The Patient and Surgeon benefits of laparoscopic gastro-intestinal Research Proposal

The Patient and Surgeon benefits of laparoscopic gastro-intestinal surgery as compared to open surgery and it's implications to nurses - Research Proposal Example Current medicine and surgical practices have now leaned towards close laparoscopy-guided GIT surgeries. The benefits of this surgery for patients and surgeons have not been fully established. This paper is an attempt towards establishing evidence-based proof to support the best type of surgery for GIT procedures. Laparoscopic GIT surgeries are â€Å"minimally invasive procedures commonly used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract† (Medicine.net, 2009). This type of surgery is usually carried out without the usual incision down the center of the stomach; instead, keyhole incisions are made in the abdomen through which the scope and small surgical instruments are inserted. This laparoscopic surgery is often used to treat conditions like Crohn’s disease, colorectal cancer, diverticulitis, familial polyposis, bowel incontinence, rectal prolapse, ulcerative colitis, and colon polyps (Medicine.net., 2009). Kumar and Bellamy (2007) discuss that this type of surgery slowly gained popularity since its inception in the 1980s. Modlin, Begos, and Ballantyne (1996) also document that early attempts on the use of this type of surgery were first seen through Hippocrates’s primitive anoscope which he used to examine hemorrhoids. Other attempts that followed basically used natu ral light source in order to illuminate their attempts at close surgeries. Illumination through reflected sunlight, candles , and paraffin lamps were used in the early 1800s by physicians in more early attempts at minimally-invasive surgery (Berci, as cited by Modlin, Begos, and Ballantyne, 1996). In 1901, Kelling used the cystoscope in order to look into the abdomen of a dog. Then, in 1910, Jacobeus used the first human laparoscopy in order to investigate ascites. Other attempts in the use of the laparoscopy followed but were hampered by limited technology. In the late 1920s, Kalk suggested the use of a second puncture site in order to establish a

Just introduction and conclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Just introduction and conclusion - Essay Example The paper discusses in detail the different strategies that can be implemented in order to design the timer for the above mentioned company. The paper also seeks to answer the questions related to the components needed to design, implement, and a test a timer for a company. The main aim of the report was to come up with question list following the inquiry from the client. The report also aims at improving the interpretation of the needs of customers and taking the necessary actions. Additionally, the paper also helps to gain the relevant experience to come up a preliminary product specification(Chou and Hsiao, 2005). ABC Limited is one of the leading companies in manufacturing company. Based on the company’s inquiry, the report will provide some of the electronic timer quotations. The electronic timer will be used to control the chemical processes in the company. To perform this, the more information was gathered from the client and recorded directly to the logbook. When R1 was connected the Vb total was found to be 20mV while the Vb for the alternating current was found to be 40mV. The main function of R1 was to reduce the Direct Current, which was placed at the bottom of the transistor. When C1 was disconnected the Vb total came to 24mV while the Alternating current for Vb was recorded at 50mV. The main purpose of the C1 was to add the Direct Current component into the transistor’s bases. In situations when the C1 was absent, the 0.7 Vc threshold needed was subtracted so that the transistor could be turned on. Additionally, in the process of the experiment, R3 was increase to 5.1 kilo ohms  (Xie and Shi, 2010). The function of R3 on this case was to limit the current that went into the base, therefore, reducing the collecting current, which later increased voltage via the collector. One of the limitation that was experienced is that when

