Purchasing a 3D printer has been an excellent decision, since it has allowed me to explore a bunch of creative projects over the years. I’ve printed lots of laptop accessories, PC parts, and even fixed broken things around the house – all using parts printed right at home. Along with being a lot of fun, 3D-printing these objects has also helped me save a substantial amount of money over the years. Thanks to the utility these prints add, I even found my 3D printer to be useful when I was at university. While I didn't know how to make my own designs at that time, those who knew could design and print any object in a matter of a few minutes or hours – instead of buying them at a store.

Since the 3D-printing community is so vast, I didn't have to rely on my design skills. There are thousands of designs and models that you can browse and print for absolutely free. These are designs that can make your student life easier, since they add value to everyday life. I’m talking about things like book holders that can help you study in a focused manner, laptop raisers that provide better ergonomics, etc. You can even design custom parts for your projects, your desk at school, the bedside table in your dorm, etc. It’s almost magical! Alright, enough examples. Here are some essentials that got me through my school life.

5 Ergonomic laptop raiser

Give your wrists an ergonomic upgrade

If you’re like me and you prefer taking notes on your laptop by typing instead of using a physical notebook or an iPad, you absolutely need this accessory. Typing for long hours with the laptop resting parallel to the ground can cause pain and issues like carpal tunnel syndrome in the long run. This is mainly because, when typing, your wrists rest in an unnatural position.

While you can get a laptop stand to elevate it to a certain level, most products available on e-commerce portals are either bulky or flimsy. So, the best solution is to print your own risers. These are tiny attachments that you can place on the rear portion of your laptop to put it at a slight incline. Try it, and your wrists will thank you.

4 Cable organizer

Avoid cable clutter on your laptop and desk

Everyone hates loose cables lying around in the backpack or dangling on one edge of the desk. Thankfully, the fix is just one 3D print away. Since I carry multiple cables in my backpack, I printed several cable winders that are super useful. You can unwind the cable to your desired length when you’re in class. This portable cable organizer by squinn is the one I've been using.

When you’re back in your dorm, use cable holders at the edge of your desk to hold multiple charging cables in place. I use three USB-C, one USB-A, and one proprietary charging pin at my desk. It was difficult to keep all of them tidy – until I printed this holder. Now, I can even identify which cable is what easily based on its position in the holder.

3 Containers of various sizes

Store your belongings safely

Thanks to a huge library of designs, I’ve found a ton of containers, organizers, trays, etc., that can be useful for storing various types of objects. For instance, I’ve printed boxes to store small stationery, cables, adapters, USB drives, SD cards, etc. I see immense value in this for students who carry a lot of items to college or university.

The best part is that a lot of these models are stackable – so you can print multiple and use them in tandem. As for containers – you can carry them in your backpack. But if you’re looking for storage solutions for your desk or dorm, I would recommend taking a look at organizational trays and boxes with multiple partitions.

2 Tablet stand

View your iPad's screen with ease

I know for a fact that several students prefer taking notes on a tablet, since it’s convenient to view and share with classmates. The myriad note-taking apps for iPad also make the experience a lot better. If that sounds like you, there are a bunch of tablet stands that will interest you. When you’re reading from your notes, a nice stand would help to keep the iPad at eye level.

A good adjustable stand can also be used for multiple purposes. For example, you can use it to place the iPad at an angle when sketching. If you also use your iPad along with an external monitor, the stand helps bring the iPad to the same height as the monitor for easier viewing. Depending on your specific use case, print the right stand for your tablet.

1 Book holder

Read without distractions

Just like how placing a tablet at an angle on a desk can help with better visibility, the same can be applied to textbooks, too. Oftentimes, large textbooks can get cumbersome to hold for long durations. In such instances, a book holder that can hold the pages for you can be useful.

All you have to do is place your book with the desired pages open and use the onboard clamps to hold it in place. You can then read the book while your hands are free to take notes or refer to other study materials. Again, there are different variations of this, including one that can be folded and tucked away into a backpack – making it easier to carry to class.

Build at will

Whether these items will be useful for your specific use case or not is secondary. The fact that you can print pretty much anything you want using a 3D printer is extremely handy when you’re in school. From a simple pen holder for class or a carabiner clip for your ID, to a case for your Raspberry Pi – you can print them all. Moreover, you can also design and print specific items or accessories for your projects or assignments. If you’re building a mini drone, you can print propellers, the chassis, and even a gimbal to mount a camera. The possibilities are endless. Since 3D printers have become quite affordable, you can even ask your friends to pool in and pick up an Elegoo Centauri Carbon or a Bambu Lab A1 mini as a shared resource. My friends and I pooled in and got a Creality Ender 3 back in the day.