2021 Study from Home Setup

"Thank goodness we built this computer before lockdown."

Another day, another semester at my dream school from home. The setup is always a work in progress, but I think I've gotten it to something I can be content with for a while. Plus, I'm running out of money. I'm writing about how the desk is now. There are a lot of updates throughout of this two-year journey that I'm planning for a video...?

I'll start from the beginning. In 2018, my best friend won a PC from a popular tech YouTuber via trivia contest. I asked him what he was doing with the case since he was gutting the parts to put in his case, and he said he would give it to me. So I had a free case, just sitting in my closet for a year. Then we moved house, and then it sat in the closet for a few more months. Beginning of 2020, I finally decided to start putting a parts list together and setting up a budget with my financial aid. Because the best thing to do with free money is to spend it. I was going to visit my friend in February and then go on a shopping trip to Micro Center. We tried our best to pick stuff from the list I made. I believe we got everything on the list with some adjustments. (I haven't updated the list and couldn't be bothered at the moment.)

We built it in the hotel to make sure it all worked and it was successful. And we made sure it would travel safely back home. The PC is the only thing that has stayed the same pre-pandemic.

Important Specifics (a.k.a I hate the word "Peripherals")

Desk

The adventure I had with building my dream desk is difficult to detail and the timelines are so hazy.

December 2020 - I initially ordered the Autonomous Home Office sit-stand frame. It sat near the foyer for a month because I was waiting for the fall semester to be over and I was researching for a surface.

January 2021 - Everyone's favorite Swedish furniture was always out of their popular countertop and I was tired of waiting. Why would I spend so much money on particleboard? I chose to get a real wood butcher block at a major hardware store. They didn't have it in stock, so I ordered it online, waited a few days for the email that it was ready for pickup, and went back to the store with my dad. It was HEAVY. I spent two to two-and-a-half days sanding it and putting on oil. During those days, it rained. So, the countertop went from outside, to the living room, the garage, and finally to my room. (Serious shoutout to my chiropractor.)

Once my dad and I finally put together the desk, and I tested it out for a week, I realized it was way too high and my body was in even more pain. (My chiropractor deserves all my money.) I bought the Premium frame and I still find it frustrating that shorter folks have to spend more money on a desk frame to fit their height. In a nutshell, my dad and I did something I would not recommend, we (for lack of a better term) "NASCAR'd" it. We propped the very heavy countertop up with stools, cardboard, and foam to replace the old legs with the new legs. I would not recommend it, but we were not in the state for more heavy lifting. I have footage of this, which I could use for that possible video...?

Monitors

My neighbor let me have an old monitor of his - an ASUS VX238H - while I was still researching one to buy. I decided I wanted a dual monitor setup: one for PC, and the other for my MacBook. I bought the ASUS VG278Q. I liked it so much that I wanted to buy another, but a couple months later. Just this semester, I decided to keep my MacBook open to use as a third screen to have ambient TV noise and to stop having thoughts about buying a Magic Trackpad. Having my laptop open and being able to use the trackpad again helps for connectivity emergencies when I'm starting up the PC. I use my Mac for Zoom and rushing to open it up five minutes before class would take longer with the actual mouse.

Mouse

Speaking of mice, I upgraded to a Logitech MX Master 3. The previous version was decent, but it was frustrating me with major connectivity issues and lagging with Logitech Flow in between devices. I really like this new mouse. I would love to get a vertical mouse, but only if Logitech makes one with a thumbwheel. The MX Master 3 isn't meant for gaming, but I use it for it anyway and it hasn't failed me.

Speakers & Headphones

Lately, I'm using the Bose speakers less and less. It's usually for the background noise which I keep at a low volume. But when I did use it more frequently, I enjoyed how balanced the sound is. I'm no sound expert, but when I watched an old concert video back in January, on both monitors and the speakers loud, it felt like I was there. (Maybe it's just because I haven't had a lot of human interaction.) The Sony headphones are great for everyday use. They were a lower-end option for me, since the ones I wanted which a friend let me use once, were three times the price.

