“The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative and productive. It lets people learn things they didn’t think they could learn before and do things they didn’t think they could do. It is all about potential,”  ~ Steve Ballmer, Microsoft

Use Your Tech to Achieve Your Goals

So you love using your smartphone to take photos, check-in on social media, play Pokemon Go, and other new games. But remember that part of the point of the college experience is learning how to use the right resources to create the future of your dreams. Whether that’s traveling the world, going to grad school, or starting your career, there are a number of digital applications and online tools that can help you get there. We’re talking about tools that can impact your future success, here. Plus, you’ll be saving much-needed money for books, classes, and groceries (i.e. pizza), along the way. Did that get your attention? It definitely should.

Be Resourceful & Succeed in School

If you think that you could benefit from switching up your strategy to better study for a class, or a lecture you didn’t quite understand the first time around, there’s almost always “an app for that”. Such tools enable you to get organized, tackle assignments, prepare for tests, and avoid absorbing all of your free time. By taking advantage of these tools early in your college career, you can lower some of your major expenses, increase your efficiency as a Student, and have a little more fun on-campus.

Money

Becoming a college student is a huge step forwards in your life and for many it means learning a bit more about how to live independently and pay for the costs associated with your new life. Fortunately, you live in the age of innovation and there are several Digital applications available to help you to start saving money on three of your leading expenses: Food, books, and housing supplies. Here are a few digital solutions to help you with each of those expenses, right off the bat.

• Save money on groceries with the ibotta and Checkout51 apps
• Save money on dining out at local restaurants with the Groupon app
• Save money on college textbooks and more with TUN Student Discounts
• Save money on new housing supplies with the RetailMeNot shopping app
• Learn to save college money in other ways, too: 

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY3k_abmOQ0

Grades

Saving all the money in the world won’t help you nearly as much in school or life, if you don’t have something to show for your efforts. But in order to reach any significant goal in the digital era, you have to strategize, get organized, and take advantage of your technological resources. That holds true for getting good grades in your academic world, as well. That’s why USF offers several invaluable resources for USF students that need academic assistance at anytime. For example, if you’re exceptionally crunched for time and can’t make it to either your professor’s office hours or the Tampa Library Learning Commons for their free Tutoring and Writing services, there’s always the online option. That is, the USF SmartThinking site and app. This program offers students online tutoring time along with a variety of helpful study tools that may help you with your class and homework. This would prove especially valuable for any student seeking guidance for greater understanding of class concepts, better grades, and a higher GPA.

• When you just need to study solo, consider StudyBlue
• For tutoring on-campus, study with the USF Tutoring Center
• For remote or off-campus online tutoring, study with USF SmartThinking
• There’s also the The Writing Studio at USF and USF SMART Lab for all students

Navigation

Last but not least, there’s the issue of finding your way around campus. As reported in an article on education for US News, “‘Transportation is often an underestimated cost’, whether students come to campus for classes, drive to jobs or go home” (U.S. News, 2013). After all, getting from your apartment or dorm room to the classroom on time without breaking the bank is an important skill for every student to master. One of the best ways to save time and avoid transportation costs is to take advantage of walking, biking, and dependable public transportation options. That’s why every student should take a minute to download MyUSF Mobile for clear campus navigation, transportation details, and more. But if you do have to drive your own vehicle on occasion, you can still save by using the GasBuddy app to find the cheapest, nearby gas stations.

• Find free bikes on-campus with USF’s SocialBicycles
• Find the cheapest, nearby gas stations with GasBuddy
• Find your way around campus by foot, bike, or board with MyUSF Mobile

Technical Difficulties? Ask for Help

Ultimately, none of these digital apps and online tools will benefit you, if you fail to exercise data privacy and protection best practices. So, to stay safe online and protect your private information (e.g. student records, files, emails, etc.) use the digital resources from USF Safe Computing. This includes everything from basic anti-virus tools for your desktop and mobile devices to critical password practices for your various online accounts. I’m talking to you “123456”, “qwerty123”, and “password”.

But let’s face it, there will also be times when you encounter technical difficulties or complex computer issues that are beyond your time or ability to take on. In these situations it’s important to remember that asking for help sooner rather than later can save you valuable study and social hours. Plus, you won’t have to worry about potentially exacerbating the issue by taking advice from someone who isn’t an expert or breaking something yourself. The USF Support Desk is a free and readily available resource for students seeking solid solutions for computer problems. They even offer a live chat option for remote assistance. So if you’re ever wondering where to go for help setting up your computer or device, installing software, or simply changing one of your USF account passwords, you won’t need GeekSquad because your Support Desk team can help you get the right answers in record time.

You can read more about the details of this process in our How to Request Technical Support article, at anytime.

Remember that in order to reach your dreams tomorrow, you have to pause, plan, and practice getting ahead by using the digital resources that surround you. If all you have is a smartphone on you as you travel from class to class, take advantage of that mini-computer, make it work for you, and reach for your goals with the confidence that comes with knowing that you’re working smarter, not just harder, to succeed.

Happy Computing!

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