Posts published in January, 2018
A Few Devices/gadget That Can Improve Dorm Life
BY SYLVIA KOHL
Living a dorm life is an extraordinary experience. Of course, this kind of life comes with many advantages and some disadvantages. For instance, students can finally see how it looks like to be separated from parents. They can also hang out with their friends more frequently and study when they want. Some students might complain that there is lack of privacy, and many of them are not fans of community bathrooms, but the truth is that the vast majority of students like dorm life. The best part is that there are a few devices/gadgets that can help students improve dorm life. We will use this article to highlight a few of them.
Headphones
This is a must for almost every dorm dweller. It doesn’t matter whether you are at the library or in your dorm room, headphones can help you. It is sometimes impossible to get the required peace to study. In other cases, you just want to listen to music without bothering everyone around. Using headphones, especially ones that can isolate noise is the smartest decision you can make. Sony has some great headphones at a reasonable price.
Headphone amplifier
Sometimes the performance of the headphones you have is not the best. In situations like this, you will need a good headphone amplifier like Xduoo XD-05. With this specific model, you can establish a connection with different devices through a different type of connectors including optical, coaxial, USB and Aux. This inexpensive product is perfect for high impedance phones too.
Streaming stick
There are a few streaming sticks out there, but Roku is the most popular one. Living a dorm life can be quite fun too especially when you watch movies and TV shows with your friends. With the help of Roku streaming stick, you will get a chance to use many different applications like Hulu, Netflix, VUDU, Amazon Instant Video and Google Play. Roku has a very simple interface too.
Smart speaker
Form streaming songs to getting information, smart speakers like Amazon Echo can help you as a student. You can also hear the latest news and find other useful information. The best part is that Amazon Echo won’t cost you much and you can interconnect it with other devices of this kind throughout the dormitory.
Smart light
That’s right; you can use smart lights in your dorm room now. Lights like LIFX come in many different colors and shades. You can use these colors to create a different atmosphere in your room – an atmosphere for studying and an atmosphere for hanging out with your friends. The best part is that you can control it with the help of your smartphone.
These are just some of the gadgets and devices that can significantly improve your dorm life.
Sylvia Kohl is an IT teacher with more than 8 years of professional experience. Her main spheres of interest are e-education and she convinced that learning process doesn’t stop after years in school and university.
A Study Spot of One’s Own For College Success
Anthony Masterton
In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf writes that “a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” The same might be said of college students and study spaces. Libraries are excellent study hubs, but sometimes it’s essential to break away from the crowds and find your own nook or cranny where your brain can just be itself. Studies show that a well-designed office space can increase productivity. Transform your dorm room or apartment space or desk into a place where you feel welcomed, at home, and within reach of any resources you need to accomplish your best work.
First of all, this study space shouldn’t be your bed. Your bed should only be for sleeping; otherwise, it can actually trick your brain into not sleeping there. Most dorm rooms come with a desk set, so really take advantage of spot. If you’re in an apartment, dedicate a corner of your bedroom to being your dedicated study and creative space. Use design and technology to inspire yourself. As design company Dacor says, “seamlessly integrating performance, technology, and design to advance appliances beyond mere form and function, [will] to inspire people to come together and create unforgettable moments”–even when it comes to studying.
Keep a welcoming atmosphere
Keeping the interior decor of a space up-to-date shows that you care about the well-being and maintenance of you. Self-care is essential in a high-stress atmosphere like college, so treat yourself to a well-cared for desk or study corner that is decorated and organized the way you want.
Before you begin decorating, decide what kind of feel you want. It’s important to take into consideration the space you’re in, your budget, and what the whole team wants. You may want to go for a modern, industrial theme, or perhaps something elegant and classic, or even something that reflects the academic environment–like posters of famous books, businesspeople, or political movements.
Lighting is a key ingredient. Poor lighting can cause headaches and eye strain. If your office space has windows, keep those blinds open! Natural light is essential for our health (it helps us sleep better) and good for the mind. If you don’t have this option, look for light that mimics natural sunlight. This is a much cheerier and less stress-inducing choice than harsh fluorescent bulbs.
