Sometimes it's good to be in a classroom with your peers. It gives you face to face interaction with both your teacher and classmates. In some instances, that may not be possible, or you may just want the option to stay at home while taking classes. More universities are being flexible in that regard. Fortunately, gamers know a thing or two about entertaining ourselves in isolation and communicating with people online. But, if you haven’t invested in the gear you’ll need for a good remote student setup, here’s a good primer for the things you’ll need to be a studious online student.
Internet Connection
The most important thing you’re going to need in a remote setup is reliable internet. If you’re not able to log into your classes, you’re going to have a real hard time making this remote thing work. Nobody’s going to believe that you’re doing any work if you can’t show up for the online meetings. At the very least, you’ll probably at least need to be able to set your phone up as a hotspot for a laptop or tablet.
A Computer or Laptop
Trying to watch video lectures on a phone screen is going to involve craning your neck a lot, and you’re probably not going to get all that much out of the lessons. It’s probably not a great idea. You’re either going to want a tablet with a decent screen size or a PC to learn effectively. Phones are fine for video calls and group chats with team emembers, but you’re likely going to want something with a bit more screen space when getting the actual schoolwork done.
Microphone
If you're the teacher conducting the online course, a microphone is exactly what you need to make sure your students can hear you throughout the lecture. If you're trying to get 100% participation credit, using the chat may not be the best way. Online courses may be the wave of the future, but your teacher still loves that one to one connection. A microphone gives you the ability to give voice to your input immediately.
It’s important to note that having a microphone while you’re on a conference call might allow for unwanted input, as well. To prevent against that, you’ll want to a microphone that has noise-cancelling capabilities, and lets you know easily whether you’re muted or speaking. The HyperX Cloud Stinger has a swivel-to-mute noise-cancelling microphone, and the HyperX QuadCast has an LED indicator that lets you know whether you’re broadcasting.
Headset
If you’re trying to stay focused on your classes, you probably don’t need people within earshot distracting you from your silent note taking. Keep them out of the discussion with a headset that isolates you from outside distractions and ensures that other people don’t have to hear your lectures.
If you’re going to need to wear a headset for meetings or classes, you better make it a comfortable one. HyperX makes a number of headsets with ultra-comfortable memory foam, perfect for situations like these, and for those marathon gaming sessions. Because let’s face it, after a long day of online coursework, you deserve a bit of me time.
