When I think back to my days as a university student, one word comes to mind: busy. To be perfectly honest, I don’t know how I managed it all. It makes me exhausted just thinking about it now. Between lectures, tutorials and labs, you need to fit in studying, group projects, papers and assignments. You might also have to attend meetings with volunteer associations, or practices with a sports team. Add to that incorporating some element of fitness, a social life, and much needed sleep, and it can all get a little overwhelming.
That’s where a smartwatch can come in handy. More than just a fancy step counter, a good smartwatch can help any busy student stay on schedule, on track, and on top of a very busy life. To illustrate, let’s take a look at an average day in the life of a student with a smartwatch.
Starting the day
Once awake, you can check in on the quality and length of your sleep the night before. Fitbit Blaze’s Auto Sleep Tracking feature can record your sleep in either “sensitive” mode for extremely detailed sleep reporting, or “normal” mode for a more basic idea of your sleep patterns, such as time awake, time asleep, and time of restlessness. This information can then be used to tailor your habits for a better sleep.
Now that you’re up and ready to get going, it’s time to check your calendar and hit the road. Your smartwatch automatically synchs with your smartphone, so it will be updated with your text messages, emails, and calendar entry alerts. Scroll through these alerts to make sure you didn’t miss anything overnight and that you are set for the day ahead.
Staying up to date
It’s easy to get bogged down in all the various digital communications that come at you everyday, especially when your smartphone isn’t available or easily accessible, or you’re stuck in class. However, with a smartwatch like the ASUS ZenWatch you’ll be able to stay up to date on all sorts of important alerts no matter where you are throughout the day, be it in class, driving, or at practice.
And unlike looking at a smartphone, you can subtly glance down at your smartwatch without drawing too much attention to yourself and decide if you need to reply to those text messages or emails right away or later on. When you do decide to reply, you can do so hands-free via the ZenWatch’s voice command.
You can also make or receive calls through the ZenWatch without taking out your phone. How cool is that? Talk about looking the part of a secret agent, am I right? You can also send short messages, emojis, and drawings right from your wrist with ZenWatch Message.
Staying in shape
Whether or not you’re a freshman, it can be tough to avoid the temptations that lurk around every corner on campus and to find time to be active. However, with a smartwatch like the Garmin vivoactive HR, you can keep track of your daily activity as well as those grueling sessions at the gym, whenever you find time for them.
The Gear Fit2 features a number of GPS-enabled sports apps and sensors to monitor your steps during the day, distance traveled, and calories burned. It also reminds you to get up and move after an hour of inactivity, which is great because it is easy to lose track of time when you’re in study mode. You can then use this data to set new goals for yourself and keep those dreaded “Freshman 15” off for another year.
In addition to monitoring your day-to-day activity, the Garmin vivoactive HR is ideal for fitness buffs, or those who like to get their sweat on at the gym or through other athletic pursuits. It can track activities like running, snowboarding, swimming, golfing, and paddle boarding, and together with its built-in heart rate monitor, give you hard data about the intensity of your activities.
When you are back at your computer you can then view your activity data in detail, and once Garmin Connect gets to “know you” and your activity level, it will start to offer insights to push you harder, such as cues to move if you aren’t on pace to meet your goals, and shout outs when you hit milestones.
A smartwatch is a great tool to keep you on track with your hectic student schedule. From sun-up to sun-down it will keep you up to date with reminders and alerts for emails, text messages, calendar entries, social media updates, and even weather trends. It will also keep you in tune with your daily activity, and act as your coach when you are working out, or even going for a leisurely hike. Best of all, a smartwatch keeps you connected without the need to keep your smartphone in your hand at all times–it’s like connectivity without the risk of shattering a screen, which is ideal for anyone constantly on the go.
Check out the full range of smartwatches available at Best Buy here.
