Let's talk about...furniture

ah no I should have looked more carefully. Dorm common area chairs were all wood frame, more-or-less-indestructible woven cushions. In blue or maroon.

It's like a type of sling chair?

It must have been some type of sling chair but it was very sturdy and must have had a bar where the seat meets the back.
So there must have been two separate canvas components to allow for give, but not too much deformation.

Stickley Morris Chair?

https://daltons.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/spi-1.jpg

That's far too dignified! The chair I remember was more squattish, yard-sale midcentury modern.
I did find pics of the cushion!

top
https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/b49zckabdyw.jpeg

underside
https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l4necoem34m.jpeg

Oof, this is tough. There are so, so many midcentury-ish chairs out there. I don't suppose you have any photos where the chair is visible, even if it's not the subject?

The chair unfortunately exists only in my spotty memory.
RIP ugly but comfortable chair

If this thread doesn't come through, maybe look for a furniture-specific forum? I feel like this is an answerable question, but you might need some REAL furniture nerds, retired dealers, etc, to say "oh yeah used to stock this one back in the day, lot of QC issues, never did get a build that could take a body-slam," etc.

it's more this style? (scroll to the bottom, the grid of 6 chairs)

https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/the-unexpected-2020-design-trend

Way too classy! But chunky is a good descriptor.
What are the most comfortable but aesthetically challenged chairs of youse all's memories?

so much "suburban parent" furniture is sadly in that category. huge overstuffed recliners just waiting for me to flop into them, as I wish I could afford and had the space for an Eames lounge chair + ottoman to get the same effect in a form I like.

Sadly my vote is the giant overstuffed easy chairs that Barnes & Noble made popular. Very cushy and womblike with room to sit sideways. They're enormous and ugly but you can really nest in them.