How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare: Analysis

How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare: Analysis When Joseph Beuys performed his piece, How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare (November 26, 1965 at Galerie Schmela in Dà ¼sseldorf, Germany), he presented a new way of thinking about the structure and meaning of art. Unlike traditional artists who practiced in painting, drawing, or sculpture, Beuys practiced a then new media of art called Performance Art. Like the name suggests, performance artists did not make objects to be displayed, instead they displayed themselves by creating live presentations.[1] In his performance, Beuys makes his way around a small room while whispering inaudibly to a hare carcass which he carries in his arms. Throughout the piece Beuys would have the hair burrow while holding its ears up with his teeth, he would lie down in the middle of the floor, and pose himself or the hare in different positions around the space. The audience viewed the three-hour long scene through a window of the gallery. Felt was attached to Beuyss left shoe, and steel to his right. The sound of the steel hitting the floor was the only break in the silence of the piece. Honey and gold leaf covered his head and face. Around the room, pictures hung on the walls and a dead fir tree laid on the ground. When the three hours passed, the audience was allowed into the gallery with Beuys sitting in a chair with the hare on his lap, his back facing them (see Figure 1). Every part of Beuyss performance held meaning, both his actions and the specific items he chose. The honey stood for life and the gold leaf stood for wealth. Together they also created a shaman aura for Beuys which connected him to the spiritual. The hare represented death and mortality. The felt personified spiritual warmth, and the steel stood for hard reason and a conductor for invisible energies. The materials themselves were unorthodox and were used to challenge the conventions of art. With How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare, Joseph Beuys revolutionized conceptual art. Conceptual art markedly de-emphasized or entirely eliminated a perceptual encounter with unique objects in favor of an engagement with ideas.[2] Beuys had a need to replace conventional art with a more spiritual and natural form of communication.[3] He created art that was supposed to be felt or intuited by a viewer rather than understood intellectually.[4] The concept of spirituality is the foremost subject of How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare. Even though all the afore mentioned items have their own individual meanings, they all contribute to the central demonstration of spiritual importance. An article in Phaidon describes the ending of Beuyss performance as him protectively cradling the deceased hare in a manner  akin to the Madonna in a pietà  .[5] This is a profound comparison. The Madonna in a pietà   is one of the most produced images that we see in the history of art. Before the sixteenth century, the Madonna in a pietà   was seen more than an emoji is seen today. It was the epitome of religion and devotion. In turn, comparing How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare to the Madonna in a pietà   alludes to the notion that Beuyss performance is also the picture of religion and devotion. The hare is the most significant aspect of Beuyss piece. It is seen in many other artworks by Beuys. For Beuys the hare was an integral part of the spiritual message. According to him, [The hare] has a strong affinity to women, to birth and to menstruation, and generally to chemical transformation of blood. Thats what the hare demonstrates to us all when he hollows out his form: the movement of incarnation. The hare incarnates himself into the earth, which is what we human beings can only radically achieve with our thinking: he rubs, pushes, and digs himself into Materia (earth); finally penetrates (hare) its laws, and through this work his thinking is sharpened then transformed, and becomes revolutionary. Even a dead animal preserves more powers of intuition than some human beings with their stubborn rationality. Human thinking was capable of achieving so much, but it could also be intellectualized to a deadly degree, and remain dead and express its deadliness in the political and p edagogical fields.[6] This disdain for rational thinking is why Beuys remained silent in his piece. He wanted the audience to come to the conclusion that How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare is about the spiritual connection between death and humanity and the invisible energies that guide nature and our lives by themselves. Beuys wanted an unspoken connection between him and the audience, the same connection he alluded to in his performance. He did not want to lay the meaning out in a clear and rational form such as the artists of the high renaissance. This was not a piece that the viewer should ponder and try to decipher with their head, instead it was supposed to be felt with as much natural instinct as a hare would use when burrowing and creating a home. WORD COUNT: 835 Figure 1. Joseph Beuys in his final stance of his performance, How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare. He is seen here sitting in his chair with the dead hare cradled in his arms. (November 26, 1965 in Schmela Gallery, Dà ¼sseldorf, Germany) Beuys during his Action How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare (Wie man dem toten Hasen die Bilder erklà ¤rt), November 26, 1965. Schmela Gallery, Dà ¼sseldorf, Germany. Accessed March 13, 2017. http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2014/march/03/why-joseph-beuys-and-his-dead-hare-live-on/. Garberich 6 Bibliography Beuys during his Action How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare (Wie man dem toten Hasen die Bilder erklà ¤rt), November 26, 1965. Schmela Gallery, Dà ¼sseldorf, Germany. Accessed March 13, 2017. http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2014/march/03/why-joseph-beuys-and-his-dead-hare-live-on/. David Craven. Conceptual art, Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed March 13, 2017. http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T018962. Davies, Penelope J.E., Walter B. Denny, Frima F. Hofritcher, Joseph F. Jacobs, Ann S. Roberts, and David L. Simon. Jansons History of Art. 8th ed. Vol. 2. Pearson, 2015. Roselee Goldberg and Margaret Barlow, Performance art, Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed March 13, 2017. http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T066355. Why Joseph Beuys and his Dead Hare Live On, Phaidon. Accessed March 13, 2017. http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2014/march/03/why-joseph-beuys-and-his-dead-hare-live-on/. [1] Roselee Goldberg and Margaret Barlow, Performance art, Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed March 13, 2017, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T066355. [2] David Craven. Conceptual art, Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed March 13, 2017, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T018962. [3] Davies, Penelope J.E., et al. Jansons History of Art. 8th ed. Vol. 2. Pearson, 2015. [4] Davies, Penelope J.E., et al. Jansons History of Art. 8th ed. Vol. 2. Pearson, 2015. [5] Why Joseph Beuys and his Dead Hare Live On, Phaidon. Accessed March 13, 2017, http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2014/march/03/why-joseph-beuys-and-his-dead-hare-live-on/. [6] Why Joseph Beuys and his Dead Hare Live On, Phaidon. Accessed March 13, 2017, http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2014/march/03/why-joseph-beuys-and-his-dead-hare-live-on/.

