Colleges of Education

Congratulations are in order for the young men and women that have been accepted in to one of our country’s fine colleges or universities. Hopefully, the next 4 years will be 4 of the best years of your life. In order to get off to a good start there are certain things every first year student should and should not have.

Just like your first year in high school, you are now at the bottom of the ladder when it comes to status on the campus. If you want to quickly fit in and at least look like you know what you are doing, having certain items are important to your acceptance with the “in” crowd. Other items should be avoided so you do not appear to be a total goofball. While individualism is generally a good quality to possess, fitting in with the group is also quite important. Following is a short list of what to buy and what not to buy in order to assimilate in to the university lifestyle.

Starting out with the most practical of tools that will help you immensely with your classes is a computer. Whether you choose a desktop, laptop or tablet computer, there is one thing they all need – good software. A Microsoft Office Professional Plus edition is available for discounted prices to all students and teachers who are able to show which educational establishment they are attending. This should be regarded as an essential purchase. Also very important for any computer is an antivirus program that will keep your computer well protected from hostile attacks.

There are a few excellent sites on the internet that offer highly discounted prices on Microsoft software for both the university student and professor. The professional version of Microsoft Office includes word processing, spread sheet and presentation software that will all be very helpful with your different classes. Other, more specific software is also available for those that have specific needs. To make your computer even more user friendly and enjoyable, you might add some software that draws maps, creates newsletters, and edits photos.

Finally, for those times when you want to take a little break, install some of your favourite games for a healthy diversion from your studies. Things that you should avoid so you do not appear pretentious to your fellow students include super-expensive software that costs twice as much as the computer. People that buy these suites of programming often do so just for the status. In actuality, it is usually just a waste of money and the programs get very little use. Turning to the university experience as a whole, a well-equipped student should have most of the following things. For you dormitory room, it is important to dress it up from the simple basic design of a bed, dresser and desk that is standard fare. Bring a computer, flat screen TV and small refrigerator. Of course, bring a decent wardrobe and a few mementos from home. It never hurts to hang a few pictures, add a clock and a few other nick-knacks to give your room a homey feel.