Gen Z and Alpha Students Share Technology Critical to Back-to-School Success

With the new school year fast approaching, Samsung Electronics America decided to get first-hand information from middle school, high school, and college students about the technology they need. We asked three students what technology is an absolute must-have and how it enhances their learning experience.

The three students include Samsung summer interns Marissa Drenge of Trinity College, Arthur Lee of Stillwater Middle School, and Kaitlyn Saed of Wilton Middle/Senior High School, both of whom are alumni of Samsung’s national STEM competition, “Solve for Tomorrow,” which begins in August.

Digital natives, Gen Z and Gen Alpha students shared their favorite gadgets and all the cool ways they use them to stay organized, collaborate with classmates and stay on top of their studies. And by sharing their perspectives, Samsung is highlighting just how important technology has become in modern education.

Marissa Dorange

Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas)

• Essential back to school gear: “The most essential technology for the new school year is Galaxy Book 4 Edge – With the support of M8 Smart MonitorIn this digital world, it’s extremely rare for me to complete assignments on paper. Everything is done on the university’s portal called Canvas. I even take notes electronically because it’s easier to track and organize. As a student-athlete, time management is very important, so I have access to a calendar on my laptop to help me stay on top of everything.”
• Leveraging Technology for Academic and Athletic Excellence: “Technology is essential to helping me stay organized. I take class notes, manage deadlines, keep track of my school and sports schedules, and do all my assignments on my laptop. Galaxy Watch 6 It helps me to multitask and keep in rhythm. It’s good for my fitness and health, which also helps me in my sports career. During training, the smartwatch tracks my heart rate and¹ It shows you calories burned, steps taken, and a lot more information, which is extremely helpful in making sure you are properly nourishing and taking care of your body to perform at the collegiate level. Galaxy Buds 2 Pro The excellent sound quality allows me to sway to the music while I train, improving my focus and performance.”
• Technology Transformation in Education: “While technology was present in the classrooms I grew up in, we didn’t rely too heavily on it prior to the 2020 pandemic. Things changed completely when everything moved completely to online learning during my sophomore year of high school. The classroom environment has changed since then. In college, technology is an integral part of the learning experience. We as students have high expectations of technology, and electronic devices have become an intrinsic part of learning. Technology is a game changer for me and future generations!”

Want to save on Marissa’s back-to-school tech essentials?

Arthur Lee

Stillwater Middle School (Stillwater, Minnesota)

• Essential back to school gear: “Computers, for example, Galaxy Book or Galaxy Tab“It’s important for school work because a lot of things in school are digitalized and we rely on our laptops to access those resources.”
• Leveraging Technology for Academic Excellence: “Google Drive gives me access to Slides and Docs so I can collaborate with my classmates on group projects and other tasks, and I use Google Calendar to keep track of deadlines for school assignments and remember important dates (like the first day of school on August 27th).^Number!”
• Future tech feature wish list: “I think someone should invent a feature that automatically organizes documents and files into folders, using a system that scans the files to determine where to put them. This would make it easier to create new documents, since you don’t have to manually place them in folders or create new folders.”

Are you ready to save Arthur’s favorite tech?

Caitlin Thede

Wilton JR-SR High School (Wilton, Iowa)

• Essential back to school gear: “As I think about the upcoming back-to-school season, it’s important to organize my life and find the right technology and tools to accomplish various tasks. One piece of technology I’ll be relying on a lot is the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 UltraThis device is not only functional, but also very user-friendly and easy to operate. I especially like the extended keypad and large mouse pad. This device has made completing my high school assignments (and soon college assignments) much easier. I rely on this device and its crisp display screen for updating websites, editing videos and photos, and many other visual tasks. I also love how seamlessly this device pairs. Galaxy SmartphoneEspecially new Galaxy Z Flip 6This means users can easily transfer photos and videos from their phone to their laptop!”
• Leveraging Technology for Academic Excellence: “I tend to spend a lot of time using technology both at school and outside of school. From taking notes to writing papers and doing my college assignments, the Galaxy Book is my savior. It helps me create schedules, organize events, complete and turn in school assignments. Basically, this laptop helps me organize my work and keep up with all my work.”

Want to save on Caitlin’s back to school wish list?

• Galaxy Book 4 Ultra: Save up to $500 starting July 15th (Promotional Price: $1899.99)
• Galaxy Z Flip 6: Save up to $1,000+ and get double the storage capacity^{6, 7} Save an additional 15% with the Samsung Education Offer Program^Four From July 13th (Promotional price: $549.99)

As you prepare for a busy back-to-school season, ensure your new tech is protected with help from Samsung Care, and rest assured that if the unexpected happens, you’ll be covered with the best quality and service.³

And through August 26th, teachers, parents and administrators participating in our Education Offers program^Four Take your new device protection to the next level with 30% off Samsung Care+ on select PCs, tablets, watches, and earphones.^Five

Visit Samsung.com to learn more about the latest offers and click here to make the most of your new technology this summer.

