Excitement and energy fill the University of Miami campus as students are eager to tackle the beginning of a new school year. However, while the start of a new year is thrilling, to some it could also be daunting. College life is filled with long hours of studying, important deadlines and time management. Where some students found efficient ways to stay organized and deal with stress, others need some help.
Below is a roundup of tech’s coolest gadgets that serve as your helping hand for the rest of the school year.
Magnetic Charging Cables
One of the most annoying problems is when your charger cable breaks at the top from plugging and unplugging your phone so many times. The tiny tear can ruin your entire day. Magnetic charging cables were built to avoid that exact problem. Magnetic charging cables easily connect to your device through a magnet and deliver high-speed charging. This will allow you to keep charging cables longer and never worry about an uncharged iPhone.
MENXEN USB Super Magnetic Cable, $8.99, Amazon
Smart Pencil
Leave it to Apple to resurrect and perfect simple note-taking. If you prefer handwritten notes over typed ones, but don’t want to lug around pens and notebooks for each class, this is your answer. The Apple Pencil is a versatile tool that allows you to take handwritten notes on the new iPad Pro. Its functions are perfected so you can adjust the color and thickness of your type. You can also mark up anything on your iPad, including PDFs, emails and e-textbooks. Experience the perfect balance between new technology and old school writing.
Apple Pencil, $99, Apple Store
Kindle Unlimited
Subscribing to Kindle Unlimited is a must have for college students who do not want to lug around heavy textbooks to and from classes. A Kindle account allows you to download e-textbooks to any tablet you have, as well as a computer. It also has organizing and note-taking tools like colorful highlighters, post-it-like notes inside the text, a bookmark option and it even shows you which sentences are most commonly highlighted. With the Kindle, you will save space, money and time by not having to endure the stress at the campus bookstore.
Smart Watch
Stay organized by having a planner, email, phone and GPS on your wrist. A smart watch will make it impossible for you to miss an appointment, due to its reminders that vibrate your wrist. It also reminds you of the weather and keeps you updated on any rainstorms (very useful in Miami during the fall). It even reminds you to stand up and breathe when it senses you have been sitting for too long. At night, it tracks your sleeping pattern and will wake you up when it is time to get ready for another day.
Bluetooth Speakers
Whether you want high-quality music in the shower, the ability to drown out the sound of your neighbors while studying or for a late-night Netflix marathon, Bluetooth speakers allow you the best sound and ultimately the best stress relief. Once paired to your phone, they instantly connect to your music whenever you are a few feet from it. This is a solid investment that can make your living arrangements and trips to the beach a lot more exciting. You can find these affordable, water resistant speakers on Amazon for less than $30.
Fitbit
Balancing school work, a social life and extracurriculars is tough, so adding fitness time to your schedule might seem impossible. Getting a FitBit could change your life. This wearable piece of technology is a personal support system on your wrist. It will hold you accountable for what you eat, drink and do. The FitBit helps make staying in shape manageable. Get moving and avoid the freshmen 15 by setting health and fitness goals with a FitBit.
Fitbit Charge 2, $129, fitbit.com
Featured photo courtesy Flickr user Marco Verch.