As a Student [Most especially, Nigerian Student] there are so many decisions to make when you are studying in Higher Institution or just moving to the University. One of those decisions, is deciding what to buy between a Laptop or a Smartphone – i.e. If you cannot afford both. Basically, you should go for the one you need most and at the same time the one that will affect your studies positively, not negatively.
According to some international surveys on University Students, Smartphones are causing so much distractions more than Laptops do, whereas many students don’t use Tablets at all; maybe because of it’s size.
Consider this – A survey of 100 students at Dongguk University in South Korea said, about 50% of the students uses their smartphones more than five hours a day and 68% rated themselves as being addicted to their phones. The main purpose of the students’ smartphone use was to chat with friends, play games and read news. 70% of the surveyed students feel anxious when their phone’s battery is running out, when there is no fast internet access or when they cannot update their Apps. Moreover, 77% of the students answered that their smartphones causes distraction whenever they are studying or working.
The survey summarized above not only applies to South Korean students but to students generally all over the world. Although the number, size and percentage is higher & lower ranging from one country to another and one university to another.
Apart from the factors mentioned above, another determiner to buying a Smartphone or a Laptop is the price. You can’t buy what you can’t afford when there is something else your money can buy easily, right ?
But hold on here, there are some important questions every student must ask himself / herself when in a situation like this. Consider the questions listed below and find an answer to them, to determine what is right for you – A Smartphone or A Laptop ?
- Will you have regular access to electricity supply ? Remember that
Smartphones generally have longer battery life than Laptops which means a
Smartphone will spend many more hours without charging than a Laptop
will.
- How much of a serious student do you intend to be ? Remember that a
Smartphone comes with lot of distractions (Chatting on 2go and WhatsApp,
Pinging on BBM, Playing Games etc) according to the survey
aforementioned. Some of these distractions are quite difficult to avoid
whereas the distractions from a Laptop can be easily avoided.
- What course are you studying ? Some courses require regular paper work. A
laptop offers a better word processing experience than a Smartphone. It
will be much easier for you to edit your work on a Laptop and then
print out. Furthermore, there are some complex assignments you can never
do with a Smartphone. Imagine a Computer Science given a pure
programming assignment.
- How much have you budgeted for it ? Sometimes, the amount you have to
spend on your purchase will determine what you will eventually end up
buying. Having only #20,000 with you means you’ll probably buy a Nokia
Lumia 520 not HP Pavilion G6. Just Measure twice and Cut once !!!
- Do you have an Internet Connection for your device (Be it a Laptop or
Smartphone) ? You really need an internet connection for either of the
two in order to do your assignments. Buying a Laptop means you need a
USB Modem & Data Plan while Buying a Smartphone means you only
need a Data Plan. Well, many universities do provide free Wi-Fi Internet
Access for students and if yours is among, maybe you need not to worry
about spending your extra cash on Internet Access.
Are you through with the answers to the questions above? If yes, you should now realize what you need in your University life which should probably be a Laptop.
Generally, It seems like many students need a Laptop for their Academic years in the University while some need Smartphones.
Its now up to you to decide if you are among the many who needs a Laptop, few who needs a Smartphone or most who needs both. Decide and Choose wisely. Wish you success in your studies, Cheers !!!
Nice points there but as for me, I will prefer smartphone for now. At least, I can still do some needful things on it whileI can also use it to form big boy on campus. lol
LoL… Yeah, You can use your smartphone to form big boy on campus but you can't use a Laptop to form. Nice one, but I guess you rarely do assignments that requires typing and printing. Right ?
I prefer a smartphone because you can take it wherever you go.
Yes, likewise a Laptop. Just that a Laptop will be a bit heavier and occupy space.
I really want to commend ur effort mr. Ayoola for takin tym to stress dis issue out. As for me, i think i need d laptop seriously because right now, in need to do some paper works.
Thanks for the compliment, and you really need a Laptop since you have paper works. *1st Class* wishes for you in your studies…
You did a good job but forget to discuss mobility, smart phone are easily Move from one place to another I remember a blogger runs his blog on a smart phone (student) to communicate too smart phone always reduce the cost of phone calls among students where they create groups and discuss class work at intervals also in this part of the word cos of the cheap internet smart phones are easier to maintain than laptop. In all having a smart phone would be the best laptop should be an additional (opinion)
Thanks for the comment Ebunma, what you said about the communication issue is true cuz I also prefer instant messaging with my friends & mates because it saves me money but about the blogging example, I think it's very very convenient to blog on a PC than on a Smartphone.
Well, as for me i really love and prefer smartphones but to boost my Blogging career and internet money making business even as am a student i need a Laptop so this two is my Choice but for those in my shoes but with less cash i suggest u can get a Tablet its mobile and function as a computer @ d same Time really a nice posT 1st time am commenTing on OgbongeBlog *smiles
Nice comment Tolu, Having both is the best like you said, I hope getting both will help your blogging career and your online biz, what's your blog url anyways ? Hope to see your useful comments on other posts on Ogbongeblog.
Nice one bros I will give it a thought
Nice one bros. I think I wil prefer a laptop for now
Thanks, That's good for you.
I prefer laptops to smartphones. The advantages are limitless, they are even more productive and less distractive than smart phones. Besides, there is this new fashion of young guys carrying empty bags around as though they had something serious in it, why not put the laptop in it and lets stop making immobility an excuse.
Interesting