Best Tech For College Students - Recommended By a Miami University Student

This is a guest post from Lauren Johnston, a public relations intern for the Verizon Wireless Midwest Area. She just completed her junior year at Miami University of Ohio, where she is pursuing a degree in marketing/PR. At Miami, Lauren is very involved with community service after having just returned from studying abroad in Tanzania.

It’s that time of year again. That time when the commercial breaks between your favorite TV shows no longer include swimsuits and ads for the local theme park, but instead, they’re filled with school supplies. If you’re going away for college this year, it’s no surprise that you’ll need more than just a pencil and notebook. Everything from technology, to apps, to ways to help you succeed, here are some of my best tech for college students recommendations:

Dorm Room

Aside from the obvious essentials like a microwave, under the bed storage containers and a shower caddy, one thing I wish I had was a good speaker. When all my friends were hanging out in my room, I noticed that the speakers on my laptop just weren’t cutting it. I desperately needed something that would be louder. Plus, with a Bluetooth speaker, anyone can play their playlist from a phone or tablet so they aren't stuck listening to my music. I now see there is a range of options—all sizes, shapes, colors and prices—that can easily improve the experience. Another must have—a power strip. You don’t realize just how many electronics need to be plugged in at once until you only have three outlets in your room. I definitely recommend one because it will allow you and your roommate to charge your phones and laptops/tablets while also having everything else in your room (like the microwave and mini fridge) still plugged in.

Stay Organized

After the first week of college, you’ll quickly realize there is no way you can keep everything straight without some sort of planner. From assignments, to exams, to club meetings, my planner is my life. A great way to stay organized is by using the app Studious. You can color code all your classes and keep track of all your assignments and upcoming exams. My favorite part of the app is that it will automatically silence your phone during your scheduled class times, just in case you forget.

Staying Connected

Between family at home and friends at different schools, it’s impossible not to miss everyone. Thanks to using basic social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, I was able to feel like we weren’t all so far away. But my favorite way to stay connected is through ooVoo. After a long week, being able to video call and seeing my parents' faces (and the dog of course!) was the best. The best part about ooVoo is it allows more than one person to be on the video conferencing call. And never have I been more thankful for a reliable network when needing to stay connected!