6 Ways You’re Going to Trash Your Laptop at College

College can be a great experience—striking out on your own, experiencing life and making new friends, accumulating knowledge and skills that will help you succeed for the rest of your life. And, the high accessibility of technology has made it easier than ever to get done what you need to get done with your school work so that you can go out and have fun. Laptops, tablets and smartphones have allowed students to be able to bring their school with them wherever they go, allowing for research anytime as well as immediate communication through software like Facebook and Skype.

With increased flexibility, and mobility comes an increase in potential for accidents with your technology as well. It used to be that everything was done on paper and kept safe in your room or dorm, and if you needed a computer you went to the computer lab which would allow you to work, store, and print your documents with ease. The influx of laptops into the college world has introduced new variables to common scenarios that you need to be aware of and watch out for.

All-Nighters

Anyone in college knows what this is. That moment in your school career when you realize that tomorrow can make or break your grade in a particular class—whether it’s an upcoming midterm or the due date of a semester-long research project. Whatever the scenario, it’s now 3 a.m., and you don’t see an end in sight. Here’s the danger–you’re running on pure caffeine and sugar and your desk is covered with half-filled coffee cups and energy drinks. One simple slip of your fingers could end up with a doused laptop and no access to weeks of research and data, destroying your night, weekend, and possibly whole semester.

Party on, Wayne

Who doesn’t love a good party? All your friends are gathered together, there’s good food, great music, and (assuming you are of age) a plethora of beverages for one and all. But beware, because while laptops can make handy DJ stations, the dozens of people walking around with drinks and food in their hands aren’t nearly as invested in your laptop as you are.

Go Team!

Nothing beats a Saturday afternoon like tailgating in the parking lot as you wait for your team to run on the field and demolish the competition. The smell of steaks grilling and the sounds of music blaring heighten the experience and engender a sense of companionship and comradery. When all is said and done, and the time to pack up and head home comes around, people aren’t always aware of their surroundings. The chairs, grills, and coolers get thrown into the back of the truck, unfortunately for you, right on top of your backpack containing your laptop.

The Forecast Calls For a Chance of Damage

Believe it or not, weather can have a huge impact on your laptop, but maybe not in the way you might think. When in the safety of your dorm room or home, you probably keep your laptop plugged in so as to always have a full battery. What you might not realize is that across the country most students begin the semester in the heart of summer storm season and head back after the holidays into the middle of frigid winter weather. Power surges and blackouts can fry your electronics, making it impossible to access the data stored within.

Hot, Hot Heat

Many of the top college destinations are in some of the best environments in the country. During these peak pool season times, it’s much nicer to do your work laying out by the pool versus sitting in a cramped dorm room. While this might make studying easier and less stressful, it puts your laptop in serious risk of taking an unexpected swim, or being subjected to the often unavoidable stray splash.

Don’t Drop That…Laptop

While it’s true that laptops are designed to be mobile, the amount of travelling that students do while in school is ridiculous—from traveling to lectures in the morning, shuffling from class to class, squeezing in a coffee when time permits, heading to work, and finally arriving back home for some studying. All the while your laptop is being taken in and out of bags or carried in your arms. This is a recipe for disaster coming in the form of an accidental drop which most often means death for a hard drive and complete loss of data.

What’s the Solution?

While accidents with your laptop may not always be avoidable, you can protect yourself. Protect Your Bubble has you covered—if you were to sign up for a protection plan and gain instant access to prompt repairs, accidental damage protection, mechanical breakdown coverage, and surge protection.

Backing up all of your work is important too. Consider cloud storage with companies like Google and iCloud. It can give you access to your data even if the worst should happen to your laptop.

Source: SocialMonsters