Essential Med Student Furniture

[orangeblue]

Some questions on what furniture is important to get, and study habits!

1) Home vs. Library Study
Through out undergrad, I always felt that I paid better attention and had quality study time in the library vs. home alone. I could always focus better when not at home. However, I would like to mix up some home study time as well.

Will I get "too tired/burned out" if I do most of my studies at the library, haha! ??

I would love to hear your thoughts if you like me prefer to study OUTTA THE HOUSE!. How did you study at home (ie. just to review. etc?)

2) Essential Furniture Required

I prefer to have minimal furniture, know it's really personal preference, and related to #1- however I would still love to hear your thoughts

a) Special study desk + study chair needed or a big dining table would be just fine with a study chair?

b) Bookshelf essential - but doesn't need to be very big?

c) Couch - do you actually have sometime to relax the couch or that's just fantasy? I'm wondering if is worth it to have a comfy couch or a chair would do?

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[sinombre]

I bought a desk and a nice chair at the beginning of first year. Ended up studying at my kitchen table with a cheap wooden chair for all of med school. And then I sold/gave away everything before moving for residency.

There is no "essential" furniture. If you have to spend money on something, get a comfortable chair.

 

[sinombre]

From what I've heard, a solid desk chair could be one of the single most important investments. Followed closely behind by a crockpot, coffee maker and Netflix subscription.

I didn't see this post. I take back what I said above--a coffee pot is actually essential.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Some questions on what furniture is important to get, and study habits!

1) Home vs. Library Study
Through out undergrad, I always felt that I paid better attention and had quality study time in the library vs. home alone. I could always focus better when not at home. However, I would like to mix up some home study time as well.

Will I get "too tired/burned out" if I do most of my studies at the library, haha! ??

I would love to hear your thoughts if you like me prefer to study OUTTA THE HOUSE!. How did you study at home (ie. just to review. etc?)

2) Essential Furniture Required

I prefer to have minimal furniture, know it's really personal preference, and related to #1- however I would still love to hear your thoughts

a) Special study desk + study chair needed or a big dining table would be just fine with a study chair?

b) Bookshelf essential - but doesn't need to be very big?

c) Couch - do you actually have sometime to relax the couch or that's just fantasy? I'm wondering if is worth it to have a comfy couch or a chair would do?

1) it's nice to have balance and a change of scenery. I split my time 50/50 and it keeps things at least mildly interesting.

2) estate sales are a great place to pick up furniture for amazingly cheap. IKEA stuff is sufficient and pretty cheap as well, but kinda junky. My best purchase was a 28" external monitor for my computer that I got for $30 at an estate sale. I use it every time I study and it makes watching lecture while typing notes much easier

 

[NidDAlouette]

Ideal study location is going to vary so much based on the individual, but FWIW, I'm a big fan of coffee shop studying. Not as stuffy as the library, but not as much temptation to nap as at home (the struggle is real). One of my favorite purchases for med school was a good set of noise-cancelling headphones, so I wouldn't get distracted by conversations around me.

 

[Redpancreas]

So definitely find a chair and desk that allows for the best form of posture possible. The most important thing in the chair is a firm, lumbar support that doesn't soften over time and frankly the most important thing about the desk it's height level compared to your arms which people have different preferences for. Several of my classmates and I myself struggle with upper back and neck strains/pains from time to time during studying as you'll see in second year. regularly so figuring these things out is underrated. Although technically hardware, secondary monitors and IPads are extra screens and boost efficiency. Lastly, a walking desk if you study at home may be a great investment as well. They seem hipster/gimmicky but I've found having one really helps with energy & focus. Obviously nothing's mandatory though.

 

[Medin2017]

Ideal study location is going to vary so much based on the individual, but FWIW, I'm a big fan of coffee shop studying. Not as stuffy as the library, but not as much temptation to nap as at home (the struggle is real). One of my favorite purchases for med school was a good set of noise-cancelling headphones, so I wouldn't get distracted by conversations around me.

