naps, and reruns of Jersey Shore and Teen Mom 2. Also, you don’t need to wait in line for the bathroom – and it doesn’t have that weird sterile smell.

I never understood why people go to Bird or Starbucks when they could have a perfectly productive and much more comfortable study sesh within the privacy of their own homes. You’re just wasting time by packing up all your shit and trekking somewhere else. I realize that your room might be too tempting for procrastination, but if you’re a procrastinator by nature, the location will have little to no effect on your bad behavior. My suggestion: make your apartment a place you want to study. And there’s no better place to start than at your desk.

1. Get a dope chair. The ones that SU provides on South and in the dorms are seriously lacking in lumbar support. Also, armrests are key. We suggest this Herman Miller ergonomic one with mesh backing, which can conform to almost any body type.

2. Position your desk near a window or any sort of open space. While the human desire for order and symmetry tells us to lodge a perfectly rectangular piece of furniture in a corner, resist the urge. Staring at drywall without any concept of the outside world will make you even more stir-crazy.

3. Organize your desk. A cluttered environment leads to a cluttered mind. Take a few minutes to throw away all those old receipts and clear the dirty dishes. Try this 5-section bamboo vertical file from The Container Store, add some flair with this magnetic monthly calendar for when Post-Its don't cut it.

4. Deck out the space. Add aromatherapy candles or hang a Mila Kunis poster on your wall. If you want to be at your desk, concentration will come much more easily.

What’s your favorite place to study on campus? Let us know by commenting below.