You are gearing up to go to college, your bags are packed, and you are eager to start life on campus. Possibly, you have managed to secure a student loan and want to know which items you should purchase and which you can happily forget about. Here we take a look at the technology that will make your life easier as a student.
A Laptop
A laptop is a must-have. Here’s why:
With a laptop, you can work from anywhere. This includes taking notes in class, working on group assignments, and even emailing or Skyping your family. Make sure that you choose a lightweight laptop that is under 2 kg with a suitable laptop bag so that you can carry it easily between classes.
You will be able to store all your files in one convenient device. No ruffling through piles of papers on your desk, and it will save on space. It is vital that you also get an external hard drive for backing up your files in case of a system crash.
Doing assignments is easier when you can keep the internet open to look for information and work on your answers at the same time. Citing sources is a breeze.
You will also be able to listen to music and watch movies.
A Printer
Are printers for college students a necessity? Here are the benefits:
Firstly, you will save yourself money and time by having your own printer. The students who don’t have a printer will have to join the queue at the library to print out their presentations or thesis submissions. Documents printed elsewhere will cost you. When you need to make edits, you can clean up your work and quickly reprint it from your room.
Secondly, despite the trend towards a paperless environment, some professors insist on handing in a printed version of your assignments. You can make notes on a printed copy, such as correcting a wrong answer or expanding on it. This makes revision more effective. Written text will also give your eyes a break from a computer screen.
Thirdly, given the competitive prices of printers in the current market, it is certainly an item worthy of consideration. Replacing ink has also become much cheaper and you can get ones that have been recycled at a fraction of the cost without loss of quality.
Finally, new printers come in many designs and some of these take account of your need for a compact, space-saving product. Some will even fit in a backpack.
Other Items Worth Getting
A smart pen records audio from your lectures via a microphone and creates a digital record of written text. You can go to any place in the digital text, and it will replay the audio associated with it.
Digital textbooks allow you to store all your textbooks in one place in a device that is light and easy to pack into your bag. This means no more carrying heavy textbooks. A single digital textbook costs two-fifths the price of the printed version. In some cases, it is also possible to load class guides on your digital textbook.
With constant advances in technology, tools for students are continuously being upgraded.