Top 5 Things You Need for Back to School - Then and Now

Have you been able to wrap your head around going back to school? I always thought the best thing about going back to school was shopping for new supplies - you know, like the fresh smell of a newly sharpened pencil or the pristine look of a brand new notebook…. but times have changed in this electronic age and we’ve taken to downloading a lot of our school supplies.  So I thought it would be fun to look at the Top 5 things you need for back to school to help this year breeze by but with a twist! 

Here’s my Then and Now take on Back to School shopping:

1. Spiral notebooks vs. Apps on your iPad

Remember buying different colored notebooks to keep each subject in school organized to a particular color?

Well now apps like Noteshelf make it super easy to keep all of your notes organized in one place! Create new journals for each subject and keep a few extra ones for hobbies.

2. Researching then vs. researching now

.

Don't get me wrong, libraries are great, but libraries are not always accessible. Also, if you're anything like me, too many books can become a little overwhelming! 

With search engines such as Google, any information you may need is right at your fingertips. I remember the first time I was taught to use Google in class--I think I heard the hallelujah chorus.

3. Walkman vs. iPod or iPhone

I recently came across my old Walkman while cleaning out my room and quickly realized how far we have come since then. 

I mean, would you want to walk to class with that thing on the left? 

Music to study with was a must for me. iPods and iPhones are so much easier for student's on-the-go lifestyle and not to mention much more attractive. 

4. Floppy disk vs. iCloud

I remember using floppy disks in computer class growing up. It was always important to label these or else they would be easy to misplace. And if you lost it, well, you were out of luck.

With iCloud, students can save all of their work in one place...and access it from anywhere! Students can easily sync multiple devices and they don't have to worry about losing anything.

5. Books then vs. books now

Did your books for school look similar to the one on the left? There was never enough space to jot notes and the highlighting just looked messy..

Now students can easily download books to their iPads or tablets and have them all on the same device! Highlight and take notes without the mess...simply brilliant!

It's easy to see looking back how much technology has changed and really improved the everyday student life. What comparisons do you have from growing up in school?

Write your comments below!