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I am due to start a course at University and would like some advice on things i may need.

 

I have the list of books as suggested by my tutors, but I am just wondering if I should invest in a laptop?

 

Thanks

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What course are you doing, and where are you living?

Away from home? Close to uni? etc.................

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Am going to Glasgow Uni...just up the road :D

 

Its an access course in Arts and Social Sciences studying Classic Civilisation and Social Anthropology. Am hoping to get on a Degree course at same Uni next year either in Sociology and Antropology or just plain ole History :D

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If you can type as quickly as you can write for note taking then they're a great resource to have available, but they aren't essential if you have access to a computer anyway.

 

I'd wait for book buying until you've talked to your tutors, session lecturers and group members- there's no way you can afford all the books on your list and most of them can be obtained in the library. The only ones you need are the ones that you will be referring back to repeatedly.

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yeah you definately dont need to buy all the books on the reading list. Some people on my course did that and most of them are in the library!

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yeah you definately dont need to buy all the books on the reading list. Some people on my course did that and most of them are in the library!

 

well we have one of them already....so that is no loss lol

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Good luck to you, Moon Maiden, Glasgow is a fantastic city and the University is tops. You should enjoy your time there.

 

Check out the computing facilities there, you probably won't need a laptop--unless you want to invest in a printer at the same time so you can produce your essays in your accommodation t your convenience. Otherwise waiting in a queue to get your stuff printed off cn be annoying. And don't rely on typing your work on your laptop and then trying to transfer it on a floppy or a memory stick to a machine in the computer lab, because the systems may not be compatible.

 

Also see if where you stay provides internet access. you'll get that in the university's compiuters anyway, and a university email should automatically be assigned to you at registration--you'll need to check that, even if you don't use it for your personal correspondence, because it will be the way the university and your tutors communicate with you.

 

You may of course know all this already, but if not, I hope it helps.

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Good luck to you, Moon Maiden, Glasgow is a fantastic city and the University is tops. You should enjoy your time there.

 

Check out the computing facilities there, you probably won't need a laptop--unless you want to invest in a printer at the same time so you can produce your essays in your accommodation t your convenience. Otherwise waiting in a queue to get your stuff printed off cn be annoying. And don't rely on typing your work on your laptop and then trying to transfer it on a floppy or a memory stick to a machine in the computer lab, because the systems may not be compatible.

 

Also see if where you stay provides internet access. you'll get that in the university's compiuters anyway, and a university email should automatically be assigned to you at registration--you'll need to check that, even if you don't use it for your personal correspondence, because it will be the way the university and your tutors communicate with you.

 

You may of course know all this already, but if not, I hope it helps.

 

I ADORE Glasgow. Its such a vibrant city..even the jakeys are entertainin :hihi:

I will be staying at home cos it only takes half an hour to get into the city from here, so I have full access to a computer, net access and printer.

 

I was thinking about a laptop because my writing is rubbish...but I can type pretty quick.

 

The tutor said we would get a short course and taster of taking notes in a lecture environment...but that is literally days before the course is due to start, so I was hoping to get advice on that. I don't think a laptop would go to waste in our house if I didn't end up using it as I am pretty sure the other half would find a use for it lol

 

Thanks for the information on the library and university computers. I remember at college it was a pain trying to get anything printed...but that was Barnsley over 10 years ago, and I would have 'thought' that Glasgow maybe better....obviously not lol

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I am due to start a course at University and would like some advice on things i may need.

 

I have the list of books as suggested by my tutors, but I am just wondering if I should invest in a laptop?

 

Thanks

Your own computer will be useful but you're unlikely to need a laptop to cart around with you if that's what you mean, atleast not for taking notes anyway most people find pen & paper preferable.

 

Also if you're going to be typing essays you'll most likely be happier with a decent full size full travel keyboard (though of course you can use those on a laptop with an adapter or if the keyboard is usb) than the inferior one you'll get on a laptop.

 

I found recording lectures on my mp3 player useful so you may like to get some kind of recording device.

 

Also if you get a printer just for printing essays consider a cheap laser they cost more up front than an inkjet but are far far cheaper to run (one £15 cartridge does thousands of pages on my oki & you don't have to spend 10 minutes cleaning the heads everytime you want to print something).

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I've been going for three years so far and I've only used my laptop about 10 times. There are a few problems, such as ensuring you have a power socket near by (especially important if you have a full day of lectures in which the battery would be quickly eaten up). Another problem I've had is that it's much harder to concentrate when you can surf the internet and talk with friends due to the ubiquitous wifi; it also allows you to fact-check the professor :) .

 

If you don't have a problem with that, a laptop is certainly a nice study accessory. I've found the best laptops to be the 13" Apple MacBooks, simply because it's small size allows you to balance it on the smallest of area and the battery life is relatively superb.

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Hi, get an mp3 player/digital dictaphone, its so much easier than taking notes in the lecture or typing on a laptop, you can listen to it later and take much better notes. I bought a laptop to use in lectures and never use it,.Laptop use in lectures is also really annoying for other people, about 5 people in a lecture hall tapping away is distracting when your trying to concentrate. Also check if your uni releases podcasts of your lectures, im trying to make this happen at my uni.

 

Good luck with your studies.:thumbsup:

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Make sure you get a good memory stick and back up everything!! I know it sounds obvious but I know many students who have lost files through not backing stuff up regularly. Good luck with your course

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