We’ve been scouring the web (well, mainly Amazon!), to find a selection of great gadgets that should make university life that little bit easier!
Just a word of warning, there are some seriously cool, and some blatantly obvious, bits of tech and accessories here – so please, try not to spend your entire student budget buying them all!
Macbook Pro.
We might as well start off with a proper tech investment! Of course, there are an abundance of other/cheaper laptops out there, but here we have highlighted the MacBook Pro as the one to beat. If you’re not an Apple convert already, a bit of time spent using a MacBook will surely do the trick. Yes, they’re expensive. Yes, they operate uniquely to other computers. But in terms of competitors, this blows most others out of the water!
(If you haven’t already guessed, we use MacBook Pro’s at UnCOVered HO!)
WhatsApp.
Surely every student knows about and has downloaded WhatsApp already? On the complete opposite end of the pricing spectrum, this free to use instant messaging app has been taking over the lives of students for a couple of years now. It’s a fantastic way to link up with friends, family, course mates and group work members – WhatsApp is one of the most essential communication tools you need on your phone.
COOLEAD 4200mAh.
Whilst the name may be rather cryptic, the picture may give you a bit more of an idea. Yes, there is an iPhone case that can also charge your phone at the same time! We are all too aware that the battery life on our smartphones currently aren’t the greatest, and there’s nothing worse than your phone dying half way through a full day of lectures and classes. These cases seem just the ticket; they aren’t very expensive at all, and also come in a variety of colours.
Creative Tops Mr Men & Little Miss Travel Mug.
These are perfect for those inevitable occasions when you’re running late for class, but just have to get in your morning caffeine fix (without succumbing to an expensive coffee shop pit stop!) Travel mugs are popping up in lots of different styles these days, but we just love these childhood memory-inducing Mr Men and Little Miss caffeine containers!
FitBit Charge.
Trekking around campus, or running to make that 9am lecture, may be keeping you fitter than you think. The FitBit is a fantastic bit of kit that’s basically a 21st Century pedometer. It seamlessly links up to your smartphone to share information such as steps taken, calories burnt, and even about your sleeping pattern! There are various models of the FitBit, but the ‘Charge’ is particularly good value, as it is also a sleek, modern watch, and will let you know who is calling you if you can’t get to your phone. Who needs an Apple Watch now?!
Clocky!
It’s easy to just set an alarm on your phone with an easy-to-ignore ringtone, and place it by your pillow so you can hit snooze several times.. (we know you do it too!) However, this habit might not give you the best start to the day, enter Clocky! This alarm clock will make you work for your wake up by wheeling itself away and hiding from you when the alarm goes off! While this may sound like the worst thing EVER to some people, mornings are made much easier by swiftly jumping out of bed – so just think of Clocky as a really random hide ‘n’ seek that’ll wake you up in seconds!
WD My Passport Ultra.
An external hard-drive is a pretty essential piece of kit for students thanks to all those pdf downloads, essay drafts, assignments, and of course, music and movies that you need save! Rather than constantly emailing yourself work and documents to open on other computers or laptops, having a portable hard-drive takes away all the fuss. They’re really not that expensive either, between £30 and £50 for at least 1TB of storage. The WD hard-drives can also be bought specifically for Macs too, so remember this accessory if/when you’re an apple convert!
HDMI Cables.
(Not exactly the most exciting pictures available here, but you know what we’re talking about!)
Pretty much every TV and computer is made HD / HD Ready nowadays, so it’s always worth having enough HD cables to witness the joys of 1080p resolution! Linking up your PC or laptop to your TV can give your eyes a rest from looking at a tiny screen, and helps you spot mistakes you may have missed (hello PowerPoint typos!) Alternatively, it is handy to have a spare cable for when your housemates have lost the one you need to play Fallout!
Tefal TT552842.
Although it’s not the most memorable product title of all time, its function surely will be. Here, we have a toaster that will also warm up your baked beans (not an euphemism) or cook up an egg – AT THE SAME TIME! We are all too aware that the struggle is real to achieve perfect time management with your breakfast components, so this really is a problem – solving gadget. It has 8 different settings too, so you get the toast how you like it, and ensure those beans and eggs are cooked to perfection! Mind = blown!
Funky Bottle Opener!
So, you’re at a house party, the kitchen is packed out, and you’re desperate to crack open your next bottle of J2O Apple & Raspberry…we’ve all been there. But this wouldn’t be an issue if you had your own bottle opener to hand! It’s always a worthwhile tool to have attached to your keys, or tucked safely in your wallet. There are obviously so many varieties to select from, but we feel this playing card design is particularly ‘ace’ (sorry, that was shameful!)
Have you seen any gadgets you think are vital to surviving student life? Let us know in the comments!
