subject: The College Student's World Of Technology [print this page] These days, everything seems to involve some type of gadgetry to accomplish tasks. In the morning, you roll out of bed and turn off your blaring alarm, then go to breakfast and get the coffee boiling, microwave some oatmeal, and stick some bread in the toaster. Then you grab the keys, run out of the house and jump into that giant piece of springs, wires, screws and bolts that we call a car, and race to class or work. The day only gets more complicated from there. This collective technological shift has a particularly interesting impact on college students.
The first thing many college students face that past generations did not, is the online classroom. Most universities use one system and then have individual classes set up their pages the way they want. Syllabuses, assignments, tests, comments, videos, due dates, grades, and more can all be posted on these sites. Students hoping to succeed at college must pay close attention to these online pages. Many teachers these days won't warn of impending assignments since they assume all students will dutifully study their online class schedule daily.
Everything in college seems to involve some bit of technology. Getting into most dorms requires having an ID card. The same ID card can be used to enter the cafeteria and can be programmed to keep track of college students' meal plans, chapel credits, or midnight excursions. Of course, losing that ID card is slightly problematic. Now you can't eat, receive credit for certain activities, or even get into your dorm. If your computer breaks or is stolen, you also run into problems and could even end up failing a class because of missed online announcements.
Technology isn't all a bad thing though; it can be used to preserve your work. Through external hard drives, portable thumb drives, online storage sites, and other methods, students can save their hard work. There's no reason to worry about losing anything if you back up your work. This means you can't blame Rover for eating your assignment anymore, but hopefully you have a better backup plan anyway.
Technology can be a burden, a hassle, or a way to simplify life. A lot of it really comes down to how you use your technology. One piece of technology that should be taken advantage of is a home security system. With a security system, your home can be kept safe along with all your work. It's just one simple piece of technology that can save you a lot of pain.
