Thank you Batteries Plus Bulbs for sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% mine.
A new school year is upon us and that means you probably spent the summer finding the perfect electronic devices to help you conquer college.
If I had to guess, you probably have a smartphone, laptop, and/or a tablet in your possession most of the time. When you think about it, that’s probably close to $2,000 worth of electronics! I don’t know about you, but I definitely would NOT want to be the one paying full price to replace these devices.
That’s why I’m sharing my tips for taking care of electronic devices in college so that you can keep more money in your pocket (and have peace of mind knowing that you’ve done your part to keep them safe).
Get a Protective Case for Each Device
It seems like a no-brainer to get a carrying case for your phone because 1) you’re constantly carrying it with you and 2) you’ve probably heard more than a handful of stories about screens cracking when the phone drops.
But what about your other devices? Is it really necessary to have a case for them?
In my opinion, the answer is yes.
It wasn’t until I started carrying my laptop around more that I realized how hard I set my backpack down sometimes. It’s not until I hear the “thud” and “clink” of my laptop hitting the floor that I realize how much damage I could actually do to it!
That’s why I invested in a padded zip case that is specifically designed to fit the size of my computer. The added padding helps me feel secure because I never know what I might bump into when I’m walking around.
I can say the same for my e-reader. With screens being so susceptible to cracking, I didn’t want to take a chance with getting it messed up. I invested in a hardcover case for this one, though there are many different styles and models available all over the place.
Charge Your Devices Properly to Maintain Battery Life
I used to be that person who thought you needed to charge your battery all the time. What I didn’t realize is that this was actually making my battery drain more when I was constantly plugging it in and unplugging it when it still had over half the battery power left.
Now, I wait until my phone gets to around 20% to charge it up. I do the same with my laptop and e-reader as well. Then, I wait until my battery is fully charged before I unplug it.
Since using this approach, I’ve noticed that my battery life has been better across all the devices I use this on.
Obviously this might not be something you can practice all the time, especially if you only have an hour to charge up in the middle of classes, but I encourage you to implement this charging process as much as you can. Trust me, I’ve been on the bad side of having a drained battery, and it led me to having to recharge every 30 minutes… not exactly convenient.
Get a Keyboard Protector for Your Laptop
Take a minute to think about all the different things you do around your laptop…
Eat, drink water, paint your nails, brush your hair, etc.
The point is that, in college, you pretty much do everything around your laptop. As convenient as they are to carry around, they also can get extremely dirty and are easily damaged if not protected.
I recently noticed this problem myself, which is why I invested in a keyboard protector. Within the first week of putting it to use, I had splattered BBQ sauce on it, dripped some water, and vacuumed the area (which kicked up a lot of dust that, of course, ended up on my laptop).
Thankfully, my laptop wasn’t impacted by these events because of the keyboard protector. It took some getting used to at first (the feel is a little different), but it has been well worth it.
Use Batteries Plus Bulbs If You Need Quick Repairs
It’s always smart to try to prevent electronic disasters from occurring, but sometimes life just happens and you need some help to get you back in business, and quick!
That’s why I’d highly recommend knowing where your local Batteries Plus Bulbs store is (check out their store locator here). A few years back, my phone battery decided to expand (literally), and I needed a new one STAT… Thankfully, Batteries Plus Bulbs was a few miles away and had exactly what I needed.
Not only do they sell batteries and chargers for a variety of devices, but they also have We Fix It® Repair Centers inside their stores that specialize in electronic repairs (which you can get at over 700 stores nationwide, by the way). Whether your phone screen cracked, your charging ports won’t work, or your speakers sound off, help is never too far away.
Batteries Plus Bulbs also understands that college students don’t have a lot of extra time, which is why they offer online appointment bookings, as well as walk-ins. Depending on the repair needed, you could be in and out in under 30 minutes and their repairs are backed by an extensive 6-month nationwide warranty on parts and workmanship!
Pro Tip: If you are experiencing a device issue, don’t keep putting it off! Have the pros take a look at it before it gets worse.
Interested in learning more about their services or seeing if your device can be repaired there? Click here.
Remember, your electronic devices are an investment. Follow the tips above to keep them in tip-top shape so that you can focus on all the other things going on in your life, like that big test coming up next week.
Do you have any tips you’d recommend? I’d love to hear them in the comments below!