Grad. School Supplies?

[MarineBluePsy]

8 hours ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

I'm debating whether I should treat myself and get a nice desk for home. I'll be reading/writing papers a lot so I think I can justify it ha. Any recommendations? I would like something clean, not bulky, and maybe in a fun color? I'm planning on having a laptop, printer, and would like some room for papers. Storage would be great too! I've been looking online for a bit and have found nothing yet.

I'm not so sure its the desk that really matters, but the chair.  Definitely don't skip on a good quality ergonomic chair.  If you could put your feet up and nap in it then it's perfect.

[td_ny]

6 hours ago, Fallen said:

I think you can mix and match online as well. I may be getting a new desk as well. Likely going with the linmon desk, 1 alex drawer and 2 legs for the other side. Haven't yet decided because its lower on my priority list (I have a functional desk, its just kinda ugly and one of the cabinets is broken). 

The linmon desk is too short for my comfort. I'm short (5'5) and I can't get comfortable at it. I find myself slouching over to see my laptop or to read and take notes. I want to get wood blocks or bricks or something to put under the legs to make it higher.

[Neist]

33 minutes ago, MarineBluePsy said:

I'm not so sure its the desk that really matters, but the chair.  Definitely don't skip on a good quality ergonomic chair.  If you could put your feet up and nap in it then it's perfect.

Well, I'm not sure about the napping part, but I definitely think one should pick a chair that's perfect for them.  

I sit on a really short stool, but I'm a little weird. I can't imagine a more comfortable seat.

6 hours ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

@Fallen Thanks for the suggestion! I may play around with that idea. @Neist I know what you mean, I've been looking for awhile now. We are most likely going to use craigslist for a lot of our furniture. I hate things that are very ornate which seems to be a common theme for desks or they look like cheap metal ones. Maybe a compromise will be try to find colors in other ways. I'm thinking of setups like this.

I work at a law school and one of the faculty members was getting rid of a small, wooden children's desk. It's definitely big enough for an adult, but it's definitely on the small size. It's painted candy apple red, but whatever. I got it free.  

[Fallen]

9 hours ago, td_ny said:

The linmon desk is too short for my comfort. I'm short (5'5) and I can't get comfortable at it. I find myself slouching over to see my laptop or to read and take notes. I want to get wood blocks or bricks or something to put under the legs to make it higher.

Didn't know that. I'm 6'1 and already have a bad habit of slouching. Might go with something else. 

 

Getting a good chair seems harder than finding a good desk. Any suggestions?

[fernandes]

You could get a super comfy gaming chair if you don't really care about matching the chair with your desk

[CBclone]

I have a rather large oak L-shaped desk I got for a steal on craigslist a while back. On the left side I have my printer and iMac w/ room to layout books or notes for reference when I'm typing on the computer. On the right I have all my books and plenty of space to layout books, notebooks, etc. when I'm studying or doing homework. Downside: it has also become a catch-all for mail, hats, etc. But I love it. In my area at least there are always some decent desks on craigslist.

As for a chair, I sit on an old exercise ball and it's wonderful. I can tuck it completely under the desk when I want it out of sight. Also seems to help with posture, but then again I'm very aware of my posture after having a back injury and dealing with those effects...some people definitely need a chair with a back on it. 

[Need Coffee in an IV]

17 hours ago, MarineBluePsy said:

I'm not so sure its the desk that really matters, but the chair.  Definitely don't skip on a good quality ergonomic chair.  If you could put your feet up and nap in it then it's perfect.

Oh I know that the desk isn't super important but I kinda want to pretend so I don't feel as guilty for spending a bit on it . I'll most likely get a comfy compter gaming chair. @Neist I think that color is awesome but I love very bright bold colors.

[sjoh197]

I like to use Wayfair.com for things like computer desks and coffee tables and office stuff.

[rising_star]

I bought my desk chair in a very conventional way. I printed off some coupons online and went to the major big box office stores. There are ratings on some of the desk chairs there (from the American Chiropractic Association or whatever) which even suggest how many hours a day one could/should spend in that chair. I opted for something that was 8-10 hours a day but only after sitting in and testing all the chairs in the store. I bought my chair in like 2009 or 2010 and still have and love it. I can work in it for hours comfortably, which is awesome when you're reading for comps. I have a standing desk at work which I love but it sucks for reading.

[MarineBluePsy]

16 hours ago, Fallen said:

Getting a good chair seems harder than finding a good desk. Any suggestions?

I just went to my local office supply store and sat in a bunch of ergonomic chairs aimed for sitting 8-10 hours and built to hold 250lbs+.  Once I had a few that would work I went online to find better deals.

[Neist]

Speaking of reading at desks, I highly recommend that people consider acquiring book stands.

I got one a few years ago, and it changed my life (at least academically). There are physical limits to how much a person can read in a sitting, and a book stand allowed me to easily surpass those limits. Before, 5-6 hours straight would have been trying, but I could easily push through 10 now, if the necessity called for it.

Anyone have a dream chair they'd love to own? I'd personally love a Swopper, but they are crazy expensive.

