The Comfiest Classrooms On The Western Washington University Campus
Knowing the usual desks and chairs in each Hall on campus is something that gets overlooked amidst choosing classes, dorms, professors and majors. Rightly so, considering how important those things are when going to school, especially for first-year students.
Students spend over 10 hours every week in class (if you go to class regularly) so what you’re sitting in is important! Hopefully you’ll have at least one class in these couple rooms while going to school here, or get to experience them once!
I’ve also personally left my own rating on each of the desks and chairs, 1 being I would hate having a class with these desks and chairs, 10 being I’d recommend taking a class in that specific classroom no matter what class it is because it’s just so darn comfortable.
Miller and Bond Hall
Miller and Bond Hall are both right next to Red Square in the middle of campus, and both classrooms have fun, cute chairs that me and most Western students I know enjoy. This quarter is my first quarter ever having a class in one of the classrooms with these chairs, and the class I’m taking is Japanese 101 in Miller Hall 135.
Miller and Bond Hall rooms have multiple classrooms with mobile chairs. There are a few classrooms on campus, specifically in Miller and Bond Hall, that have lime green and gray rolling desk and chair combos. The freedom of movement provided allows you to pull up a chair next to a friend if the immediate seats are taken or move wherever you want.
You can move the desk to accommodate whether or not you’re left or right handed, and if you feel your classmates eyes on you as you try to figure it out and stop midway through, the desks are rectangular and don’t have an awkward connector on the top like fixed desks.
There’s also space underneath the chair for you to put your backpack so you don’t have to put it on the ground. Since the desk and chair are combined and on wheels, you’ll also always have your bag on you as you move across the room for group work.
The desks are also adjustable so you can choose how close or far away you want it to your body. The freedom to choose where to have your desk is also beneficial if you’re on the heavier side, as you can adjust where the desk will go. There’s also plenty of space between the desk and your thighs so you can cross your legs even if you have thick thighs.
The seats aren’t cushioned, but they provide good back support and have a good amount of surface area for you to sit on.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Academic West
Academic West is located on the south end of Western Washington University and is one of the more recent buildings.
Academic West 204 has theater-like seats. The whole seat is cushioned which gives it a theater-like feel and it is comfortable. One downside is that the classroom is usually really cold and the heat is rarely turned on. Dress warmly or bring a jacket if you have a class here and plan on wearing shorts or short sleeve tees!
The padding provides good support for 2-hour long classes, or watching a movie with friends after classes are finished for the day, and there’s plenty of space between you and the students next to you. There’s also a good amount of space for your backpack underneath your seat, but if you have multiple bags, it will be difficult to fit them all underneath you and you’ll have to put some in front of you on the ground.
The desks are in a fixed position, which can be uncomfortable if you’re on the larger side and the desks are also quite small. If you have a large laptop it will be difficult keeping it on the desk, and don’t even think about putting a water bottle on the desk unless you want to be that person and accidentally knock it off mid-lecture, which is super embarrassing. Trust me, I’ve been there.
I’ve only ever watched movies with friends in this classroom, and that’s always been fun because of how comfy the chairs are. Friends complained to me about it being too cold, but everyone I’ve spoken with agrees they’re comfortable for being lecture hall seats.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Miller Hall cont.
Miller Hall also has another desk that’s different from the desks on wheels. There are classrooms with black bottom padded comfortable chairs with adjustable desks. The desks are larger than the mobile chairs, so you can fit a water bottle, notebook, and pencil pouch comfortably on the desk and the seats provide a decent amount of cushion. If you have a large laptop, it will fit on the desk, but you won’t be able to take physical notes or put anything else on the desk if that’s what you wanted to do.
It’s difficult to move these chairs around the room though, because they’re heavy and awkward to pick up. Group work in these classes is difficult, but can be done when more effort is put in. These desks are accommodating for those who are larger than the average person, and can be moved.
I’ve had many classes in rooms with these chairs and they’ve always served me well. I personally feel neutral towards them, but I do appreciate the fact the desk is adjustable and easy to get in and out of. I also attend many club meetings in classrooms with these desks and they’re hard to move around but are great for meeting with small groups!
Western students I’ve spoken to appreciate the factors I listed even though they said these chairs aren’t super special. The fact that the desk is adjustable is what everyone mentioned to me though, so don’t take adjustable desks for granted when going to class!
