Your guide to a better future

Looking to revamp your study space as midterms approach? I've compiled a list of essential items to transform every room into a cozy study space.

Charlotte Maracina is an associate writer for CNET based in Long Island, New York. When not writing about top products on the market, she's traveling, binging Love Island or following Harry Styles on tour.

As the weather begins to cool and midterm season approaches, it's important to make sure you have a study space ready for the days that it's too cold to make it to the library. 

I remember the long, stressful hours I'd spend locking myself in my dorm trying to finish a study guide that should've only taken a half hour to complete. One of the main reasons I stayed sane throughout my college years, especially during the COVID college years, was the relaxing atmosphere I made for myself in my dorm room. 

In college, just as in life, there are so many things out of your control. Something you can control, however, is the space you create for yourself whether it be just on your side of your dorm or in your own room at home. That's why I've compiled a list of items to help you feel relaxed and create a more cozy environment for your study space.

This one is the most necessary out of all my recommendations. Owning a good desk lamp will allow you to do your best work while avoiding any eye strain that may come along with lamps that are too dim. I personally love the Uplift Desk LED Lamp E7 because of the bright light it provides and the compactness of the lamp itself.

For me music is one of the biggest sources of relaxation in my life. I personally love to play records while working on projects I don't necessarily need to focus too hard on which is why I'm adding the Electrohome Kingston Record Player to the top of my list for essential study space items. The Kingston Record Player not only plays records, but allows you to listen to the radio and can connect to your phone using Bluetooth or auxiliary cord. This is by far my favorite record player I've ever owned.

If you're looking for a more simple record player that doesn't take up as much space as the Kingston, then I'd recommend the Electrohome Montrose Vinyl Record Player.

I only recently began using a laptop stand and it is a game changer. Working remotely and being on my laptop for several hours a day often leaves me feeling so stiff by the end of the day. That's where the Curve Flex Laptop Stand comes in. A laptop stand allows you to elevate your laptop to eye level and to give your legs a stretch while continuing to work. The Curve Flex Laptop Stand is a portable laptop stand that allows you to give your laptop a lift wherever you go. 

If you're looking for a way to make your study space more zen, then you need to start with buying an essential oil diffuser. I always use my essential oil diffuser when I need to calm down or need to add a more pleasant scent to my stuffy dorm room. This $40 essential oil diffuser from Amazon includes the 10 different essential oils, seven different light modes and gives users the capability to set a timer. 

Owning a comfortable lounge chair makes for the perfect place to read a book or take a break from studying. Whenever I needed to read a book for class I always cuddled up on my super soft lounge chair and read there instead of my uncomfortable wooden desk chair. The Simply Essential Square Folding Lounge Chair is my chair of preference, for only $40 you can study in comfort.

Sometimes you can't be bothered to study at your desk, especially when your favorite TV show is playing in the living room. Whether you want to work from your bed or in a car, a lap desk allows you to work comfortably wherever you choose. 

This one is for all those college students still stuck in a stuffy dorm. Adding an air purifier to your study space will help with any congestion you may be experiencing, especially as the fall season comes around. This air purifier has a three speed fan and a two part 360 degrees filtration system that cleans the air in every dorm room or apartment. If you are like me and suffer from extreme winter allergies and hesitate to study in your room because of all the dust, then this is for you.