Google Docs: The Best Friend a Student Can Have

When I purchased my laptop this past February, (about five minutes after I cashed my income tax check) I came home surprised to find that while the laptop came with Windows Vista, it did not come equipped with Microsoft Office. Not wanting to spend my grocery money on software, I simply did without Office. Finally, I was introduced to the wonderful world of Google Docs, the best friend a student can have. I'm aware that by now, most people know about the existence of Google Docs. What you might not know is that they also have templates, similar to MS Office. I guess I might be the only one who is excited by this but let me explain why.

With Google Docs I was able to find and utilize two very helpful tools. A spreadsheet budget template and a student schedule template.

Two important pieces of information I wish I would have had coming out of high school:

1. It is crucial for one to be able to create and follow a budget.
2. It is equally essential for one to manage their time wisely.
   

Between two jobs and full-time school this semester, I need to know how much time I can allot to studying, volunteering, prepping lesson activities for work, socializing and of course, sleeping. A spreadsheet allows me to visually see and plan where my time and money will go. The templates allow me to get this done twice as fast since they are tailored to what I need.

The benefits of Google Docs over software is the obvious fact that it's accessible wherever there's internet. My review I had to write for my Jazz History class? Hmm...could it be on that pesky flash drive which is swimming in the disaster area that is my backpack? Perhaps, but it's also saved on my Google Docs, which I can access in about six seconds without worrying if I forgot to copy it to my flash drive.

Before you're convinced I'm being paid by Google to write this, a spreadsheet is a spreadsheet either way you look at it and whether you're using Mac or MS software makes no difference in the long run. Google Docs just happens to cost me nothing, and right now, that's really all I can afford.