The 10 Essential Gadgets College Students Swear By

Late nights with homework due in the morning is common among all types of students. More than that, online education may work differently, but the tech you use stays the same no matter where you learn. With the following tech, you’ll be able to get your work done faster, easier and on time.

Whether you’re studying or trying to get a paper done, the following tech will make your college life into something to remember.

10. USB Drive

Sure, Wi-FI exists. But you never know when it might go down. If you have a paper due, you’ll be glad to have one of these on hand. Cheap and easy to carry, there’s little reason not to have one on hand. Plus, it can serve as a quick-n-easy back-up.

9. Noise Canceling Headphones

Study time is the lifeblood of any student. Interruption is the death knell. A pair of noise-canceling headphones serve as the perfect defense against annoying conversations and constant distractions. Also, you can listen to music without bothering the people around you.

8. Tablet

A tablet, like a decent smart phone, makes your day more efficient. Most of the apps you use on your smart phone work on a tablet. The bigger screen size and battery life, however, makes managing your day a lot easier.

7. Laptop

Like a tablet or smart phone, a laptop goes a long way in making your day-to-day easier to handle. Being on the same level as a desktop, laptops also let you get most of your homework taken care of. A basic entry-level or budget-level one is more than enough for most needs of an average college student.

6. Alarm Clock

Sure, your phone works just as well. But can it tell you the date, the temperature and charge your phone too? OK, maybe it can, but it can’t do the last one. For a deep sleeper, double alarms are a must. And on the plus side, it gives you one less reason to look at your phone.

5. Power Strip

Two outlets aren’t enough. A power strip with a flexible cord gives you the room to keep all your gadgets plugged in. Add on a surge protector and you also give yourself a safety net in case of an electrical surge. And seriously, two outlets? That isn’t enough for anybody.

4. External Hard-Drive

Like a USB drive, the external hard-drive is your saving grace when things go wrong. Most decently sized ones are both affordable and complete overkill. Meaning you now have an extra place to store movies, music and games. Of course, it only works as a fantastic back-up if you actually remember to back-up in the first place.

3. Desk Lamp

Desk lamps are the sort of thing that seem useless until you actually start using one. Instead of keeping all of the lights on, just turn on your desk light. Now you save on both effort and electricity costs.

2. Wireless Keyboard

A wireless keyboard, preferably Bluetooth, makes even the smallest tablet as efficient at note-taking as any laptop. Make it a full-size ergonomic keyboard and you have the added benefit of protecting your hands too. If your laptop’s keyboard is too small, a wireless keyboard fixes that too.

1. Smart Phone

You already have a smart phone. If you don’t, now’s the time to start thinking about getting one. Aside from letting you stay connected with your friends and family, a cheap pay-as-you-go phone does wonders when it comes to managing your day. Just remember to look away from time to time.