I knew going into medical school that I was going to need a perfect place to study. After all, the most effective medical students spend at least 3 to 4 hours per day studying. Why not make those hours enjoyable by creating an office setup that I absolutely love?
Let’s talk about all the accessories and products I used in my first year of medical school!
This post is all about aesthetic desk setup.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.
Making an Aesthetic Desk Setup
Why You Need a Good Study Space
I’m a big believer in having a dedicated study space, especially for something as rigorous as medical school. If you try to study on your bed, in the living room, or another part of your house that’s dedicated to anything other than studying, your studying probably won’t be as effective as it could be. From your pets to your friends and family, there are lots of distractions that can wander into your study space and disrupt you if you don’t have a dedicated area.
I’ve also found that having an aesthetic study space where I actually enjoy spending time makes me way more motivated. Obviously, you won’t want to study when your study area is cramped or cluttered. Investing a little time and money into making it your own little study oasis goes a long way when it comes to inspiring you to study more often and study better!
Aesthetic Desk Accessories
First up, let’s go over the desk accessories that made studying so much more enjoyable in my first year of medical school.
1. 3 Drawer Organizer
My 3 Drawer organizer comes in super handy throughout the day because I always have stuff I need to write down. Any time I need a sticky note, I can just reach over, grab one, and stick it on my computer. Easy! You can keep all kinds of things in here though, not just sticky notes. Fill it up with your favorite supplies!
2. Gold & Clear Carousel Desktop Organizer
I love the combination of clear containers and gold supplies, and my carousel desktop organizer captures the aesthetic perfectly. The gold paper clips I keep in there even doubled as super cute ornament hangers at Christmas! I also use my gold pins to hang up all my posters and pictures around the office. The organizer makes it easy to grab whatever I need, whenever I need it.
3. Gold & Clear Paper Tray With Drawer
My gold and clear paper tray even has an adorable gold handle to match my other aesthetic pieces! I keep lots of my supplies on top of the tray, but you can also use the drawer to store printer paper or extra loose-leaf paper if you need it.
4. Gold & Clear File Box
Like my other gold and clear accessories, my file boxes are from Target. Unfortunately, mine came cracked during transport, but I still think they look super cute. I use them to hold all of my notebooks, planners, folders, and a few books too.
5. File Sorter
If you need a little extra storage or organization on your desk, you can also grab one of these handy file sorters. You can store files, folders, and skinnier binders in here, or use it as a little home for your electronics. Let your phone live there while you study or place your tablet and laptop in there when you’re done for the day.
6. Highlighters
Cute highlighters are an absolute must-have for every study session. I love the pastel colors of this gel set, and, best of all, they don’t bleed through the pages when you use them. Even if pastel isn’t your thing, they have other color sets as well, including Dusty, Earthy, and Vintage.
7. Ballpoint Pens
Ballpoint pens are another necessity. This set also comes in super cute pastel colors, and each pen can write in 4 different ink colors: black, red, green, and blue. Perfect for color-coding and writing in your planner!
Technology
Technology is a lifeline for medical students. In fact, I don’t know if I’d be able to survive without these next 3 items – seriously!
1. Pink iMac
I’m completely obsessed with my pink iMac. And add in the matching pink mouse and keyboard? Ugh! But I love it for more than just the color. When I’m studying at home or in a Zoom lecture, it’s so nice to have the extra screen space compared to my laptop. I can have my lecture open in the top right, my PowerPoint slides pulled up in the bottom left, and my Anki cards hanging out on the right. Throughout lectures, I can even screenshot parts of the PowerPoint slides and add them to the notes section of my Anki cards for clarification later.
I also love that the webcam is super clear, so I never have to worry about my online classes.
Go to my blog post How to Study in Medical School for lots of little hacks that save you time and make you a better student!
2. iPad
I’ll admit – my iPad is more of a luxury than a necessity. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t use it every day. It works together so well with the iMac. I love that I can take a screenshot on my iPad and automatically share it with my iMac. It makes life way easier. Plus, I use Notability a lot, so I download all my lecture PowerPoints to my iPad. That way, I can search for a certain word and find the slides I need really quickly.
3. Laptop
My laptop is what I usually bring with me to lecture. Since I don’t need to have the Zoom lecture up in one corner, there’s plenty of room on the screen to have the PowerPoint and my Anki cards open at the same time.
Functional Accessories
This category has all the accessories that up my quality of life while studying so much. If technology is the core of studying, these are the items that make each session more bearable.
1. Heated Blanket
I come into my office at 5:30 AM every morning, and it’s always freezing cold, even with the heat cranked up. My heated blanket helps me stay warm and cozy so I don’t turn into an ice cube while I’m working. I think it’s probably my favorite item on this whole list – no joke!
2. Heater
Of course I need a heater to accompany my heated blanket. I live in Colorado! I like my blanket a little more than my heater, but what I love about this heater in particular is that it’s both functional and cute. While my old heater got the job done, it wasn’t nearly as adorable as this one.
3. Beats Headphones
Did I steal my headphones from my husband? Maybe. But, they’re so helpful for my morning routine. Most days, I use them to listen to music while I get my Anki cards done. It’s a nice, chill way to ease into the day and start out strong.
4. Large Whiteboard
I have a huge whiteboard mounted on my wall, and I love using it to study, keep track of deadlines, brainstorm, organize information, and more. It’s not something I use every single day like my iPad, but I’m very happy that I decided to buy it.
5. Small Whiteboard
I also have a mini whiteboard that is great for studying at my desk. I can use my iPad for a similar purpose, but sometimes the whiteboard is all I need to get the job done, especially if I’m currently using my iPad for something else.
6. Black Cart
The black cart next to my whiteboard holds all my whiteboard accessories. I have lots of markers, so it’s nice to have one spot near the board where they all live and stay organized. That way, I never have to go searching for the color I want. Since the magnet on my eraser broke, it hangs out on the cart with the markers too.
7. Calculator
I also have a cute little desktop calculator that I use when I need to do some quick math, but I don’t feel like reaching for my phone. It matches the rest of my aesthetic desk setup perfectly, and I appreciate how easy-to-read the display is.
8. Desk Drawer
The top drawer of my desk houses some other small essentials, many of which hang out inside this organizer. First, I have hand lotion because, again, I live in Colorado – It gets very dry! I need it for my hands and sometimes my face while I’m studying.
I also keep my blue light glasses in my drawer. You’re supposed to wear them in the evenings to help you fall asleep by not staring at blue light for the last few hours before bed, but I tend to wear mine during the day too. It makes me feel better about staring at my screen for 8 hours.
Visionboard
The last piece of my desk aesthetic setup puzzle is my visionboard. I’ve always enjoyed having something posted by my desk that reminds me of my goals. While studying for the MCAT, I printed out a table that showed the percentiles for MCAT scores, wrote down “≥ 516” on it, and had it up next to my desk all summer. And, I ended up getting a 516 on my MCAT, so maybe there’s something to it!
To keep with my tradition, I created a visionboard to illustrate my goals and help keep me motivated. It hangs right next to my desk so I can see it every day and remember exactly what I’m working toward.
I hope this guide gave you a few new ideas for your aesthetic desk setup, even if your aesthetic preferences are nothing like mine. Good luck, and happy studying!
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