Technology Tips All College Students Should Know
Technology is becoming a necessary item for a college student in today’s world. If you choose the right tools, they can help you to make your life easier, write a paper, find out information, or simply arrange your day.
Let me give you some tips on the usage of technology as a student and I am sure that every one of you can correct his mistakes.
To begin with, you can use your personal computer. It helps you to send an email, find any information or simply quickly write down the important notes.
The second question is tablets. A smart tablet is a very convenient device for those who are used to working with new technologies. With the use of such an application as ‘Google Docs,’ you can type your paper fast and show it to your teacher in the next email.
These are the main points that I’d like to say about the usage of technology. In my opinion, it can make your life easier and help you in your future studies, but it is up to you whether you want to do it or not. If you’re ever in need of assistance with your writing, Academized offers the best service to write an essay for me. They provide professional help with essays and research papers, making it easier for students to meet deadlines and achieve high-quality results.
Master Cloud Storage
Overall, it is difficult to organise numerous documents (class notes, essays, etc.) that we have to keep track of during a year. For this purpose, I use cloud storage, e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox or Microsoft OneDrive. These services are very convenient because you can access your files from any device anywhere.
You won’t have your assignments lost in a computer crash, or having to make a last-minute dash to hand over assignments on a USB drive if you forget it at home. Most cloud services offer at least a minimum of free storage space, and if you require more, it’s relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, anything on your cloud can be shared with colleagues for group assignments.
Pro tip: Organise folders
Be sure to have a folder for your school classes or projects on the cloud so everything is in one place and you can easily find it whenever you need to! This kind of organisation is especially helpful when juggling multiple assignments, just like checking the best personal statement writers review can help you find the right service for crafting a standout application.
Use Password Managers
Since there are so many accounts – school accounts, personal accounts, club accounts, etc – we cannot remember all of our passwords. If you use the same password for your other accounts, your information will be revealed. I think you can easily solve this problem by using a password manager.
Password managers store your passwords in one secure place, and can even create them for you. You can use LastPass, Dashlane or Bitwarden, apps that not only store your passwords so that you don’t have to remember them, but can even generate them for you, so you only need to remember one master code, and everything else has been done for you.
Be careful with the master
Make sure it’s something no one else would know about and make sure it’s a secure password. Once anyone gets access to it, they can see all the passwords you’ve saved.
Keep up with updates
If you want to remain secure and perform at your best, you need to keep your hardware and software up to date. Patches correct bugs and address security weaknesses, not simply new features. Don’t put off the update reminders for your laptop operating system, phone apps or web browsers.
Recent surveys found that around 53 per cent of all cyber-security incidents on US college campuses would have been easily avoided, if only students bothered to run software updates regularly. Such is the reality of our day and age – big things often start with small steps.
When are you available for a timetable update?
Many learners often delay updates because they are busy. Next time, set them whenever you are not using your device, like overnight if you have to charge the battery or during a class break.
Select the Right Hardware for Your Needs
Tech gadgets are not all the same and might work well for one student and not the other. It strongly depends on your major and the degree’s specific requirements. Here is how they compare:
Major/Study Focus | Recommended Device | Key Features |
---|---|---|
Graphic Design/Media Arts | High-end laptop (MacBook Pro) | High processing power, colour accuracy, large screen |
Engineering/Computer Science | Windows laptop with good RAM and processor | High performance, compatible with specialised software |
Business/Marketing | Lightweight laptop or tablet | Portability, long battery life, easy document management |
Humanities | Any lightweight, affordable laptop or tablet | Basic functionality, word processing, internet browsing |
Knowing what you want is helpful in avoiding an expensive laptop with features you don’t need.
Learn to Preserve Your Information
Another task, which many students forget about until the last moment, is to make backups. An external hard drive and/or even using cloud storage will help you when the time comes. Even technology can fail. Electronic equipment is not perfect and hardware failures do happen. This way, you won’t lose the documents in case your computer crashes.
There are several ways to ensure the security of your data. One method is automatic saving by Google Drive or iCloud, if they are your cloud service providers. Otherwise, manual saving of vital projects to large capacity external hard disks is a most potent choice. Both options can work, one or the other must be available.
Set regular reminders to back up
If you are creating a backup of data, for instance, make it a weekly habit so that if your system fails, you do not lose weeks’ worth of work.
Utilise Student Discounts Wherever Possible
If you are a college student, you know you can get discounts on software, hardware and some online products. Firms like Apple, Adobe and Microsoft make heavy discounts to the customers, which are studying in colleges/universities.
It is a great opportunity for them to buy world class products at a low price.
Don’t forget your student ID
Always keep your student ID card on you when you shop for tech: many retailers will nab you a discount on laptops, printers and other devices.
Become Proficient in Key Software
Learning key software programmes early on can save you a great deal of time in college. Typically, most degrees require Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; from majors such as business, mechanical engineering or even journalism, there might be specialised tools you also need to be skilled in using.
For example, it’s good to know how to use citation tools such as Zotero or Mendeley to write a research paper; if you work in the business world, you’ll probably spend a good part of your career playing around in Excel; why not learn how to use it so that you can get on with learning as quickly and effectively as possible?
Practice using these tools in advance
You might spend just two or three hours a month getting started with any software you’ll need to do your coursework. Scour YouTube to find free video tutorials; software companies will also run free trials that you can use to practise.
Conclusion
You can either be distracted by technology in college, or you can use it to your advantage. Learn to effectively use cloud storage, secure your passwords, update your equipment, and choose the best hardware possible. Regularly back up your data and take advantage of student discounts wherever possible. Also, become familiar with the software you will use in your field. Do these things, and you’ll save time and energy, keep your information safe, and become a better college student.