August 11, 2008
Shopping for a Computer
When it’s time to buy a computer for college, get a laptop! One of my friends had a desktop and she couldn’t take it to the library which was a huge pain. I love having a laptop because you can take it to class and take notes on it and take it to the library, etc. I have a Mac Powerbook, which I don’t think they even make anymore, I think its equivalent now is the MacBook Pro. Since I’m studying advertising and I’m an art minor, it’s been really nice because I can work on design projects for home. Our journalism school recommends Macs, but plenty of people still have PCs. Check with your school to see if they have a preference. Macs are usually more expensive, (they start around $1,099) but I love it! The Apple store and Best Buy both sell them, so if you can’t decide between PC and Mac you can test them both out at Best Buy!
Mac is definitely the way to go. I got the Mac Powerbook 18″ so the screen is huge but it’s still portable. Your college will most likely have campus wide internet access, so its nice to have a laptop & be able to get online anytime anyplace. I started off as a graphic design major, so the big 18″ screen would really help bc u can have multiple windows open at the same time. Now I am in the business school & still an advocate of Mac. Although many business students still use PCs, many others r making the switch. My Mac has never had any huge problems, but if it ever does, u just call the apple store & they set u up w someone to speak w u personally & for free. I found a laptop case that fits my huge laptop from the Tumi luggage store.
Just make sure you do your research before you buy! Like Rae said, check w/ your school or talk to an older student who has gone through the same program you will. My big brother advised me to get a Dell b/c I was planning to be in the business school at Texas and a lot of their programs are not compatible w/ Macs. Although they’ve come up with Microsoft Word and Excel for Mac, the kids who have it are still having a lot more difficulty. But in fine arts involving music or design it’s the opposite – professors prefer the Mac. And make sure you carry your laptop to class for the first few weeks! I know its heavy but in some classes it’s crucial. Then you can decide which classes you need it for, and then which days you can just leave it at home!
Yea, most of my friends that are business majors have PCs and think Macs are stupid (they obviously haven’t used one) and most of my friends in the journalism school either have a Mac or wish they had one. I’ve also noticed when I go to the library that the Mac to PC ratio is about 50-50 now. And like Fiona said, the Apple people ( I think they’re called Geniuses, haha) are really good about helping you out. One time my roommate accidentally broke a key off and I took it in and they fixed instantly for no charge. Target also has cheap computer cases, but I usually just slide mine into my backpack when I take it to the library or home. Another computer must is a flash drive. You can store, save and transfer projects, papers, etc. to and from class. I’d take big projects to the library and print them up there- cheaper and easier. You can get those at the bookstore or any computer/electronic store.
Yes, get a Flash drive and save all your important documents on it. If u don’t your computer could break down & not recover them- and professors do not accept this excuse. I also suggest saving photos to it if u use a digital camera- bc u don’t wanna lose those memories!
Printers are important too… I have a few friends who just print everything out on campus (its only a few cents a page) but I love having a printer in my room. I’m always running late for class anyways, so having to make an extra stop to print off my paper on the way to class is awful! My roommate has a printer w/ a scanner on it which has come in really handy a few times. I’d definitely recommend one! I think you can get them at Best Buy, Office Depot, or just anywhere that you’d buy a computer.
A scanner is a great investment. I want to get one this year. Last year I was social chair for my sorority & always found it so much easier to scan; email contracts, etc instead of faxing hard copies.