The Ultimate Student Room Essentials Checklist

When you’re drowning in assignments and exam timetables, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to create an environment which helps you relax and enhances your concentration.

Unless you have a whole house to yourself, your bedroom is the ideal place to set up camp during the most intense assessment weeks, and making it work for you might be easier than you think.

Laptop 

Gone are the days of reliance on pencil and paper, replaced by keyboards and screens, making a laptop one of the must-have items on every student’s list.

You’ll want something durable and high-performance which allows you to work on several documents and scan through hundreds of internet tabs at once and has enough storage space to hold all of your files and programs.

Just don’t make the mistake of becoming overly reliant on any one device – by backing everything up onto a USB as you go, you can save yourself the stress of losing or accidentally deleting a document. 

Printer

For every online submission you make, there’ll be a hard-copy project or set of study notes waiting to be printed.

Having your own printer will save you the trouble of traipsing down to the library or to a friend’s house to get your documents, and depending on how often you use it, it could well save you money in the long run.

When making a selection, seek out small, affordable and efficient printer models, keeping in mind the cost of ink and servicing.

A printer can be a great investment in your life as a student, as long as you use it wisely. 

Bed

Everyone needs a comfortable bed, especially those who are in need of a few extra hours of sleep between homework and assessment deadlines.

If you’re still sleeping in the same bed you had throughout your teen years, an upgrade will definitely do you some good. When you do go to buy a replacement, make sure to test out the available options for size, and choose a mattress with just the right firmness.

Reducing the likelihood of sleepless nights during assessment time is a priceless pay-off for any student.

Desk and chair

A quality desk goes beyond the call of duty for a piece of furniture to become one of the greatest assets a student could have – a space within the bedroom offering storage, organization, and the opportunity for distraction-free study time.

Choose one with plenty of room and storage options, and it will become a long-standing bedroom staple, especially if you pair it with the right chair.

Opt for a design that offers both comfort and support for your neck and back, keeping in mind that you’ll likely end up sitting in the chair you choose for long periods of time. 

Plants

It’s no secret that houseplants have a beneficial effect on one’s health, but besides being mood-boosters and air-cleaners, they’re also great practical additions to any student’s bedroom.

They can help make your study more efficient and effective.

Depending on the temperature and conditions in your bedroom, herbs like rosemary and lavender can help to keep you focussed and calm, while peppermint is known to help with memory recall, so you’ll have no excuse for forgetting to water your plants or Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. 

Lamp

For all of those nights spent up late, reading and re-reading the same passages on a computer screen, a good-quality lamp is a great companion.

It will be your friend when you’ve already had your fill of caffeine and energy drinks and your assignment remains unfinished.

Opt for something reasonably small and portable with a range of light settings and you’ll be able to use it in any room, at any hour of the day. 

Stationery 

It might seem old-fashioned, but when technology fails, you can always rely on a pen and notepad to help you get your workload under control.

Writing notes and solving problems by hand is known to be a far more effective way of activating the memory than by reading alone, and it doesn’t have to be boring.

Buy yourself some colorful highlighters and notebooks and you’ll be engaging both sides of your brain before you know it. 

Bookshelf 

During stressful times, little things can influence your mental state in a big way, especially when those little things help to keep your room tidy.

Your textbooks will look much friendlier stored neatly on a bookshelf than strewn across the floor, and decluttering your space will do wonders for your mental state.

You could even give yourself a little extra boost by decorating the shelf with photographs of your friends and family and anything else that makes you feel happy. 

Bottom line

The right bedroom setup can make all the difference when it comes time to study.

With these tools at your disposal, you’ll be prepared to tackle your assessment head-on and take some of the stress out of your assessment calendar.