Midterms are upon us, so if you haven’t geared up with the best study tech you can get your hands on yet, now is certainly the time to do so. I asked around campus to find out what kinds of electronic devices students have been using to get an upper hand on their academic challenges and compiled a list of the most popular responses.
What is the verdict when it comes to popular divides like Apple vs. Android? What kinds of apps are the most helpful when it comes to everyday college life? How do students feel about mixing technology with their study time? Here are the answers to these questions and more, straight from Shepherd University’s very own student body!
Smart phones have become an almost constant staple of college life in the past few years. Even if you don’t own one yourself, chances are you’ve seen a great deal of students checking their texts, email, playing games, surfing the web, or, on rare occasions, having an actual conversation on one of these versatile devices.
When it comes to smart phones, the most publicized battle is between Apple’s iPhone and various other companies running Google’s Android operating system. Overwhelmingly, students at Shepherd tend to favor Apple’s popular, streamlined iPhone over the newer, more complex Android phones.
“I’ve been using the iPhone for a while now, and it is just the brand I trust,” stated sophomore Austin Moore. His roommate, Corey Matthews, who owns an Android phone, chimed in, stating that he planned to switch to an iPhone when he got a chance because “I’ve had a lot of trouble with the battery life on my Android. All of my friends have iPhones, and I’d like to be able to use iMessage with them.”
Matthews has a point; iPhone’s iMessage feature allows users to communicate for free over the various wifi networks around campus, which can help save money on restrictive data plans.
When asked which apps they find to be the most helpful with their school days, a large number of students claimed that they didn’t use a lot of apps when it came to their daily activities around campus. “I actually just write in my daily planner,” said English major Emily Spangler. “It is easier for my mind to process for some reason.”
A few tech-savvy students I had conversations with used a number of great apps, including freshman Zachery Hess, who told me, “As a student, I really don’t use many apps, but I recommend the Congress app if you have a political science class. Or really for everyday life!”
James Kelley, a sophomore English major, said, “The useful apps that I have on my iPod are the dictionary, in case I am in need of a definition, a translator app, and an alarm clock app. I also have a weather app, and an app that can help track my iPod if I lose it.”
Something that I found surprising while conducting interviews on the subject of technology was that a decent number of students actually preferred to keep their school lives separate from technology. Most students preferred the old fashioned notes and books approach. Many people here at Shepherd simply feel that there are too many distractions on the internet and prefer to keep a distance between their work and play. So, in conclusion, although technology can be a great asset for college students, it isn’t for everyone!
Speaking of technology, you can voice your opinions on matters like this and much more at supicket.com or any of our various social media outlets. Just search for @SUpicket!