5 Gadgets Every College Student Needs
Being a college student is a lot different than being a high school or middle school student. You have more freedom, but you also have more responsibilities. So, what every day “gadgets” could make these responsibilities easier to fulfill? Well, there are plenty of options out there. Here are 5 gadgets every college student needs.
1. AirPods
AirPod’s are a staple gadget of any college student. They are small and portable, so they do not weigh down down your backpack like larger headphones. More importantly, these small earphones are perfect for shutting out the world at any time you need and trust me, in college, that need will occur often. Because they are wireless, they are ideal for everyday life. Wired headphones can get in the way of studying, exercising, and are flat out annoying. They also seamlessly integrate with your Apple products. But don’t worry, if Apple products are not your thing, AirPod’s work with any Bluetooth enabled device. Overall, these earphones are a must-have for any college student and will make listening to music not only easier but more enjoyable.
2. Keurig
What college student can survive without coffee (or tea)! For those late nights of studying, coffee is what’s going to keep you going. Going to a coffee shop is a necessary treat to get some top-notch espresso or fancy drink, but for the everyday cup of joe, a Keurig is more than enough. What makes a Keurig ideal over that of a regular drip coffee maker is the compact nature of the machine. The Keurig K-Mini is extremely tiny and is perfect for a dorm room where saving space is a necessity. Another reason a Keurig is ideal over a drip coffee maker is that it brews pods. Pods already have the coffee grounds packed into a container, which takes the mess and the guesswork out of brewing a cup of coffee. Also, since dorm rooms do not have kitchen counters, being able to forgo dealing with coffee grounds saves a lot of mess. Keurig’s tend to brew coffee a bit stronger than your average drip coffee maker as well, so for those of you who are accustomed to the strong coffee-shop style of espresso, a Keurig is going to be the right option. Overall, Keurig’s are the ideal coffee machine. They are cost-effective and allow a college student to get that cup of coffee whenever they need it, without the mess of ground coffee.
3. Laptop with long battery life
Out of all the gadgets on this list, a laptop is probably by far the most essential. A laptop holds all of your classwork, notes, and documents that you need to survive your classwork. But any laptop is not going to be enough. A laptop with a long battery life is going to serve you well in college. When you are sitting through hours and hours of lectures throughout the day, a laptop with a two-hour battery life is not going to cut it. 5-hour battery life is the minimum. The best laptop for a college student is going to be a MacBook. A MacBook Air for example has an insanely long battery life of 11 hours, which is more than enough for a typical day of classes. It is also extremely light and durable, which is going to make it ideal for the always-on-the-go lifestyle of a college student. But at $999, MacBook Air’s are by no means a cost-effective computer. In fact, a Chromebook offers the same portability, the same if not better battery life, but at a much more cost-effective price. The ASUS 11.6″ Chromebook is very cheap, very light, and very cheap, at only $189. Both of these computers are great choices and are essential gadgets for any college student.
4. Portable charger
With classes all day, and hanging out with friends all night, your phone battery alone is probably not going to last all day. This is why a portable charger is one of the most important gadgets a college student needs to have in their backpack. A portable charger will get you out of any situation where your phone is about to die, and will likely be more than enough to keep it charged throughout the day. Best of all, these chargers are not at all expensive and will save your butt one day. Especially if you go to a school in an urban area, keeping your phone charged for directions is a MUST, because you never know when you might get lost, and need to get directions home. Also, having your phone charged at all times is essential for your safety. You never know when you might end up in an uncomfortable situation, and having a charged phone to call an Uber or a friend is extremely important. Just think of how important your phone is and realize how useless it is when it’s dead. Overall, a portable charger is going to prevent that from happening and keep your phone charged throughout the day. Again, these chargers are not expensive, and they just might save you one day.
5. Amazon Echo/Google Home
Every college student knows that no matter where you live, whether it be your dorm room, apartment, or house, it is your area. These spaces need to be a place where you can resort to at the end of the day and be in an environment where you feel in control and at ease. An Amazon Echo is the perfect gadget to give you control over your space and make things a little easier. These tiny little gadgets act as your own virtual assistant and can set alarms, control lights, and play music. In my opinion, having music playing in my personal space at home is the easiest way to be put at ease. With the Amazon Echo or Google Home, you can just call out what song or playlist you want to play and it will then be played on the powerful speakers. Overall, this is a perfect addition to any college students living area and will ease the stress of stressful student life.
