Must-Have Gadgets for College-Bound Students

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Contributor to Enlightened Digital, UX Designer and technology writer from New York City. If I’m not writing my latest blog post in my kitchen, you’ll likely find me strolling through Central Park, cappuccino in hand.

Getting ready for your next, or even first, semester on campus will be a fun and rewarding experience. As you’re packing, you’re most likely deciding what some of the most important things are that you’ll need to bring with you. While there are certain necessities you’ll need, often overlooked are the many gadgets for college you can take with you that will make your college experience smooth sailing.

New technology is being made available constantly, and college students are no stranger to the ways that this tech can help them in their daily lives. Read on to find out which gadgets will help keep you productive and stress-free throughout the entire semester!

Recording Device for Class

Taking notes is always a good way to improve your memorization of a certain topic, especially if you’re handwriting as opposed to typing. However, sometimes lectures can go by quickly, leaving you missing out on important details. This is why it’s important to have a recording device. There are small, handheld ones that you can simply turn on before class and have them record the entire lecture.

You also have the option of using your smartphone to record the lesson if you don’t want to get a recording device. However, some people find the use of a recording device to be more helpful because it keeps them from getting distracted on their phones. Regardless of which you choose, having a way to record lectures will definitely help you boost your grades.

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Noise-canceling Headphones

College can get noisy. Parties in dorms next door, music blaring, and other distractions can make getting classwork done a difficult task. This is why having a set of noise-canceling headphones is incredibly important for any college-bound student. Having a way to drown out other distractions and focus on any work at hand allows you to be as productive as possible.

On top of that, listening to certain types of instrumental music while working can improve focus and keep you on task. Studying in a quiet environment with helpful music for focusing will have a positive impact on your learning experience and keep you on task and ready to go for your next essay or test.

Sleep Tech

Living with a roommate is a fun experience and a great way to make new friends or bond with someone you’re already familiar with. However, if you’re not used to living with a roommate, sleeping can be a difficult task. Sometimes your roommate might stay up late for studying, or their snoring might keep you up and make sleep difficult, and not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to your productivity and enjoyment of college.

Thankfully, there are some gadgets for college that can help you create a more peaceful sleeping environment. For example, a white noise machine can produce a humming sound like a fan or TV static that makes the room peaceful enough for sleeping. If your roommate isn’t a fan of white noise, there are headbands that play white noise into your ears while you sleep, so that you’ll be the only one to hear it.

Finally, other items you can grab to help you sleep would be earplugs, a sleep mask, and even a silent alarm clock, which can wake you up without making any noise, respecting your roommate’s sleep schedule while still helping you get ready for the day.

Personal Finance

Managing money in college can be tricky, especially with looming student loans, costs associated with living away from home, and the occasional trip to the club with friends. All of which can eat away at your budget. One gadget for college you can get to save extra money is a money-counting piggy bank. This takes into account all the money you’ve put into it and calculates a total, so you know how much is saved away in it.

There are also lots of great finance mobile apps available that can help you keep track of your money while in college. One example is a budgeting app, which links to your bank account and tracks all your spending and income, and helps you categorize your expenses to prevent overspending. If your bank has a mobile app, you can also download it to have quick access to your money at all times wherever you go.

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Safety Gadgets

Staying safe should be everyone’s priority, whether on campus or off. While college can be a ton of fun, there are always times where you might need to get out of a dangerous situation or keep your items secure. One important item is an electronic safe, which can keep your valuable secure in case of a break-in. This can be especially useful for protecting any important paperwork or extra cash you might have with you.

If you and your friends are planning to go out to a bar or club, one useful gadget for college would be a portable phone charger. This can store a few hours of extra charge for your device while you’re out so that you’re never worried about not being able to call your friends or getting a ride back to campus.

There are plenty of awesome new gadgets available to help make your college experience enjoyable, productive, and safe. Make sure to take advantage of some of them as you plan for your next move to campus!