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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is having a laptop on my bed for online uni ok?

31 replies

orchardsmagnolia · 03/09/2021 21:00

I'm starting a PGCE very soon and some advice please

Where would be the best place to tale my laptop for online lessons, the only two places I can think of is the dining room table however the fridge about every once in awhile makes a loud humming noise for about 30 seconds which could be distracting. Or the only other place I can think of is my bed but is that unprofessional? I have a lovely computer which would be perfect however I do not have a camera on it which is a shame.

What would be the best thing to do if anyone of you could advice me on at all?

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 03/09/2021 21:01

Dining table - you will probably spend more time on mute than anything else.

Edmontine · 03/09/2021 21:03

I’m pretty sure you know the correct answer, OP …

PlanDeRaccordement · 03/09/2021 21:04

Dining table. You will want to have room to take notes or look at the text being discussed. It is also better for your back and posture than hunched over on the bed. In addition, many laptops need a hard surface under them otherwise they overheat.

Zarene · 03/09/2021 21:05

I’d buy an external camera for the desktop.

SnarkyBag · 03/09/2021 21:05

Definitely not on the bed

Original poster
orchardsmagnolia · 03/09/2021 21:06

That should say take not tale sorry

OP posts:
2reefsin30knots · 03/09/2021 21:09

If you are anxious about a choice as basic as this, you are going to find teaching bloody hard.

WeAreTheWeirdosMister · 03/09/2021 21:10

I just did an MA on my bed, the only place I could get away from the 3 dc's and MANY of the other callers were on their beds too.

If you want to test the waters set up on your dining table for the first week, but no one cares.

AlCalavicci · 03/09/2021 21:11

I agree with the dinning table , not only will you have room to write notes put your drink stash of sweets but if you are on a bed evey time you move even just a bit the camera will shake a lot and from a watcher / lecturers point of view it is very distracting

bonfireheart · 03/09/2021 21:11

www.argos.co.uk/product/8814906

Would something like this fit somewhere in the house?

burnoutbabe · 03/09/2021 21:12

I did my undergraduate degree from my bed last year. I got a raised bed desk to raise up the laptop and a massive bed cushion for support.

People just see a wall behind me. (I do need to remember to move teddy first)

FawnFrenchieMum · 03/09/2021 21:13

Plug your laptop into your computer monitor? Best of both worlds.

Original poster
orchardsmagnolia · 03/09/2021 21:14

I know this might sound silly but I live with my parents and my Mum will be at home some days in the week. What happens if she wants to use the kitchen to make herself a drink?

OP posts:
Howshouldibehave · 03/09/2021 21:14

Where’s your computer? Get a webcam for that.

Shame it’s still online lesson for a PGCE -has that been confirmed?

Tee20x · 03/09/2021 21:14

Completely up to you and I think you know what would work best for you. Will you be taking handwritten notes or making them on the laptop?

When my whole household was wfh, I had to work from my bed for a while due to space issues and others in the living room and dining room. Didn't make much difference to me at all.

Even when I was at uni and actually had a desk I wouldn't use it - just what worked for me.

Obviously in terms of posture etc it's better to sit at a desk or table but why would you be concerned about appearing unprofessional in your own home - no one would know where you're working from anyway? Even with cam on all that would be seen is the wall behind you.

Howshouldibehave · 03/09/2021 21:15

@orchardsmagnolia

I know this might sound silly but I live with my parents and my Mum will be at home some days in the week. What happens if she wants to use the kitchen to make herself a drink?
Then she can work round you.
DameAlyson · 03/09/2021 21:16

The tutor will probably mute everyone, or ask you to mute yourselves, unless you are actually asking a question. You won't be the only student with some noise in the background - washing machine, chiming clock, dog, other people in the house, noise in the street outside....

bonfireheart · 03/09/2021 21:19

I manage a team of 5 and someday work from my bed lol

uhtredsonofuhtred1 · 03/09/2021 21:20

I'm about to go into my 2nd year of my degree and I don't (yet!) own a desk or a dining table so have successfully completed (and aced) my 1st year from my bed. We hardly ever had to have our cameras on and when we did, it was just for group work between students and lots of others were on beds too! I am getting a desk once my loan comes in but it's mostly just so I have somewhere to keep everything together and to hand

jerometheturnipking · 03/09/2021 21:20

You’ll have your camera off most of the time, and the university will be understanding of people being at the kitchen table.

jerometheturnipking · 03/09/2021 21:21

Also do they not still sell USB webcams to plug in to computers that don’t have cameras?

takehomepay · 03/09/2021 21:22

You can pick up an online camera for very cheap. Just connect that to your computer via USB.

FfrothiCoffi · 03/09/2021 21:23

Bloody hell my DH manages a huge team at an international bank and has to sometimes quickly mute his zoom meetings with senior execs because my toddler has run in saying he needs a poo or he wants a snack. I’m sure they won’t mind the noise of a fridge humming.

Di11y · 03/09/2021 21:23

Id buy a web cam or get headphones as they won't hear your fridge with the backgrounds Ind noise filter on, and with headphones you wouldn't hear it either.

Thingsdogetbetter · 03/09/2021 21:23

Online uni courses tend to insist on headsets to avoid these backgrounds noises. PGCEsexpect professionalism more than other courses and you're expected to treat it like a teacher training rather than a course - would you do a staff meeting zoom from your bed? If your bedroom is the most private you could set up on something a dressing table if you don't have a desk.You can blur your background etc.