Choosing the right tech can feel like a massive decision when you’re getting ready to start your degree. As a final-year student who has tried and tested many tools throughout my degree, I’m going to share my experiences and what worked best for me. If you’re a prospective student wondering what to invest in, this blog is for you!
Laptop vs. Tablet
When I first started, I relied on my laptop that’d already seen me through my A-levels. Whilst it was good for writing long essays at home over the Christmas/Summer break, I’d originally bought it for cheap, and by the end of first year it was pretty worn out… I could just about make it through one lecture before it died and took a while to come back to life!
For second year, I switched to an iPad with a keyboard case. The tablet was a dream for transporting between lectures across campus, staying charged for long periods of time, and its ability to recharge via a discreet portable charger in my bag instead of fire hazard wires strung around the seminar room. While it was great for portability, I found it wasn’t quite as easy to switch between tabs or store large files compared to a laptop.
For my third year, I exchanged my old laptop for a new one and paid the difference for a better model. In my experience, if you do a lot of heavy research, a laptop still holds the edge for multitasking.
The Unsung Hero: Campus PCs
The real unsung hero of my degree has been the university-provided PCs on campus. As the workload became heavier in my third year, having a much bigger screen was a game-changer. These have also been utilised in my modules when having to use specific databases, so you never have to download them onto your personal devices.
One of my favourite study hacks is using my laptop and a PC at the same time. This allows me to read a source on one screen while taking notes simultaneously on the other. York provides amazing access to these spaces, which can often be private study rooms if you prefer to study alone, so don’t feel like you have to do everything from your bedroom desk!
Always Check for Student Discounts
As I said previously, I exchanged my technology in my third year, but that still doesn’t mean you need the newest, most expensive gear. I have bought all my tech second-hand and refurbished, and it has served me perfectly. I used Back Market, which was great because they offer a 30-day return policy if you decide a device isn’t for you or it comes in worse condition than described. They also do student discount!
Also, before you buy anything, always check student discount apps like Student Beans or UniDays. These are essential for saving money on any purchases, especially big ones like tech! The uni has a fab webpage detailing current student offers for tech devices.
Making the Most of What the Uni Offers
Finally, remember to use what the University already provides for free! Every student gets access to Google Drive, which is perfect for storing your work safely in the cloud so you can access it from any device- especially helpful if you decide to take my advice on the uni PCs. I use Google Docs and make a separate doc for each of my modules, adding tabs for every lecture. It also makes group projects much easier when everyone can edit the same document at once.
Biggest tip of all: university is about finding what works for you, and the technology you need might differ depending on which degree you’re doing, so for all of my advice, the best I can give is to invest in what’s going to be best for you!
Thanks for reading 🙂
Em (she/her)
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