What headphones?

 

[NidDAlouette]

What headphones?

I got the Bose Quiet Comfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones. They are definitely a splurge, but for me it's been one of my most worthwhile purchases to get me through med school.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

1. Bed
2. Couch
3. Chair + table
4. Desk

In descending order of importance.

 

[backside_attack]

I got the Bose Quiet Comfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones. They are definitely a splurge, but for me it's been one of my most worthwhile purchases to get me through med school.

PREACH.

Back to OP: chill. It's just furniture. Get a coffee pot with a timer (I also have a backup French press just in case the power goes out. Because coffee is life.)

I made myself a little study nook and then never use it; I usually usurp my husband's stand up desk in his home office or our dining room table. If you can, wait a couple weeks and see how you end up spending your time. I now use my desk as a storage area for the books/binders I'm no longer using.

 

[orangeblue]

1. Bed
2. Couch
3. Chair + table
4. Desk

In descending order of importance.

What do you use the couch for? Relaxing?

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

Quick question - I learned in undergrad that buying a desk is a fruitless endeavor as I never used mine. Has anybody ever used their living room as like a study area? Maybe buy a nice / long dining room table and set up shop in there, maybe buy a nice big white board, etc. I already have a nice 50 inch tv that I'll probably be keeping in my room so I always have that for Netflix and chill but I'm trying to optimize / learn to study at home because I have a dog and don't want to neglect her! May sound like a silly question but any suggestions are appreciated

 

[backside_attack]

Quick question - I learned in undergrad that buying a desk is a fruitless endeavor as I never used mine. Has anybody ever used their living room as like a study area? Maybe buy a nice / long dining room table and set up shop in there, maybe buy a nice big white board, etc. I already have a nice 50 inch tv that I'll probably be keeping in my room so I always have that for Netflix and chill but I'm trying to optimize / learn to study at home because I have a dog and don't want to neglect her! May sound like a silly question but any suggestions are appreciated

I have a dog too so I do most of my studying at home. I almost exclusively use the living room/dining room (open concept floor plan) as my study area. When I want to do serious studying, I set up shop at the end of the dining room table. Unless we have company, I pretty much just keep my stuff there. I use the couch more than I probably should, but sometimes I just can't stand sitting at the table any longer. I also have a study table in another room, but seldom use it.

 

[Eurus_Holmes]

Where to buy a good chair that helps with posture and thus back pain for cheap?

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

I have a dog too so I do most of my studying at home. I almost exclusively use the living room/dining room (open concept floor plan) as my study area. When I want to do serious studying, I set up shop at the end of the dining room table. Unless we have company, I pretty much just keep my stuff there. I use the couch more than I probably should, but sometimes I just can't stand sitting at the table any longer. I also have a study table in another room, but seldom use it.

Yeah that's what I was thinking of doing! I've just never been good at studying at home, I get distracted so easily. But this is when I had to try to study at the desk in my room.. maybe this will work better!

 

[mistafab]

King sized bed if you live with a significant other. Queen size if living by yourself.

 

[deleted689233]

Not quite furniture, but I'd definitely add Ninja, Bullet, or some other type of blender.

My Ninja was my best purchase. Can't neglect your health. So on those early mornings when you're rushing, or super busy studying and don't feel like making lunch, throw some frozen fruit, milk, peanut butter, and oats in a blender. Boom, nutritious energy in minutes.

 

[bananafish94]

I have a little apartment and the major furniture is a bed, desk, and couch. And then little stuff life a bedside table, etc. I could live without any of that stuff but the coffee maker is essential. It's just a cheap machine I got at a thrift shop but between that and my industrial sized can of Folger's I'm a happy man.

 

[akinetopsia]

Good bed, and practice good sleep hygiene. Night stand/bedside table for whatever you might need by the bed - light, somewhere to charge your phone & have it nearby, meds, etc.

Good desk and comfortable chair. External monitor for your laptop/hybrid tablet/etc., so you can have double the real estate, e.g. take notes on one screen and read/watch a video on the other screen.

