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Don't Go Back to School Without...
Gear Up for Class with Must-have Gadgets and Services
Recent MIT graduate Mark Cote won't be going back-to-school shopping this fall, but for the meticulous engineer, it will be a hard habit to break. A self-proclaimed "office supply guy," Cote looked forward to the annual fall trips to pick up the necessities: binders, pens, paper, and mechanical pencils. "The whole goal," says Cote, "was to set up the term and be as organized as possible."
Ruth Ann Murray, director of the Boston University Center for Professional Education, says when thinking about back-to-school preparation and supplies, adult students in particular should make sure they are computer ready. "I can't think of any of our programs where a computer is not needed," says Murray. In addition, any equipment lists provided by instructors should be followed to the letter: If a financial calculator is needed, for example, that doesn't mean showing up to class with a regular calculator instead.
"Faculty have certain expectations as to how students need to be prepared for classes," adds Walter Caffey, dean of enrollment at Suffolk University in Boston. Don't start off on the wrong foot with your professors; make sure you've got the right gear.
Take this checklist with you for some starter ideas as you begin your back-to-school preparations for college:
- Laptop computer.
Don't expect the college to provide one. You'll want to bring your own for writing papers, emailing, researching on the internet, and more. Check with the school IT department for network and system requirements before purchasing one, as some campuses, for example, will not support Apple Macintosh computers. Ideal laptop specs are a 14- to15-inch screen, minimum two gigabytes of memory, built-in WiFi (wireless capability), and extended battery life, experts say. Technology guru Rob Enderle, an analyst with the San Diego-based Enderle Group, says that the latest laptop feature is LED-lit displays that don't wash out in the sunlight, great for working outdoors or in overly bright lecture halls. - Auto club membership.
Late nights in class or studying at the library mean you're often going to be alone in your car in the dark, says online advice columnist and author April Masini. Don't leave out-of-gas emergencies, flat tires, and missing keys to fate. "A membership in your local club will eliminate anxiety and save time and money in the case of emergency," she says. - Universal power supply.
Typical laptop batteries last only two to four hours, so if you'll be spending a lot of time commuting in your car to and from campus, away from AC power but close to DC, a universal power supply can help you charge your laptop or other electronics. Often subways, trains, and buses also have plugs with DC power as well. - Gym membership.
Exercise helps your body and mind stay sharp, especially for adults who are balancing work, school, and family. Stephen Blinn, a program coordinator at Harvard Extension School, says it's important to allow a few hours each week to do something fun, unrelated to studying. - Other must-have gadgets.
Printing ink cartridges ("You won't run out of ink in the middle of printing a 40-page paper," says Masini); retractable Ethernet cord, if school access to wireless is limited; USB drive with at least one gigabyte to transfer or share computer files; in-car navigation GPS system that can connect to cell phone and give traffic updates; and laptop lock ("There are a lot more thefts on campus," says Anna Ivey, a Boston career and admissions counselor.). If you can afford them, it's nice to have a handheld personal desktop assistant (PDA) to keep track of class schedules and deadlines and a portable music player
