Are you one of the millions of college students who travel long distances to visit friends and relatives? If so, there are a few items you need while making that long trek home and back again. Chances are, you have a laptop computer and a cell phone, but a few other gadgets make the journey safer and more enjoyable, especially if you find yourself waiting for a delayed flight or a broken down rental car. Here are five things no college student should hit the road without.
Image via Wikipedia
- A quality digital camera is fun to have when you see interesting things while traveling, but it is also a safety device. If you are involved in an accident, need proof of items you left in a lock box, need to photograph the license plate of a hit and run driver or have other on the road emergencies, a digital camera is essential for documenting evidence. Cameras are an area where you get what you pay for. A cheap camera isn’t likely to render photos that you want to share on your Facebook page, and certainly won’t give you the detail you need for emergency situations. Invest in the best digital camera you can afford.
- Multi-language translators have come a long way. Some even speak a sentence, phrase or word for you. If your travels take you to international destinations, this little device could get you a much-needed hotel room, restaurant or restroom facilities.
- Instead of taking the laptop computer you depend on for school work, banking and other important functions, consider getting a small tablet computer to travel with. Tablet computers are handy for checking email, searching the web and keeping up with your social networking sites, and if it is lost, stolen or damaged, you haven’t lost your essays, term papers and sensitive personal information.
- If you do take a computer with you, invest in a laptop lock. Locks are available that attach to your laptop or notebook computer and strap easily to the leg of a table. According to a 2005 study by the FBI, a laptop computer is stolen every 58 seconds. The number has probably gone up since then. Keep yours secure in the car, on a plane, at the hotel or in a restaurant with a security lock.
- Airport Express is a handy device by Apple which allows you to create a Wi-Fi zone for yourself, and if you wish, a few friends. You can password protect it to make sure nobody is using your internet address to commit a crime.
Image Courtesy of Fotopedia.com
Be sure to load your phone and computer with fun games to stay entertained if travel plans are delayed. Also, wear clothing with pockets and keep important phone numbers, insurance information, identification and other critical information on your person instead of in a bag or on a computer which could be stolen.
The right travel gadgets make trips safer as well as more entertaining.