¹ The Heart Rate software feature is not intended or intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease.

² From July 15, 2024 to July 28, 2024, while supplies last, purchase a select new Galaxy Book4 Edge device (“Eligible Purchase”) on samsung.com or through the Samsung Shop App to receive a free Samsung 43″ Smart Monitor M7 (“Promotional Product”). Products must be purchased at the same time using the add-on selection within the GB4 Edge purchase page. If you return or cancel your Eligible Purchase, you must return the Promotional Product along with the Eligible Purchase or pay the full amount of the Promotional Product. Promotional Products are non-transferable and are limited to one per Eligible Purchase. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

³ Based on the 2024 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Study for major smartphone manufacturers (authorized locations within warranty period only) and based on population within a 30-minute drive of a walk-in service center or home van service center (Home Van Service Fee: $30).

^Four Purchase requires sign-in at Samsung.com and may require additional verification of program eligibility. Visit Samsung.com for more information.

^Five Through August 26, 2024, teachers, parents and administrators participating in our Education Offers program can receive 30% off Samsung Care+ coverage when they purchase a new select and sign up for a Samsung Care+ service plan (“Qualifying Purchase”), while supplies last. For monthly payment options, you must provide an accepted payment method in your Samsung account and authorize monthly recurring payments for your Samsung Care+ service plan. You may cancel your Samsung Care+ service plan at any time by contacting the place where you purchased your Samsung Care+ plan (samsung.com, Samsung Experience Store, samsungcareplus.com) or by emailing samsungmxcare@servify.tech. Samsung Care+ coverage is subject to its terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, service fees and deductibles. Learn more here. This offer may not be combined with any other Samsung Care+ offers or applied retroactively. Samsung reserves the right to modify this promotional offer at any time by posting a notice on the Samsung app or website.

⁶For a limited time, trade-in your eligible device to Samsung through the Samsung Trade-in Program at Samsung.com/Shop Samsung app or with the purchase of a new eligible Galaxy device (“Eligible Purchase”) and send it to Samsung for review. If Samsung determines that your trade-in device meets all eligibility requirements, you will receive a trade-in credit specific to your eligible trade-in device that you can apply towards your eligible purchase. Device models currently eligible for trade-in and the trade-in credit amounts associated with those models can be found on Samsung.com and in the Shop Samsung app. Eligible models and amounts are subject to change at Samsung’s sole discretion. To be eligible for trade-in, your eligible device must meet all eligibility requirements for the Trade-in Program, including, but not limited to, your device must power on, hold a charge, and not power off unexpectedly, have a functioning display, have a screen that is free of cracks or cracks (if the cracked screen offer does not apply), and have a case that is free of cracks or cracks. The device must be free of liquid damage (visible or not), free of other defects beyond normal wear and tear, not blacklisted, have a verified FCC ID, be reset to factory settings, have all personal information removed, have all software locks disabled, and be owned by you (leased devices are not eligible). The estimated trade-in value will be applied as a credit at the time of purchase, but if you do not send your trade-in device within 15 days of receiving your eligible purchase, you will receive a refund of the trade-in credit applied to your purchase. Additionally, if you send your trade-in device within 15 days of receiving your eligible purchase but Samsung determines that your device does not meet all eligibility requirements, you will receive a refund of the trade-in credit applied to your purchase minus $25. Participation in this program does not release you from any contracts (or associated payments or fees) with carriers or retailers for the device you trade in. Limit one trade-in per eligible purchase. Samsung reserves the right to modify or discontinue this offer at any time. The Trade-in Program cannot be combined with any other promotions, discounts or offers from Samsung, carriers or retailers, unless specifically stated in the terms and conditions of such offer. Additional terms may apply, including terms governing dispute resolution.

⁷ Pre-order the 512GB* Galaxy Z Fold6, 1TB Galaxy Z Fold6 or 512GB Galaxy Z Flip6 (“Eligible Purchase”) at the price of the next lowest storage model from 7/10-7/23 while supplies last on Samsung.com or the Shop Samsung app. Discount will be automatically applied at checkout. Offer is non-transferable and may only be used once per Eligible Purchase. Discount will be forfeited if purchase is returned or canceled. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Samsung reserves the right to modify or discontinue the offer at any time by posting notice on the app or website.