As a current graduate student, I've found that I have developed a particular preference for the way my working desk is constructed, the way that it is laid out, and the functionality it offers me by the way of shelves, hutches, drawers, and more. This is now my fifth year in school, and in this article I will describe my ideal desk for studying. The first qualification that I present for a useful desk is that it must have solid construction. I find that solid oak desk or similarly rigid material is really great.
I hate when the desk or writing surface moves when I write on it, and this qualification is absolutely essential. Weak desks made from particle board can often be wobbly and difficult to write on. Additionally, a desk made from a solid oak or similar hardwood will last a lot longer than a cheap desk, so you'll get several more years of enjoyable use from it. The second qualification for a good student desk is that it absolutely must have room for and accommodate a personal computer. I do not find a keyboard tray to be necessary, but it must have ample room for a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and under-desk space for a computer tower.
Hutches For Desks
I find that several desks do not take this into consideration, forcing you to place a computer tower too close to your feet, making you feel cramped. I have this problem with my desk at home, which is a corner desk. The walls under the desk make it difficult to place a computer tower underneath without impeding my leg room. If you're thinking about purchasing a corner desk, make sure to think about the potential placement of your computer tower. In addition, make sure that the desk has enough room to not only accompany your computer and keyboard, but also has enough additional space so that even with the computer, you still have room to place books, papers, and other reading/writing materials for doing work that doesn't involve the use of your computer.
Finally, I argue that a good desk must have well-placed shelves, and if possible, a desk hutch that allows for overhead storage of textbooks, lamps, and other things. Shelves in the desk hutch should be made as customizable as possible, to allow for books of varying sizes. I hate when solid shelves are not tall enough to accompany my numerous 3 ring binders that I make use of as a student. If under-desk storage is provided, a file cabinet is a great addition that I would have found very useful in some of my dorm room desks. It is always nice to at least have some room for frequently-accessed files.
In conclusion, I will argue that a good desk must be made of solid construction, have ample space underneath for computer tower placement, have enough room to accompany a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and additional books/papers, and have customizable and useful shelving. A desk satisfying these conditions would make a great desk for a future or current student.