Couch is important, yeah. Good for naps/having company over, even if you're a minimalist. Coffee table in front of couch with some storage underneath is nice too.

 

[mehc012]

Whiteboard. Best purchase I or any of my friends have made in med school, hands down.

Of course you'll have time to chill on the couch...even if you don't study there, which plenty of people do!

 

[onceawolverine]

Some questions on what furniture is important to get, and study habits!

1) Home vs. Library Study
Through out undergrad, I always felt that I paid better attention and had quality study time in the library vs. home alone. I could always focus better when not at home. However, I would like to mix up some home study time as well.

Will I get "too tired/burned out" if I do most of my studies at the library, haha! ??

I would love to hear your thoughts if you like me prefer to study OUTTA THE HOUSE!. How did you study at home (ie. just to review. etc?)

2) Essential Furniture Required

I prefer to have minimal furniture, know it's really personal preference, and related to #1- however I would still love to hear your thoughts

a) Special study desk + study chair needed or a big dining table would be just fine with a study chair?

b) Bookshelf essential - but doesn't need to be very big?

c) Couch - do you actually have sometime to relax the couch or that's just fantasy? I'm wondering if is worth it to have a comfy couch or a chair would do?

1) The biggest TV you can afford
2) A comfy couch that's not too nice since you'll probably spill food and beer all over it
3) Beer fridge to put next to comfy couch
4) Special study table that's really for beer pong
5) A bookshelf (because it doubles as really good storage for six packs eagerly awaiting placement in that beer fridge we hitherto discussed)

 

[DO2015CA]

Ideal study location is going to vary so much based on the individual, but FWIW, I'm a big fan of coffee shop studying. Not as stuffy as the library, but not as much temptation to nap as at home (the struggle is real). One of my favorite purchases for med school was a good set of noise-cancelling headphones, so I wouldn't get distracted by conversations around me.

I second the part about a good set of headphones. I bought a pair of beats the first semester and they were worth every bit of money

 

[Proudfather94]

Hey guys I found this thread and was seeing if people have any advice that wasn't discussed here. I'm going to need to get a decent chair that I don't mind sitting at for hours at my desk for studying. I'm thinking of getting a gaming chair as they seem like an affordable option and should be built for sitting down for prolonged periods. I'm thinking of getting noise canceling earphones as well do you guys have any specific recommendations or will any of those be effective?

 

[Bwesternn]

Hey guys I found this thread and was seeing if people have any advice that wasn't discussed here. I'm going to need to get a decent chair that I don't mind sitting at for hours at my desk for studying. I'm thinking of getting a gaming chair as they seem like an affordable option and should be built for sitting down for prolonged periods. I'm thinking of getting noise canceling earphones as well do you guys have any specific recommendations or will any of those be effective?

Please don't get a gaming chair. They're horrible all around. Spent 400 on one 7 years ago and it's been sitting in my spare room ever since.

Herman Miller Aeron or Embody if you have the cash to spare.

Sony WH-1000XM5's come out on the 20th. I have a pair of the XM4's and they're the single best headphones I've ever worn.

 

[Proudfather94]

Please don't get a gaming chair. They're horrible all around. Spent 400 on one 7 years ago and it's been sitting in my spare room ever since.

Herman Miller Aeron or Embody if you have the cash to spare.

Sony WH-1000XM5's come out on the 20th. I have a pair of the XM4's and they're the single best headphones I've ever worn.

Thanks I may get the gabrylly mesh as spending over a grand on a chair if definitely not in my price range

 

[djiboutiman]

Thanks I may get the gabrylly mesh as spending over a grand on a chair if definitely not in my price range

If you don’t mind used, look for a used office furniture store. Sometimes you’re able to find a high quality chair for cheap. I got a Steelcase Leap for $150 this way. If you’re near a university sometimes they sell of their old furniture for super cheap too. You could also check Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc. If you want new, I’ve heard good things about the IKEA Markus chair.