One of the most essential things for every college student is their laptop. It’s where we take our notes, write our papers, study — or play Wordle. So when my laptop keyboard started malfunctioning in early January, I spiraled, predicting the chaos it would usher into my academic life. But having a laptop with a broken keyboard actually invited more organization and structure to my life while I learned how to get through my day without an electronic crutch. In our hectic lives as students, we get caught up in having difficulty separating our student and personal lives but being sort of computerless can help with work-life balance.
Before the spring semester even started, my laptop keyboard was slowly giving out, and by the first week of school, I found myself copying and pasting singular letters, punctuation and numbers. The notes I took for class or the pieces I wrote for The Hatchet initially looked like a new language filled with running sentences since the period key gave out.
After getting tired of having to manually copy and paste so many things, I decided that, for the time being, I would handwrite notes for almost all of my classes, which wouldn’t be that difficult since there were classes I already preferred taking physical notes in, like my Media, Politics and Government class. I would also set aside about eight to 12 hours a week at the library to use its computers to get the rest of my class assignments and Hatchet work done.
At first, it was somewhat frustrating to heavily rely on the library to get my work done during an allotted period of time. It meant having to wake up earlier or go straight to the library to do work right after class and staying there for around five hours. It felt especially exhausting when I just wanted to do work from the comfort of my room in my pajamas while I did laundry or drank some hot chamomile tea. It was even more annoying when a professor would send an assignment last minute or some piece had to suddenly be edited when I had already returned home from my designated time at the library.
But since I had such a strict schedule to follow, work-life balance entered my routine. It was a relief to just focus on work at the library and then not have to work on my computer or see a screen, with the exception of watching movies, once I got home. I live on-campus and never really feel the difference between school and my personal spaces.
Self-imposed deadlines for my schoolwork meant I was a lot more efficient and felt less stressed. Most of my classes are at the end of the week, so I had the most time during the beginning of the week to get all my assignments done, when I usually waited for the weekend to get my work done.
Also, because I was trying to avoid getting to my dorm so late, usually leaving the library around dinnertime, that meant I was also falling asleep earlier since my work was done for the day. And if an assignment did appear in the evening, it was easier for me to just go to bed early and focus on the assignment early in the morning instead of working on it at night. My dorm became a place where I could relax and do chores or read, creating a separation between my living space and my working space.
A rigid schedule helped with my eating habits as well. I have always had the bad habit of skipping meals or eating dinner at midnight since my schedule was all over the place. Since I was spending long periods of time at the library, I would have to eat breakfast or eat before heading there, so I wouldn’t get hungry while studying. And by the time I left, I was famished, so I would eat right after the library, no longer having midnight dinners — only midnight snacks. It was a blessing for my dorm to feel like a “home,” instead of just an extension of school.
The keyboard inconvenience didn’t only help me outside of class but also during class. I was horrified over the fact I wouldn’t be able to type in my classes — what if I had to respond to a lengthy email? What if I had forgotten to do something for one of my classes and would have to do it during class? While it was slightly inconvenient not being able to type on my laptop during class, I found myself getting a lot less distracted than I usually do because I was taking handwritten notes. My computer would either just sit on my desk or it wouldn’t even be on my desk, which allowed me to be much more engaged in my class lectures or class discussions.
But now my frustrations with my keyboard are over after getting a new laptop, which was a kind of bittersweet moment. I am glad I can finally stay working in the comfort of my dorm instead of facing the soul-crushing wind outside. However, I worry if my days at the library and my balanced schedule are over.
There will be times when I prefer the chance to respond to an email during class or to work from my dorm or want to do an assignment at 10 p.m. after taking a nap following a long day. But I do hope that I will keep the habits I curated when my laptop didn’t work.
Andrea Mendoza-Melchor, a junior majoring in journalism and mass communication, is the opinions editor.
