Over the past few weeks, I’ve accumulated a lot of stuff that I need for the next academic year. By stuff I mean stationery, extra socks and (of course) the right tech. Finding the right technological equipment for the year ahead can be difficult to do, especially if you don’t know where to start. For me, it came down to putting in a bit of research. I didn’t want my laptop to die half way through an important seminar as it did last semester. And despite loving my old laptop which I’ve had for 5 years now, it seemed time to invest in a new one.

For those of you who are heading to university or sixth form after the summer break, here are my top tips on finding the right tech for you.

1) Find the right tech through research

Make sure that you look up different reviews as well as listening to what friends and family members suggest. Sometimes people might suggest things which are more suited to them than you, so it is important to set out exactly what you are looking for in advance.
For example, I wanted something which would be suitable for blogging on the go and my academic essays. For this reason things such as macbooks were off the table. I don’t like exporting paper work (it makes me uneasy). I prefer just doing it in the original format, so I needed a device which would cater to this.

2) Planning + Time

As well as planning out exactly what the right tech should feature, make sure to think about time. When you buy a new device it can take a while to get used to, which means buying it mid-way through the summer can be useful. Practice typing and make sure that you have a copy of any documents you need to upload.

Tip – Save things from your old computer to a hard-drive. This will mean you don’t have to send yourself a thousand emails with things to download.

3) Set a Budget

I saved throughout the year so that I could afford everything I needed. But no matter whether you have saved or not, be sure to apply a budget to this task as you would with anything else such as accommodation or grocery shopping. Making money from home with profit accumulator could be another good way to top up your budget.

So long as you are not spending extortionately, it should not cut too big a whole in your bank account. But be sure to bear in mind that this isn’t a payment you will be making every day and it is important to not go with the cheapest option just because it is cheap. Invest in something that will last the whole year or longer.

It may be stressful, but having the right technology is becoming an increasingly important part of day to day life. Keeping up to date and having access to a computer and a printer are definitely staples of my daily life as a student, so it is a relief to have sorted everything now. Best of luck with your technology browsing!