Education Tech: 6 Gadgets to Make Your Time at College Easier

It is hard to pinpoint just one emotion when you are about to leave for college. The thought of being independent and on your own can not only cause excitement and curiosity, but also anxiety and fear, and perhaps even sadness. Regardless of whether you are in your first semester or your last, there are many devices that will make life at college easier.

Kill A Watt

For students who are worried about finances, the Kill A Watt is a must-have. It is hard to save money in college when you are constantly shelling out money for tuition, books, and supplies; this doesn’t even include the cost of rent, utilities, groceries, so on and so forth. For under $30, the Kill A Watt identifies the items that are causing the biggest spike in your electric bill; this device analyzes consumption and usage over days, months, and even years. Knowing which gadgets use the most power will help you save on your electric bill in the future.

Livescribe Echo Smartpen

One of the most common tasks in college is taking notes, which can unfortunately become very daunting and overwhelming. Besides trying to write down the key points mentioned during a lecture, you are also expected to participate in class discussions, follow along with PowerPoint presentations, and make sure you are referencing the correct pages in the textbook. To make the process more effective and efficient, the Echo Smartpen is a highly recommended purchase. This gadget allows you to take notes as the pen records what the professor is saying; it has the ability to match the audio to what you are writing in your notebook. The days of trying to multitask in class and decipher what you wrote in preparation for an exam are over.

Runaway Alarm Clock

One of the biggest struggles among college students is getting up in time for an early morning class. Prevent oversleeping in the mornings and extending your 15-minute power nap through your afternoon classes with the Runaway Alarm Clock. While regular alarm clocks are conveniently located in a spot close to your bed, this clock will actively move and play music until you catch it. Just make sure your roommates are okay with it waking them up at the same time.

Backup System

Nothing is worse than wasting hours of work, so why not prevent this problem as early as possible? An external hard drive is a good way to do this, but if your degree is media-centric, such as graphic design or journalism, or dependent on a lot of data, such as in the case of a master’s degree in electrical engineering, you might want to take an online approach. Backup systems like Mozy or MyOtherDrive cost about $5 a month to keep your assignments, research, and files safe.

Noise-Canceling Headphones

While noise-canceling headphones aren’t normally thought of as a college necessity, they are one of the biggest saving graces as a student. There is nothing worse than picking a quiet spot in the library to study, only to have a group show up to discuss a project. Still not sold? Imagine going to bed early because you have an early presentation the next day, and the people living above you throw a party that lasts until the wee hours of the morning. Noise-canceling headphones are absolutely worth the price!

Ventev Sync 2-in-1 Cables

Every student knows there is no shortage of cords in your room while attending college. Aside from the common laptop, tablet, and phone chargers, there are also the cords you never really think about until you realize you are out of outlets; examples include cords for alarm clocks, lamps, monitors, Internet routers/modems, and many others. In order to stay organized, reduce clutter, and ultimately prevent the cords from getting tangled, a Ventev Sync 2-in-1 Cable is what you need. Compatible with multiple devices and various brands, each cable has a connector and USB port; your electronics can be charging and hooked up to another device at the same time.

It should come as no surprise that people go through different emotions as they prepare for college and continue working towards their degree. Regardless of whether you’re going to your first undergraduate class or returning to school for a master’s degree, one thing is for certain: your time at college will become much easier if you use these devices. The amount of sleepless nights you have due to loud roommates, along with the pages of ineligible notes you might take otherwise can all be avoided.