First aid, extra headphones, and hand sanitizer. I feel like these are common things to keep in studio.  But what about the more obscure things? The items that only someone who lived through architecture studio can tell you helped them in one way or another. These are ten unexpected things I kept at my studio desk.

10 Unexpected Things I Kept at My Studio Desk

1) Disinfectant Wipes

Full disclosure I am a germaphobe, I wiped my phone down with a lysol wipe before bed every night pre-covid and still do to this day.  Studio is a messy place.  Between leftover lead and markers from drawings to messy materials like glue or clay from model making, having wipes on hand is always helpful.  I would always wipe my desk down at the beginning of the semester (you never know what was there before or over breaks) and before any hand drawing or model making to try to keep the level of craft as nice as it can be.    

2) Personalized Photos/Memorabilia

3) Petey

A more specific personalization factor. I went to school on the coast of Rhode Island.  Being so close to the water, sea gulls roam around campus constantly.  They quickly became one of my favorite animals.  My first year my roommate and I bought a stuffed seagull for our apartment and named him Petey.  I now refer to all seagulls as “Peteys.”  It has since become an important mascot for me and my friends.  

My friends have also had a succulent pillow and even a skeleton at one point…but whatever motivates you, you know?

4) Blankets

I don’t remember undergrad, but my studio in grad school was constantly freezing.  I had two blankets, one for around my shoulders and one for my lap.  Even if your school is comfortable temperature wise, blankets can be great for spontaneous picnics in nice weather when you need a break from studio.  

5) Holy Water

This was a gift from one of my friends back home.  She, my sister and I recently got into watching ghost shows, and upon moving to New England, this friend gifted me with Holy Water from her “connections” (aka her grandmother).  I did live in an old funeral home that was probably haunted, but honestly I preferred to keep it in studio to ward off bad vibes.  To quote Michael Scott, “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.”

6) Silverware

While not the most environmentally friendly, I would keep disposal forks and spoons at my desk.  You could always keep a few sets of reusable ones, but I preferred to not have to worry about washing them.  It’s also helpful to be able to offer to anyone who maybe just ordered takeout and forgot to grab theirs, and if it’s disposable then you don’t have to worry about them getting it back to you.  

7) Empty Parmesan Containers

I was given these my very first semester of undergrad.  Somehow I ended up with two, and used one for blades and the other for a paint/glue water container.  It’s especially helpful when working with a material like foam core.  Most schools should have a place to properly dispose of used sharps, but when changing blades frequently it’s great to have a safe space to temporarily keep them until you’re able to properly dispose of them.  And the other I would fill with water and use when working with water colors or to clean the glue off my brushes while model making.

8) Nail Kit

Tweezers can be very beneficial. They can help when you get for splinters from working with wood, to detailed model work.  I had a separate pair of tweezers that even had a light on them. And a kit with a nail file and clippers can also be useful. Nail files for when you inevitably chip your nails working with materials, or even for make shift filing a material down.

9) Scrap Material

Maybe it’s the broke college student stereotype in me, but I always saved scrap material.  You never know when you’ll need to make a quick study model that won’t require laser cutting.  It comes in handy when you’re frustrated with a drawing and you can play with materials to look busy while waiting for a crit.  But sometimes it actually works and you’re struck with inspiration working physically in 3D.  

10) Communal Candy Bowl

I think this is the best thing I’ve ever brought to studio.  It started because my roommate and I bought Halloween candy for trick or treaters our first year of grad school, but no kids came to our street.  So then we had so much candy sitting around our apartment.  She was not an architecture major, but through me and our friends she quickly learned the vibe and suggested I bring it to studio.  I did, and the rest is history.  The great thing is everyone started to contribute.  A fave addition from students and professors as well.  

Conclusion

Those were the 10 unexpected things I kept at my studio desk. Did you keep anything unusual at your studio desk that you swore by?  From a helpful tool to a treasured memory, what would you add to this list?