If you’re heading off to college, you probably feel like you could use all the help you can get, including any kind of tech assistance. The truth is that you’ll need old-fashioned study skills and perseverance to succeed in college, but there are some gadgets that can help a lot too. You probably already have a laptop and a smartphone. There are many apps for the latter than can help you learn languages, organize your day, complete tasks and more, but there are other gadgets that can also be invaluable. You can get help with all of the things below thanks to tech innovations.
Preparing
One of the best uses for tech is finding information. This can range from virtual tours of the schools you’re considering attending to connecting with other incoming freshman online to researching how you might pay for college. For example, you can look up what scholarships and grants you might be eligible for. You can also find out about taking out a student loan from a private lender. The repayments begin after you graduate, and you can learn about what these repayments will be, if you are eligible and what options are available to you by researching online.
Taking Notes
There’s no doubt that taking notes on your laptop is fast and easy, but did you know that you retain information better when you write it down manually? Or perhaps you are just someone who prefers to use pen and paper. However, there are advantages to being able to store your notes in the cloud and access them from anywhere. You can combine the best of both approaches, writing the notes and then digitizing them. This is also kinder to the environment since you don’t have to keep buying and discarding paper notebooks.
Quiet for Studying
If you’re looking for somewhere quiet to study, sometimes the library works, but it isn’t always open, convenient or even silent. Unfortunately, whether you live on or off campus, chances are your home is not exactly conducive to quiet studying either. This is where noise-canceling headphones can come in handy. These can shut out any noise that you find distracting and help you stay focused on your studying even in a loud dorm or shared house.
Power and Security
A portable charger can be invaluable in ensuring that your phone battery doesn’t die. You can also get a backpack that includes a USB charger and anti-theft measures, including a special locking compartment for your phone. A backpack can also come with extra padding that will protect your laptop in case you drop the backpack or bang it against something. Finally, you may want to get a power strip for your room to make it convenient to plug in everything in the same place.
Time Management and Organization
Voice-operated virtual assistants can be a great way to help you organize your schedule and stay on track. You can ask them to alert you, help you make to do lists and even do research. They can also read emails, notifications and even audiobooks aloud to you.
