Julia Pina

Herald Contributor

College campuses feature many different types of buildings. There are residence halls, dining halls, libraries, and of course, classrooms. Here at Roger Williams University, almost every building on campus is unique in its own way. Not only do these buildings vary in architecture and space, but also on what type of desks they have.

As a means to see which types of desks students prefer, 26 students participated in a survey. Despite this small sample size, the data still consists of the thoughts of 12 freshmen, 11 sophomores, 2 juniors, and 1 senior, and as a random sample, it can be extrapolated as feedback about what students prefer when it comes to desks.

The survey asked a series of three simple questions, the first being which year each participant was. The second asked which classroom desk each student preferred, and the majority of students were split between tables (46 percent) and wheely desks (42 percent), leaving a rare few who preferred the traditional desk (12%). Perhaps students were tripped up by the word “traditional,” or maybe they were picturing the very small and cramped desks for single students that fill the few lecture halls here on campus.

Based on the data received, most students tended to avoid wanting “traditional desks” in class. They preferred the long tables that can be found at GHH, the library, and even places were students don’t normally go to study – the sailing center.

Furthermore, answers to the final survey question, which asked students which classrooms or atmospheres on campus they feel best promote learning, indicated that students prefer more open areas in which they can work with friends or simply not feel cramped. Aside from the many table options, which are definitely plentiful at RWU, many buildings—especially the Global Heritage Hall—hold classrooms with wheely chairs. These desks are not only fun and promote excitement—even among students who are to be considered adults—but were also quite popular with RWU students.

“Wheely chairs for sure” said one sophomore in response to the survey.

The data revealed that students didn’t necessarily prefer wheely chairs to long tables, although this was the assumption prior to conducting a survey on the matter. However, everyone still knows that if you want to do homework in a room containing desks on wheels, you have to get there early because they fill up fast!

All in all, different student prefers different styles of desks, which is why students should take advantage of the large variety of options.