Get Schooled on Ergonomics!

The Perry-Castañeda Library, a.k.a. "that place every Longhorn spends a ridiculous amount of time at during midterms." Bring an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. (Photo: Wally Gobetz/Flickr)

Austin is a place known for many great things - good food, good music, good beer - but to me, it'll always be the home of my beloved alma mater, the University of Texas. However, while I enjoyed my time at Forty Acres, one thing I know can always be improved for incoming Longhorns is working comfort. Between long days in labs and endless nights in study groups at PCL, I suffered through my fair share of wrist and back pain associated with poor posture from continuous laptop use. It's not easy to work comfortably as a college student, but since coming to THS, I've come across a few ergonomic items that can definitely make the school year easier on your body (though they unfortunately won't help you stave off the freshman fifteen).

These days, the ever-present companion for any given college student is a laptop or tablet of some sort. With the exception of a few classes that ban electronics use, a student in class without a notebook or tablet is an unprepared student. While these devices offer an unprecedented level of help in organizing and sharing your notes, setting up shop in a lecture hall with a typical laptop usually results in your screen being too low and too far away, while your keyboard sits ever so slightly out of your neutral reach zone. The result is long hours spent with your arms outstretched, eyes strained, and head bent down at an awkward angle while fighting the urge to flip through Instagram during a boring lecture, none of which is good for your body or productivity.

The solution to these ergonomic issues is actually pretty simple, and these days, it won't take up much space in your already-stuffed backpack either. My favorite combo for on-the-go ergonomics like this is the Goldtouch Go!2 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard and the Goldtouch Go! Travel Notebook and Tablet Stand. The Goldtouch Go!2 keyboard offers unprecedented levels of ergonomic adjustment for a travel keyboard, using a locking ball joint mechanism that lets you tent or splay the keyboard to your liking, then fold it in half for easy storage the moment the professor tells you you're free to go. The wireless radio syncs with Bluetooth-enabled Windows laptops, Macbooks, iPads, and Android tablets to give you compatibility with all your wireless devices, and a USB version is also available for devices without Bluetooth connectivity. You can also use it in tandem with a comfortable ergonomic mouse like the Evoluent Vertical Mouse 4 Wireless for even more portable computing comfort. The Goldtouch Go! Travel Notebook and Tablet Stand rounds out this portable workstation, propping up your laptop or tablet for easy viewing at a correct height and angle, then folding flat when not in use.

These convenient ergonomic accessories might not fix every problem you'll run into in college - we've yet to produce an UPLIFT Roommate Snore Silencer, for example - but by integrating these simple ergonomic accessories and utilizing some basic ergonomic tips, you're bound to make college four of the most comfortable and productive years of your life!

Learn more about accessories for on-the-go ergonomic comfort at TheHumanSolution.com.