[BooksCoffeeBeards]

20 hours ago, sjoh197 said:

I like to use Wayfair.com for things like computer desks and coffee tables and office stuff.

I was thinking of doing this after I move, but there is also an IKEA right in Tempe...

*foaming at the mouth*

[Neist]

4 minutes ago, BooksCoffeeBeards said:

I was thinking of doing this after I move, but there is also an IKEA right in Tempe...

*foaming at the mouth*

This might be college student sacrilege, but I've never been to an Ikea.  

Oklahoma doesn't have one.

[BooksCoffeeBeards]

Just now, Neist said:

This might be college student sacrilege, but I've never been to an Ikea.  

Oklahoma doesn't have one.

Oh that's not sacrilege; they're few and far between once you get away from the east/midwest/west coast.

[Citizen of Night Vale]

3 hours ago, Neist said:

This might be college student sacrilege, but I've never been to an Ikea.  

Oklahoma doesn't have one.

That may be a good thing. There are two ikeas by me and because it's so affordable, most of my apartment looks like an ikea catalog and I kinda hate it. 

Edited April 5, 2016 by Citizen of Night Vale

[Neist]

2 minutes ago, Citizen of Night Vale said:

That may be a good thing. There are two ikeas by me and because it's so affordable, most of my apartment looks like an ikea catalog and I hate it.

Eh, I go to Big Lots a lot, and it's not much better. About as cheap as Ikea.  Worse selection perhaps.

[MarineBluePsy]

10 hours ago, Neist said:

Speaking of reading at desks, I highly recommend that people consider acquiring book stands.

I got one a few years ago, and it changed my life (at least academically). There are physical limits to how much a person can read in a sitting, and a book stand allowed me to easily surpass those limits. Before, 5-6 hours straight would have been trying, but I could easily push through 10 now, if the necessity called for it.

Anyone have a dream chair they'd love to own? I'd personally love a Swopper, but they are crazy expensive.

I fail to see the point of spending that much money on a chair that has no arms.

I don't have a book stand, but I have a paper stand with magnet holders that is helpful when I'm reading articles.  A book stand would be nice, but I'd want something that was comfortable to use while lying in bed or on the couch like this.

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

Anyone else thinking of getting a huge industrial-sized whiteboard to cover a wall of their apartment?

[rhombusbombus]

Yes! Im gonna be scouring goodwills and craigslist when i move!

Fun side note: my rental application was approved! Im officially moving in june!

Edited April 6, 2016 by rhombusbombus
Spelling

[Neist]

12 hours ago, MarineBluePsy said:

I fail to see the point of spending that much money on a chair that has no arms.

I don't have a book stand, but I have a paper stand with magnet holders that is helpful when I'm reading articles.  A book stand would be nice, but I'd want something that was comfortable to use while lying in bed or on the couch like this.

I don't use chair arms.  The chair I use right now is literally a wide stool that I sit cross legged on. Yeah, I'm odd.

Also, that Peeramid looks nifty! I guess you have to email them directly to order one? Any idea how much they cost?

2 hours ago, rhombusbombus said:

Fun side note: my rental application was approved! Im officially moving in june!

Congrats!  There's something gratifying about plans coalescing. 

9 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Anyone else thinking of getting a huge industrial-sized whiteboard to cover a wall of their apartment?

Not especially, but I'm not a physicist either.  For me, it's all about the bookshelves. Yay for books!

[Fallen]

I'm thinking about getting a white board. I'll be doing a lot of math so it may be useful. 

 

also: What do most people carry with them daily, and what do you leave in the office? I'm thinking about essential things I should have nearby at all times in grad school. 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Fallen

[rising_star]

57 minutes ago, Fallen said:

also: What do most people carry with them daily, and what do you leave in the office? I'm thinking about essential things I should have nearby at all times in grad school. 

This is an old post but it is the first thing that came to mind when I saw your post. I'm pretty sure there are related ones floating around somewhere...

 

[hippyscientist]

12 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Anyone else thinking of getting a huge industrial-sized whiteboard to cover a wall of their apartment?

YES. Big bang theory will be my life  I figure out what's going on in my brain by drawing stuff out so a white-board will be invaluable considering I currently have dozens upon dozens of sheets of paper pinned to my wall.

Also, the office at my current school has the comfiest chairs and I really want to get one for PhD times. Shame they're like 2 grand or something crazy.

Edited April 6, 2016 by hippyscientist

[MarineBluePsy]

11 hours ago, Neist said:

Also, that Peeramid looks nifty! I guess you have to email them directly to order one? Any idea how much they cost?

I figured I'd poke around amazon or ebay until I found them or something similar.  I can't imagine they cost that much, under $50 I'd imagine.

[ihatechoosingusernames]

I know a few pages back there was some discussion about a LiveScribe pen to take/digitize notes and record lectures. I just saw that Moleskine came out with their Smart Writing Set that transfers your hand written notes to their app, and from there you can automatically transcribe them to type and download them as a PDF. You can also record lectures with the app as well. It also uploads to Google Docs and syncs with Evernote, if you happen to use that  I'm seriously considering this! I like to handwrite my notes, and but I'd like to be able to convert it all to text and easily search through my notes later!