Since you will probably spend a lot of time in a chair or on the sofa studying, it’s important to make sure that this furniture supports you (but doesn’t induce you to fall asleep). Furniture plays a role in health as well as aesthetics. While you may not be able to afford your own ergonomic chair (but if you can, it will make a great health investment), you can support your back with cushions, both to soften a hard chair and remind you to sit up straight if you’re on a couch or in a recliner.
Don’t forget plants! Not only do they simply make the space more fresh and welcoming, they also improve the air quality, and studies suggest that they increase productivity.
Keep resources and technology top-of-the-line
Just as important as a good-looking space is a high-functioning space. If you can afford it, aim for updated technology that best supports your field of study. Even if you have an older computer, keep it updated with the latest software–at least the programs that are essential to you, such as a word processor, a database or a music or photo editor.
Online retailers often offer student accounts or discounts, such as Amazon Student. Take advantage of these accounts; if you’re ordering lots and books online, they will save you money in the long run.
Have a plan for storing and backing up your work. You might employ a USB drive, but you also probably make use of cloud storage sites. If you’re going to trust your work to the cloud, remember, that cloud space is maintained by a third-party, and you are putting your work into their hands. Do some research to make sure your cloud storage company is reputable and has security measures in place, such as CASB security, which ensures compliance, threat protection, and data security.
If you can welcome yourself, maintain solid furniture, and keep your technology up-to-par, you can develop your own “office,” so to speak. Having a dedicated study space will help you make the most out of your college experience.
Anthony Masterton is a young entrepreneur trying to break through in the Tech world. When he’s not working on growing his young startup, he writes about everything from tech advancements to his own experiences as a young CEO. A self starter, he likes to help others learn from his own successes and failures, as it’s always easiest to learn from experience.
Where to find discounts for college students
BY ANTON LUCANUS
Ask adults and they would be unanimous that student days were the best part of their lives. Pop the same question to current students and the responses may not be as optimistic. A university is undoubtedly a place for gaining knowledge and even experiencing the wilder side of life at times, but many students get bogged down by more mundane matters such as money. There are legendary tales of how students gorge on food and entertainment in the first week of the month, only to be condemned to a life of penury in the remaining part of the month.
Life may not be such a pain if students judiciously manage their finances. Student discounts are a major perk of being a student. Students can stick τo their monthly budget and yet manage to steal some fun by capitalizing on student discounts available on discount offers sites (i.e Wikigains, Lodlois, etc) and offline.
Whether you are looking to make a major purchase such as a computer or merely have an outing with friends, a student id card opens the doors to a wealth of student discounts.
Retail outlets pamper students with excellent discounts in an effort to catch them young as loyal brand customers. Many concert venues, bowling alleys and theaters also slash the prices for students—it is just a matter of asking around for the latest deals. Levi’s offers 15% reduction and clothing retailer Express also discounts 15% on online and in-store purchases.
Being a student does not mean the end of traveling. Public transport buses such as Greyhound handhold students with lucrative discounts.
The giants of the computer industry also ensure that students do not lose out on technology due to financial constraints. Apple gives a discount of up to $200 on a new Mac and $20 off on an iPad. Microsoft and HP are also not far behind in showering discounts on students.
Reading papers is never out of fashion despite the explosion of information on the internet. Leading papers offer special discounts for their student subscribers. The Wall Street Journal offers a semester rate of just $1 a week for both print delivery and digital access and the New York Times allows online access for $1 a week.
There is no excuse for not calling home as cellular services are willing to loosen their purse strings for the student customers. T-Mobile offers a $50 credit on phone bills, while Verizon waves off up to up to 20% of the monthly bills.
Museums, theaters, music venues and art galleries in town also lay the red carpet for students with hefty discounts, albeit on fixed days and pre-determined timings. Bay Area theaters such as Berkeley Repertory Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Aurora Theater Company and Magic Theatre offer attractive discounts exclusively for students.
Do not allow financial travails rob you, dear student, of the simple joys of university life. Let discounts usher you into a world of enriching experiences.
Byline – Anton Lucanus is the Director of Neliti. During his college years, he maintained a perfect GPA, was published in a top cancer journal, and received many of his country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. Anton writes for The College Puzzle as a means to share the lessons learnt throughout his degree and to guide current students to achieve personal and educational fulfilment during college life.