Monitor Light

I want to write about this briefly because it's changed my life. I used an old Taotronics desk lamp that didn't have the reach and I didn't have space for it, so I bought the BenQ ScreenBar. Even after I changed the monitors to the highest level of blue-light filtering, being able to change the color temperature to ease my eyes has been amazing. It's also the best light for when I'm writing to-do lists in my journal.

HELP ON A SHELF

The things above my shelf have been curated to bring me joy and inspiration.

• Totoro note: My best friend, who helped me build this computer, said to me, "Just make the best of it. You got this." It was during the 2020 fall semester when I was having a breakdown about group projects. It's good to have a reminder of how I have learned to work through the tough times of this switch to online school and how I'll continue to better process my thoughts and work.
• Champagne: My first bottle. I bought it when I graduated from community college in spring 2020. After eight years, on and off, I deserved it. I don't drink much anymore.
• (Blackwing One Step Long Point Sharpener: I bought the pencils before I got the sharpener. It was probably four to five months in between. What's wrong with me?)
• Whiteboard: A bracelet from Outsidelands (remember concerts?), a postcard from my church, my university's pennant, some buttons, and a pin of a corgi as my sun sign.
• Pictures: I hope I don't give the impression of idealizing public figures, but I do find some of them genuine and inspiring. I have a better read on people than before, and I prefer the public figures who have the same moral compass as I do. Anyway, the pictures are of some Broadway actors, a Korean-American TV & film actor, my favorite English saxophonist / multi-instrumentalist, and my favorite British comedian.
• Eiffel Tower: A friend of mine went to France with his family, and got me a souvenir saying, "I know you don't like tacky things, so I got you something tacky." It cheers me up. Plus, I'm picking up where I left off in high school French and trying to learn the language again. J'étudie beaucoup. Je suis fatigue.
• Giant Leaps Begin with Small Steps: From the Slow Growth Academy, founded by everyone's favorite minimalist videographer.
• Sacramento Kings cowbell: "I got a fever... and the only prescription... is more cowbell."
• JetPens Highlighter Sampler - Blue Green: Simply for aesthetic purpose, and I'm ashamed about it.

(Since the 27th of February, the items on the shelf have changed a bit.)

Keyboards

The genuine stars of the show. I used to own a Corsair K70 in 2018, which I probably lost in the house move, or I'm just pretending it never existed. I researched for a wireless keyboard and I could use for dual operating systems; I discovered the Keychron brand. To be honest, I have three of them: the K2, K8, and this K6 - which is the one I've been using every day since the switch to online school.

I got tired of doing the whole hot-swap switch thing, so after finally settling on my favorite switches - Gateron Black Inks - I wanted to build my keyboards. The first one I built is a TOFU65 in white with an aluminum plate, I wanted a white keyboard case to match with my PC case. Then I wanted a keyboard that would go with everything and every keycap set, so I got another TOFU65, but this time in black with a brass plate.

It's a whole rabbit hole getting into the hobby of mechanical keyboards and even talking about it. I'm still learning, so I wouldn't ask myself for advice and getting started. Plus, I think I'm settled with these keyboards. I just want all the keycaps.

Conclusion...?

I think I stated in the first paragraph that the desk is always a work in progress, but I hope it stays in the current state for a while. I've put a lot of work into the desk and hope it's a reflection of my character and as unrefined as I am.

For a couple of years now, I have labeled myself as a minimalist. But since switching over to remote learning, I felt like I was losing that part of me with every purchase I made to make the technology efficient for the needs of my coursework. The definition of minimalism is subjective. But if I take pride in my studies, it should be reflected in what I've created here with my workstation. I have some advice: if you do have a desk setup of any kind, I recommended moving around every 15 to 30 minutes, exercising loads, and / or getting a chiropractor. Your body will thank you.

I'd love to see your setup for school or working from home! If you have any questions about anything I have or have not listed or you would like more detail on, feel free to message me on Instagram. I may take a while to respond since I try not use it during the semester so much.

Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings. xx