If you’re graduating this year, the best tech gift you can give yourself is a blog.
I know what you’re thinking: “That’s not tech! That’s writing. Anybody can do that.”
Technically, you’re right. But there’s more to it than that.
When I was graduating from college, my dad gave me some excellent advice. He told me to write about what I was learning in my new job every day for at least 20 minutes — and publish it online.
At the time, I thought that sounded kind of crazy. Who would want to read about what I was learning? What if I got it wrong? What if people made fun of me? What if I failed publicly?
But my dad has always been good at giving advice, so I decided to give it a shot. A few years later, when I was looking for my next job, I discovered that the blog had become one of my greatest assets. Since then, it has opened up opportunities for me that would have never been possible otherwise — like speaking at conferences, getting hired by Google and Facebook, getting published in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and even
It’s graduation season! As the weather gets warmer, it’s time to shed those winter layers, put on a cap and gown, and celebrate the end of an era. A lot of people will be receiving gifts as they move on to graduate school or a new job. Instead of getting them just anything, why not give them something that will last?
Technology is always changing, but there are some things you can buy for your friends and family now that will help them get ahead for years to come. Whether they’re tech-savvy or still have no idea how to use the internet, here are some great tech gifts that any recent graduate would love to receive.
What’s the best gift for a graduating high school or college student? The best possible gift is the one that makes your life easier, more convenient and more efficient.
So what tech gifts should you consider getting for your tech-savvy graduate?
Well, it depends on where they are going. Going to college? Living independently in an apartment? Just starting out in their career in a new city?
Here are some great suggestions for tech gifts that will help your grad make the most of the next phase of their life.
You’re graduating, and you want to go out in style. That is, you want to get a gift that reflects your education and hard work – something with the prestige of a high-end brand name. And it can’t just be any brand name. You need something that says “I’m special!”
The obvious choice is an Apple MacBook Air. The MacBook Air is a great laptop. It has a super-thin, ultra-cool design, and its keyboard feels great. While most laptops look like they were designed by a 12-year-old boy with too much time on his hands, the MacBook Air looks like it was designed by an adult.
It can be hard to come up with money for a new laptop. But the good news is that the MacBook Air has a well-deserved reputation for reliability and durability. You don’t have to worry about it breaking down if you drop it or spill coffee on it.
The MacBook Air also comes with built-in support from Apple if anything does go wrong. Apple is famous for its service, and that alone makes it worth paying a little more for this laptop instead of some cheap knockoff from Dell or Lenovo or Asus.
The only
When we send our kids off to college, it’s important that they have the skills they need to succeed. Here are three tech gifts that will help students excel in class, and life.
A Digital Voice Recorder
A digital voice recorder is a great gift for students because it allows them to record lectures or interviews, freeing up their hands for note-taking. This can be especially helpful for writing-intensive classes, or for students who struggle with handwriting.
A GPS Device or Location-Sharing App
GPS can be invaluable for finding your way around campus, but it can also help students feel more comfortable walking around town at night. Have your student ask their campus police department about location-sharing apps like LiveSafe, which allows friends and family to track a person’s whereabouts through their phone’s GPS. Some colleges even have their own app; UMD has a “Safe Walk” program where you can request an escort home from a campus shuttle by using the app to send your location information to a driver.
A Communication Device
Every student needs an easy way to stay in touch with family and friends while they’re on campus. Cell phones have made this easier than ever before – but don’t forget the
Graduations are right around the corner. Have a daughter? A son? Or maybe you are a graduating senior? Well, let me help you out with that gift.
First, I’m a big believer in sharing my knowledge and experiences. You may have heard the phrase “teach someone how to fish and they will eat for life.” I’ve found that this has rung true in many situations and makes for a great gift. No matter what age, when people ask me for advice, I always try to share information that I believe would benefit them most in the long-run.
So what about giving someone a blog?
Why not? Blogs can be used for anything. Most people set up blogs around their interests: food, technology, politics, travel, and so on. There are so many options out there that it is easy to find something you really enjoy writing about.
If you’re the parent of a graduate or someone who is graduating, here’s the one thing I would suggest you do to help put your loved one on the right path: encourage him or her to start keeping a blog.
Why is this important? It’s not that your grad is going to become a blogger in the process. It’s that they will learn how to write, and writing well is a skill that will pay dividends for the rest of their life.
It takes practice to get good at something, and blogging is no different. There are some technical skills required (understanding HTML, working with images), but most importantly there’s the learning how to make a point and argue it clearly, succinctly and effectively.
A blog isn’t just about writing either; it requires thinking critically about what others are saying – something we all need to do more of in our lives. A blog forces you to consume information and decide whether or not it’s worth sharing with others. As the great writer William Zinsser once wrote, “Writing improves in direct ratio to the number of things we can keep out of it that shouldn’t be there.”