A new building, football field and courtyard weren’t the only additions that arrived at Robinson’s campus in mid-to-late 2023; a shipment of new desks rolled on up to Robinson’s front door. From the unpleasantness to the obnoxious creaks and don’t forget, the dreadful disorder they are found in at the end of each period, these “desks” are a disgrace to learning. When these desks were first introduced, I quite enjoyed them. They were unique and lacked dullness, unlike the traditional school desks that have been around for years. A fresh, up-to-date set of modern desks complimented Robinson’s nearly new campus. That is, until reality settled in. While these desks emanate a slick look, they are anything but.

After a while of sitting in them, the discomfort settles in. Staying still becomes an issue. The desks are easily turned and quite sensitive to small movements. Room is also a key issue. The length of the rolling desk, measured side to side, rounded to the nearest half inch, is 23.5 inches. The width, measured up and down, is 12.5 inches. In contrast, a traditional classroom desk, such as those in the history building, holds the same length, but measures a much greater width of 17.5 inches. Less space on the desk isn’t the only problem, however, as the basket under the desk does not provide ample room for backpacks and students’ belongings, and they are left splayed across the floor. This poses a safety hazard. In the event students need to exit the classroom quickly, they will be hurdling over sacks of thick binders and notebooks. Don’t forget water bottles, as there is not much area and strength for the desk to carry a metal flask.

On top of being annoying to the student that occupies the desk, they are also very distracting to those around them. Each movement results in a screech. When someone gets up or sits down, there are creaks. When someone reaches to grab something out of their bag, there are creaks. When someone pushes down on the desk just the slightest bit, guess what? — there are creaks. Distractions arise nearly every moment, depriving students of an immersive learning environment.

The bell rings and students scramble to exit the classroom. Desks twist and turn and roll about, finding themselves in new positions each period. Walking into a new class, the first thing one will be greeted with is the chaotic disarray of near 30 desks. Navigating through this maze of desks, people and backpacks is a frustrating task that is accompanied by several “excuse me”s and “sorry”s.

While these desks are beneficial in many ways, such as ease of rearrangement for group work, the cons outweigh the pros. Traditional desks should be brought back into all classrooms. But for the foreseeable future, we are just going to have to roll with it.