It is safe to say that the average college student has a cell phone and computer. Chances are, if you were ever forced to live without either of them for more than 24 hours you might go a little crazy. Now, imagine if all of the information you've stored on these two machines evaporated into nothingness. Does pandemonium ensue? Do you give up on modern life and move into a cabin into the middle of the woods and live off the land? Probably not, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have a backup plan in place just in case this unfortunate situation does occur.

The biggest tech crisis you're not prepared for is when technology fails you.

I know this because I've lived it a few times. The blood drains backwards from your extremities, you get a bit lightheaded, and maybe you pretend like it didn't happen for a few minutes. Then the panic sets in and you wish that you could move backwards in time.

Luckily, you kind of can! Back up your data. Here are a few pointers:

• Get a reliable back-up external hard drive. I've had a few cheapies but even they've crashed my data long before my computer did, which defeated the purpose of backing it up. I recommend G-Tech drives because they 1) stay cool to the touch 2) don't spin the drive too much 3) have a well designed shell and 4) last longer than the average drive. (Our lucky Rainmakers get a one-time 15% discount on their first purchase online!)
• Get a few memory sticks for day-to-day files.
• Burn discs and mail them to your parents (in case of fires or theft).
• Schedule a weekly back-up day. (I back up on Saturdays.)

How to back up a...

• PC: Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup.
• Mac: Use Time Machine
• Both: Manually back up your files (watch this tutorial).
• Blackberry: Use Desktop Connect to backup and restore your data.
• iPhone or iPod: iTunes does it for you (here's a tutorial)

Take five minutes out of your weekend and back up your stuff! You'll be glad you did.