How the iPad Changed My Life
I used to think iPads were pointless. I thought anything my iPad could do, my computer could do better. They were completely unnecessary.
Needless to say, I was wrong.
Here’s how the iPad changed my life.
Life-Changer #1: E-mails
Ever since getting a job recently, I now have way too many email addresses. I have a business email, a personal email, and a student email. It is nearly impossible to keep track of them all. But, thanks to the iPad, all my email accounts can be merged in one place.
It helps with responses as well. I am an English T.A. (see my article on writing tips here), which means students email me their papers all the time. Before iPad (B.P.), it was impossible to give feedback without waiting until I got to my computer. Now all of my students know that I tend to respond in minutes.
Life-Changer #2: Textbooks
I have two major problems with textbooks:
1) They are expensive
2) They are clunky
Thanks to the iPad, my textbook prices have been slashed in half. Not only can I buy regular, full textbooks for about a third cheaper, but all the supplementary books for literature classes are also far less expensive. Instead of paying seven dollars for a book, I can pay two dollars for it on my iPad. Short stories are usually free thanks to the internet.
Also, since my iPad fits into my purse, I can catch-up on a reading almost anywhere. It is no longer a major hassle to carry all of my books to a coffee shop. In addition, it is far more portable than my laptop as well.
My calendar is right in front of me. My class notes are with me at all times. My to-do list is at my fingertips.
Plus, people automatically take you more seriously when you type an event into your iPad. Lunch at 5pm? Got it. They know you mean business
It also makes you look extremely slick.
Life-Changer #4: World News
Since getting the iPad, I actually know what’s going on in the world. My morning routine usually goes like this:
1) Wake-up
2) Reach over bed for iPad
3) Open twitter application, and read tweets and links to articles from news sources until I summon the strength to get out of bed.
It’s that simple! I also open up twitter and scroll through articles while walking around and waiting for me classes to start. I am now so well-informed, it is absolutely ridiculous.
Life-Changer #5: Money
Yes, you read that right. The iPad has actually helped me to make money. Besides saving money on textbooks, it helped me land a job in advertisement sales. I can now edit advertisements with clients on the spot. For anyone interested in graphic design, the iPad is a must.
However, what is more important is the level of professionalism the iPad projects. I bring my iPad to job interviews. I bring my iPad to student government meetings. I bring my iPad to class. That way, whenever anyone has a question, I instantly have the answer. If a teacher has a question about the syllabus, it’s there. Need to see an application? Got it. Fact-check? Done. When you have an iPad, people automatically assume that you are on top of things (because you are).
Conclusion
Ultimately, the iPad helped me to be a more organized person and function more like an adult. This is, however, not without one major source of frustration:
My computer is slower than my iPad.