For those fortunate people heading off to college, there is a serious list of gadgets that will be hard to last four years without. These gadgets will help out immensely if you want to have fun, get good grades, and stear away from the freshman 15.

 Noise Blocking Headphones

Whether you are trying to cram for a midterm or blocking out a noisy roommate, noise-blocking headphones are essential to college life. If you are living in a dorm, which most freshmen do, students being loud after hours will happen frequently. It makes trying to sleep or study, incredibly difficult. Also, around exam time, the study rooms of libraries become the place to be. Having noise blocking headphones will make it much easier to concentrate when someone is having a full conversation two tables down. Don’t feel the need to go out and buy a pair of the most expensive headphones you can find, there are multiple companies with many different styles available.

 Digital Camera

Pictures are one the best ways to preserve memories and those made in college are the ones you will forever talk about. A good camera phone isn’t comparable to a decent camera that can handle a few drops and spills. It will help you remember faces the first week and give you the change to look back, in 15 years, and wonder what on earth you were wearing. If you plan on studying abroad, it is critical that you have a camera. That way you can talk about and show your parents all the amazing architecture and art, you come across. There are also generally art and photography classes offered at schools, having a readily available and reliable camera will definitely help. So much of modern art is digitally enhanced, that a reliable digital camera is bound to be on the syllabus.

Laptop

Perhaps the most useful tool available is a laptop. It is definitely possible to go through college without one, considering most schools have fully functioning computer rooms. It is, however, extremely inconvenient. From a studious and social aspect, having a laptop handy will make things much easier. Now days, class information is sent out via email, assignments are online, and video tutorials can take the place of a class session. With our ever changing society, there is no faster way to keep on top of sports statistics, world news, and celebrity gossip, plus professors are continually referring to and assigning projects on current events. Whether your main usage will be typing out documents or watching Netflix, a laptop is definitely necessary for a successful college student.

 Smart Phone

Another extremely important and obvious gadget is a cell phone. It doesn’t have to be a brand new iPhone 5 or the best Android but a phone is necessary from an organizational and social standpoint. The apps available for any smart phone make tasks much easier. Through a smart phone, you can have a portable dictionary, thesaurus, translator, and obviously the Internet. If possible, a cell phone with email access is extremely convenient because of how much professors rely on it for class notifications. Group projects are made easy by group texts and the constant access to social networking sights. Cell phones keep you in contact with family and friends and can help you out of any sticky situations. They also give you direct and constant access to any potential employers. While these benefits are incredible, a smart phone can also be a slight distraction in class, so make sure you are catering to your needs.

 Portable Grill

For those students living off campus or in apartments, cooking real meals is going to be life changing. All of a sudden, dinners aren’t going to be served at seven unless you put them there. For budding chefs, the easiest way to get in a square meal is with a portable grill. A generic grill can be found at most food or wholesale stores and of course on the Internet. Putting a chicken breast on the grill and sprinkling a bit of seasoning on top couldn’t get any easier. It also gives you time to work on projects or study as long as you keep half an eye on it. One of the best benefits, is it can encourage you to eat healthier, therefore keeping off the Freshman 15. Eating grilled chicken with a side of vegetables isn’t even comparable to a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich or a box of Mac and Cheese.

As technology is growing and becoming more and more prevalent in daily life, students need to keep up with the trends. Whether you are focused on schoolwork or your social life, certain technologies are needed to thrive in a college atmosphere.