Although floppy discs (you know, the 3.5" square blocks we now use as coasters) are a thing of the past, CD-Rs are not -- If our Rainmakers start utilizing reusable digital memory devices we can help prevent your backup data from ending up in landfills.

I sure hope that you have never been the victim of hard disc failure. It's the worst feeling -- one minute, you're browsing through an index of term papers on your hard drive, which also includes your 25-page anthropological study of utilitarian tools made from chalcedony excavated from northeast Colorado. The next minute, your files are gone and you don't have any evidence of your academic college life.

Depending on how much work you have, the IT folks here at The Rainmaker Network suggest investing in an external hard drive or multiple jump drives. Back up all of your work on a monthly basis and leave one jump drive at your desk, one in your car, and maybe one with your best friend. Depending on how near-and-dear you keep your work, it may be better to err on the side of caution, especially when you're starting to prepare your works portfolio.

Students with Macs are ahead of the game -- The newest Mac operating system, Leopard, comes handily equipped with "Time Machine," an automatic backup system that archives your work on the hour and every day.

Now that you have digital copies of all of your work, recycle your originals and enjoy a hot cocoa. You're ahead of the game!