Back To School Buying Guide 2022: Headphones, Bags, and More!
Summer is drawing to a close and more and more families are hitting the stores to buy this year’s school supplies for their children. Sure, everybody will need pencils, notebooks, and binders, but in an increasingly technical world, they might just need a little bit more than that. With a full ninety-eight percent of schools in the United States having computers for their students at some level, it is likely that your child will need some degree of technology in order to fully engage in their educational experience.
What tech accessories should I buy for my child?
Good question! There are a few key accessories that any child, regardless of age or technological proficiency, could likely benefit from in a school setting.
Headphones
Whether your child uses their devices every day at school or occasionally visits the computer lab, you’ll likely want to send them to school with their own headphones. Wired headphones are ideal, as they can be used in all contexts, and with very little teacher assistance. Additionally, buying your child their own headphones will help ensure they don’t have to swap wearables with any of their peers. Now, more than ever, this is important for keeping your child safe and healthy at school.
If you’re not quite sure what to get, we recommend the Logitech USB H540 Wired Headset. The H540 offer sound and durability, as well as a variety of useful, daily-life features. In particular, we like the extra padding, to prevent headaches during long computer projects, the on-ear sound controls, and the noise-canceling microphone. We’re certainly not hoping for another bout of distance learning, but if it did have to happen, these would keep your conversations and your student’s class participation separate.
Microphones
Although your in-person learner might not need a microphone as much, if your child is participating in any form of digital learning this year, a microphone could be a huge blessing to them and their teacher. After all, you wouldn’t want your student not getting enough credit for participation because all their teacher can hear is static, would you?
If you’re looking for an affordable, but still decent quality option, we recommend the Audio-Technica Lavalier Microphone. A simple, clip-on option, this microphone will help improve your child’s audio quality in class without breaking the bank.
Cases
We want to write this section in bold, bright red font. If your child’s school lends them a device, make the right choice and buy a case to protect the device. The last thing you want to be saddled with is a bill for a school tablet that got drowned in chocolate milk in the lunchroom, we promise you.
Better to spend a little bit up front and protect that device with a Targus Safe Fit Universal Case. This case offers a tight fit and shock absorbing corners that will keep your child’s devices safe even in the messiest of backpacks.
Backpacks
Speaking of backpacks, we don’t even need to tell you why your child needs one of these. What we do need to tell you is that it’s worth the up-front investment to buy a slightly nicer backpack that won’t be ripping at the seams by Thanksgiving. We know the neon Roblox backpack looks cool now, but you just won’t love it the same when the bottom rips out a few months in.
That’s why we recommend the Wenger MarieBelle Backpack. Not only is it stylish, but it’s up for the task of carrying about as many textbooks as your child or college student can cram inside of it. It has a stabilizing base and multiple pockets, for the attempts you may make to teach your child to organize their school supplies. Best of all, it has pass through straps for suitcases. This means that this backpack can double as a carry-on anytime you need to travel with your child.
Computers
Now, this is definitely hitting the opposite end of the spectrum, but let’s say you’re helping prepare your child to hit the road for college, rather than getting ready for their first day of school. If that’s the stage of life you’re in, it’s more than likely that you’ve considered purchasing a laptop.
We can’t tell you enough how critical a laptop is for college success. Between classes that have students navigate to their syllabi through web platforms, cost-saving online textbooks, and group projects that require online collaboration, a laptop is a critical supply for any college-bound student. That’s why we recommend the Samsung Chromebook. Equipped with the ability to connect to Internet quickly, a larger than average screen, and a battery that can last for up to ten hours, this laptop will get your college student through every class and then some.
If you’re looking for more computer recommendations, check out our Back-To-School Desktop guide and keep an eye on the Micro Center Community for our Back-To-School laptop buying guide, coming soon!
Get Ready for Back to School with Micro Center
Your local Micro Center is happy to help you get through back-to-school season as painlessly as possible. With an immense array of options and the knowledge to walk you through your tech questions, we’re committed to helping you get your child the tech they need to make the new school year a success.
