15 College Desk Essentials For the Best Study Environment

Want to know what college desk essentials you need to have in order to have a perfect study environment? Keep scrolling and find out!

Your desk is one of the most important aspects of being a college student. One of the first things you should think about after settling into your dorm or apartment is to figure out how you are going to decorate your desk.

I personally love college desk ideas because I love my desk.

You should have a nice, organized desk area. The last thing you want is a cluttered desk while studying for an exam. It is important for you to learn about different college desk organization ideas and tips.

Useful College Desk Essentials:

1. Desk Lamp

Having a desk lamp is ESSENTIAL for studying and one of the most unexpected things to bring to college. You don’t want to be squinting your eyes while reading a dense textbook! A desk lamp will not only help you study but also give you a nice light to have on at night.

This LED desk lamp also allows you to charge your phone using your USB charger and has so many settings. I love it!

2. Sticky Note Holder

If you are interested in college desk decor ideas, then you should add this cute sticky note holder to your list. Sticky notes will become one of the main things you’ll use in college. Whether is it to write a to-do list or place it in one of your textbooks, sticky notes will become one of the main things you should keep at your desk.

This one of my favorite college desk essentials! I recommend purchasing this cat sticky note holder. I have this exact sticky note holder right in front of me as I’m typing this! To make give your desk a cute vibe, place this cat sticky note holder. It holds pop up square posts. However, you will need to purchase pop-up Post-Its in order for it to work.

3. Pen Holders/Mugs

To implement some college desk organization ideas, you should try using pen holders or in my case, mugs! Having a nice spot where all your pens are located is great and keeps your desk from being cluttered. The last thing you want is to have tons of pens scattered.

I personally use mugs instead of pen holders for my desk decor. It’s a DIY trick I came up with when I would go to campus events and get tons of free mugs. Using mugs also adds a little school pride!

4. Quotes on the Wall

Another idea for your college desk is to place quotes on the wall in front of you. You will need tons of motivation during study sessions. I recommend finding a motivational quotes board on Pinterest and printing the quotes out. You can also write them down on a sheet of paper.

Motivational quotes can also match whatever aesthetic you are going after because most quotes are in black and white.

If DIY-ing the quotes are not your thing, then you should try purchasing some encouraging quotes or posters and hang them around your desk.

These quotes give you a boost of motivation and assurance while studying!

5. Pens & Pencils

Obviously, you should have pens and pencils at your desk. You might want to type all of your notes, but you will want to try writing them out for memorization. I recommend these Pilot Erasable Pens or G-2 Pilot Pins, which are my FAVORITE. I can write a whole post about the best pens. Pilot G-2 gel pens are so smooth and easy to hold.

Personally, I don’t use pencils that much, even when doing math. Pens are better in college because you will be writing fast and pencils tend to slow down the process.

6. Calendar

Sure, you have a calendar on your laptop, but you need to have one next to your desk or on the wall. To avoid cluttering your desk, you can use a wall calendar about any hobbies, animals, or anything that you like. I personally have one right above my desk.

You need a wall calendar not only for aesthetics, but to manage your time. I recommend finding one that you love because you’ll be staring at it for a year.

7. Desk Chair

Next, another college desk essential is a desk chair. Some dorms and apartments give students a desk chair. In my case, my apartment gave us a hard chair that is uncomfortable! I bought my own desk chair. And it matches my room’s aesthetics and prevents back pain.

I recommend finding a desk chair that suits not only your style but only your back and arms. A nice desk chair will have a back at least and is able to be lowered. If you prefer a rolling chair, then get one. Honestly, find a desk chair for your college desk is all up to you. There are so many styles out there. Just make sure your desk chair is best suited for you!

8. Dry Erase Board

Dry erase boards are one of the most underrated college desk essentials. You will definitely need this one. Depending on if you are into getting college desk organization, you might get a calendar dry erase board or a simple, plain dry erase board.

I love using a dry erase board or decal because I can always change it. If I have a deadline or something due, I can quickly write on the board. Once it’s completed, I can erase it! Dry erase boards are great for people who aren’t fans of planners or journaling out what they need to do. It’s a nice visual that’s always in your face to remind you.

9. Surge Protector

Next, you will definitely need a surge protector because dorms and apartments have outlets placed in weird spots and a few outlets, a matter of a fact. Surge protectors (and extension cords) give you more outlets and prevent fires. You can plug so many items in a surge protector without overwhelming the outlets.

10. Planner

I can not recommend getting a planner enough. You will need a planner for sure! Planners give you the ability to write down all your assignments in one place in an organized way. Planners remain one of the best college organization hacks because they need you organized. They also give you random holidays and stickers.

It’s also nice to draw a line through an assignment that was written in your planner.

I recommend that you get a Ban.do planner. They are some of the best there. Ban.do planners include stickers, encouraging quotes, and amazing art.

11. Mildliner Highlighters

Personally, I love Mildliner highlighters. Midliner highlighters are featured on so many study and college blogs, especially on studyblrs back when Tumblr was popular. Mildliners come with two points, a wide and a thin one. They also come in so many colors and last so long. However, they are on the pricey side.

If you can not afford MidLiners or do not see yourself paying that much for a highlighter, then you can just opt in with regular highlighters. Also, campus events hand out so many free highlighters!

12. Pencil Case

You might want to consider buying a pencil case to keep track of your pens and pencils. You will need to always carry a pen or pencil with you at all times. it’s best to have a couple of each, so you aren’t panicking before a test.

13. Hanging Wall File

Dorms and apartments are tiny af. You will receive so many papers. You will not have the space to have a file cabinet to hold all of your papers. This hanging wall file gives you three sections, which you can organize by. For example, in my file, I have one section for random manuals for my instruments and technology, important school papers, and finally random things, such as stickers for my laptop. Without this file, I’d either lost the papers or have them scattered across my room. It is a great college desk organization hack.

I recommend this one because of the three sections and how easy it is to hang up. Most dorms and apartments do not allow you to use Command Strips (anymore) or put nails in the wall. You can use push pins to hang this one up instead of drilling or hammering into your wall.

14. Seat Cushion (or a Small Pillow)

When starting college, I did not know that I’d end considering a seat cushion as one of my college desk essentials. I’m helping you out here! Trust me, you will end up sitting a lot in front of a computer or textbook or notebook and your butt will start hurting. Even if you have a whole workout plan, it will eventually hurt.

Especially with online classes, you will need seat cushions or a small pillow for your desk chair.

To give you a college life hack: use a small, cheap pillow from Wal-Mart or a local dollar store, such as Five and Below, and buy a throw pillow, if you can not splurge on a seat cushion. This college desk hack has literally saved my butt.

15. Succulent Plants

Finally, you should have a tiny succulent plant. Succulent plants do not require that much water or attention. Water them weekly and that’s it. Having a few plants in your studying environment will boost your mood. They also are a great distraction when you are overwhelmed with studying!

15 College Desk Essentials For the Best Study Environment