You never really think about it. Which hand you write with, use a computer mouse with, or even use a fork with. It’s just part of who you are.

Growing up, I always thought I was just like everyone else, until someone pointed out that I wrote with my left hand. Nothing too outrageous, right? And luckily, in college, almost everything is made to be easily accessible for anyone from any walk of life.

But have you ever tried to look for a left handed desk in a lecture hall?

It’s not so much a hassle, but it is something a left-handed student has to think about.

I never really wondered about how I have to adjust my natural instincts until I realized that I was almost the only left-handed person in my classes. In fact, only 15% of all the population is left handed. And those of you in that 15% can agree with me that there are just some things that you wish were simpler.

Table of Contents

3 Problems Only Left-Handed Students Will Understand:

Desks. 

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to sit in the far back corner of a classroom because that’s where the only left-handed desk is. In lecture halls, they’re nowhere to be found. 

To maximize space, my university has fold-out desktops over the right side of every chair. It means there are more chairs in a lecture hall, but I have to reach over to write my notes in class. 

It may not seem like that big of a deal, but when your dominant hand has to strain to type or write, it is not a pleasant workout feeling. Thankfully, if there isn’t anyone sitting on my left side, I am able to use their fold out desk. Just one small way I put my college education to good use.

Notebooks.

Oh, notebooks. The bane of my existence. 

Anything with a spiral or any binder clip is quite a challenge. I have to write with my hand on the spiral, and it’s a little hard to keep everything neat and not drift all over the paper. It makes my handwriting a little wonky when I have to rest my hand on the edge of a notebook. Not to mention that when writing, I get that graphite smudge from dragging my hand over my freshly written words instead of writing the words before my hand gets to them, like a right handed person would do. Just another battle wound of writing so much.