Can you fix my iPod?

But no matter if we are clueless (“which end of the charger goes into the wall?”) or tech savvy, we all have one thing in common: we’re girls. And with that comes the need to accessorize, decorate and carry around gadgets that match our outfits.

So instead of running around campus with boring gray accessories, why not add some excitement to the tech side of your life with cute, girly gadgets? Hey, it might even help you down the road. When your computer crashes, the fact that it’s pink may just stop you from throwing it out the window. And if it doesn’t, well at least you’ll have a cute padded case to cushion the fall.

Flash Drive:

I can barely remember a pen when I roll out of bed in the morning, let alone the flash drive that has my essay saved on it. Now there’s no need to place Post-its everywhere I may happen to look (my shower caddy, my makeup bag, you get the deal), because you can’t miss this sparkling bracelet hanging in your jewelry box. Add flair to an outfit and bring your documents with you wherever you may go? Done and done.

Keyboard:

Okay perhaps it’s a little gaudy, but in the privacy of your dorm room, why can’t you indulge your inner girly girl? Staring at a word document for 6 hours will have you passed out on top of your keyboard, squares imprinted on your cheek, drooling onto the space bar. It’s just messy. A flashy keyboard will put a little excitement back into your homework (Okay, excitement may be a bit much, but the light from your lamp bouncing off the rhinestones will at least keep your eyes open) so you can get ‘er done.

Mouse:

After awhile the touch-pad on my MacBook really starts to bother me. You bump it, it clicks off the page. You have to hold down control to right click. You have to use two hands to do anything because you’re too challenged to maneuver this thing with just one. It’s annoying. And don’t even get me started on the little ball. How does anyone ever use that!? I’ve had enough and I’m ready for a real mouse. But, I don’t want just any mouse to plug in, I want a cute one. That sparkles. Yeah, it’s pricey, but it’s also the coolest thing to happen to my computer since, well, I got my computer.

Laptop Sleeves:

Lugging your laptop around campus sucks, but it sucks less if you do it in style. These sleeves are super cute, come in a variety of colors and are padded to protect your laptop from damage. (“Dad, I don’t know why it won’t turn on! It’s not like I accidentally drop-kicked it down the stairs or anything…”)

iPhone and Blackberry cases:

Pretty much everyone has a Blackberry or iPhone these days, and I refuse to be one of the automatons with my handheld glued to my hip. But I’m also not willing to give up BBM, so I’m going to make mine prettier so it stands out from the rest. Good plan, right? These cases are so adorable your phone will be more like an accessory than the addiction it currently is.

Earphones:

How freakin’ cute are these? I’ll take any opportunity I can to spruce up an outfit, and these headphones are like adorable earring! Plus I’m hoping the opportunity to sport these on an elliptical will get my ass off the couch. (Especially when my mom starts sending her fall treats my way.)

I’ve done some of the work for you and picked out the top five things that every college student needs.

1. Alarm Clock – This is an absolute necessity, although an annoying one. With all the fun stuff that you’ll do in college, it’s sometimes easy to forget why you’re actually there in the first place: CLASS! To make sure you’re getting your tuition’s worth by actually going to class, you’re going to need a reliable alarm clock. Of course, any old alarm clock or clock radio will do, but there are definitely better options out there. With the iHome iH4B, you can fall asleep and wake up to your favorite music. Plus, it charges your iPod, so you’re never stuck with a drained battery. I also really like the Clocky ® alarm clock, designed for people like me who turn off their alarm clocks without getting out of bed. I used to have to put my alarm clock across the room and run to the other side to shut it off, much to the annoyance of my roommates. This one, which has wheels and rolls around the room, probably would have annoyed them even more, but it definitely would have stopped me from going back to sleep and missing class for the umpteenth time.

2. Mini-Fridge – Another dorm room essential, because eating at the dining hall for every meal can get boring, and you’ll need this to store ingredients for easy meals, along with snacks for when you and your friends are hanging out in your room and a variety of beverages. Think Geek’s Deluxe Mini-Fridge/Warmer is compact, yet holds up to 20 liters inside. Plus, it also has a warming option, which is great for PopTarts… but not for your beers. Think Geek also makes a one-can USB fridge, which allows you to cool one drink at your desk through your computer’s USB port, so you can still enjoy your favorite drink cold, even if it’s from the stash you keep hidden from your roommates.

3. Freshman in the Kitchen Cookbook – As I said before, going to the dining hall for every meal can get boring, and sometimes you’ll want to shake it up a bit. However, you might not have the money to go out to eat whenever you feel like it, so why don’t you try cooking something in the dorm kitchen? Check out Freshman in the Kitchen, From Clueless Cook to Creative Chef,  a cookbook designed for college students written by brothers and recent college grads, Max and Eli Sussman. It helps even the least experienced person (who had mom cook their every meal) learn to make great meals by starting off with simple, no-heat meals and gradually moving into more elaborate spreads.

4. Earbuds – Yes, the ones that came with your iPod work great, but these JBuds noise-isolating earbuds fit more comfortably into your ears and cancel out outside noise, which is perfect for blocking your roommates’ snoring when you’re trying to sleep or their talking when you’re trying to study.

5. iPhone – The new iPhone 3G may not be in everyone’s budget, but it makes up for the price in the features it offers. Besides making phone calls and sending texts, the iPhone allows you to access your e-mail (from profs), browse the web (for that research paper), check the weather (for that party), manage your to-do list (for your life), access Google Maps (for that road trip), and a whole lot more from virtually anywhere. Plus, you can download any application imaginable from the App store. There are apps that do anything from connect you to Facebook or check your bank balance to leading you to the nearest public bathroom (www.have2p.com, which even tells you how clean the bathroom is!), especially useful when you’ve had a little too much to drink.

Sigh.  It’s been a long day here in the CC office, so long that we’re really having a hard time keeping ourselves from bursting into tears after listening to Paris Hilton’s new song “My BFF” [listen to the whole thing HERE].

I mean, we’re really trying to keep it together.

Is this song a publicity stunt?  Will we be forced to hear it blaring from the earbuds of the person sitting next to us on the bus tomorrow?  Is the world really so effed up that ear poison like this is allowed to be manufactured?

Dear God…why?

Oh, technology! You know us ladies so well! We love hearts! We love diamonds! (…and horseshoes and blue moons!). And we’re totes obsessed with putting sparkly crap in our ears. But now, we can have ear jewelry without any of that bothersome puncturing!

No, seriously, it’s amazing that it took them so long to come up with these new AudioCube headphones – the earbuds we already use, now fanced up for us lay-dies! It’s like killing two birds with one rhinestone. Sure, they keep noise out and keep music in, but they also splay outward-facing Swarovski-crystal hearts for when your boyfriend is gazing lovingly into your aural canals.

Thank god for versatility. I will now patiently await diamond-embedded contacts.