When I started my phd (in a different country, during late covid times) my only collegue who would have sat in my room always worked from home. It wasn't very fun at all. Well, very few people came to the office anyways, so I just had to try and figure out everything by myself, eat lunch alone, etc. etc.

I am so much happier now in a 4 person room where I have 1-3 collegues to talk to depending on the day.

[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Having a private office would be a nice symbol of status but I don't think I'd actually enjoy working in one - in grad school, I was really happy in my shared office since the other guys there were my friends. I graduated a year after them and that last year was not fun. Of course new people took their spots but those people were strangers to me.