What's really nice is a handheld (Palm, smartphone) to hold your schedule. The schedule gets rather complex (unless you don't go to class
) and you can add in the topics and page numbers for each lecture, since they're given usually a week or two in advance, and you can then use your calendar as a study roadmap. OK, paper and pen would work about as well but with a handheld you can repeat events which saves writing. Plus, you can see it better in the dark.
I think a Palm Centro would be just about ideal for AZCOM MS-1. Keep your laptop at home to run HistoTime (available from big sib or other upperclassmen), and to check your email when not on campus.
Otherwise, stay away from computers; it's a huge time sink. Spending 10-20 hrs a week on the computer (ostensibly researching, emailing, keeping up with world events but really just wasting time) was my downfall last fall
Similarly, texting friends and checking stocks, email, etc., during class may be a fun and tension-relieving distraction, but in the long run it is LITERALLY a distraction from the very important process of learning to take in voluminous information quickly and efficiently. This, too, was my great failing last fall.
Don't worry too much about the technology and stay focused on studying. Keep in mind also that, generally speaking, the longer you wait, the cheaper and better computers get, so there's an advantage to putting off such purchases. Best of luck everyone!