Edgar Allan Poes The Premature Burial :: essays research papers

The Mind vs. the Undead The Romantic Era was a time when writers wrote with passion in relation to elements of writing such as the fantastic or supernatural, the improbable, the sentimental, and the horrifying. Edgar Allan Poe was one of the many writers who used elements such as these in his writings. Poe was famous for reflecting the dark aspects of his mind in a story, creating detailed imagery intriguing the reader. The fantastic and supernatural elements are expressed in The Premature Burial as impossible and in a sense, horrifying. The idea of people walking after their believed death is very extreme thinking in a world that seems normal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The writing style of Edgar Allan Poe shows the writer to be of a dark nature. In this story, he focuses on his fascination of being buried alive. He quotes, â€Å"To be buried alive is, beyond question, the most terrific of these [ghastly] extremes which has ever fallen to the lot of mere mortality.† page 58 paragraph 3. The dark nature is reflected in this quote, showing the supernatural side of Poe which is reflected in his writing and is also a characteristic of Romanticism. Poe uses much detail, as shown in this passage, â€Å"The face assumed the usual pinched and sunken outline. The lips were of the usual marble pallor. The eyes were lusterless. There was no warmth. Pulsation had ceased. For three days the body was preserved unburied, during which it had acquired a stony rigidity.† page 59 paragraph 2. The descriptive nature of this writing paints a vivid picture that intrigues the reader to use their imagination and visualize the scene present ed in the text. This use of imagery ties with aspects of Romanticism because of the nature of the descriptions Poe uses. Describing the physical features of one who seems dead is a horrifying perspective as not many people thing about the aspects of death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The mind is a very powerful tool when it is exploited to think about situations out of the ordinary. Describing in vivid detail the conditions of one after his, her, or its death associates the mind to a world that is filled with horrific elements of a dark nature.

Energy Drink and Alternative Beverages Essay

1. What are the strategically relevant components of the global and U. S. beverage industry macro-environment? How do the economic characteristics of the alternative beverage segment of the industry differ from that of other beverage categories? Explain. SEGMENTATION: The global market for alternative beverages was divided by product type (sports drinks, energy drinks, and vitamin-enhanced beverages) with different demands for each group. Sports drinks accounted for nearly 60% of alternative beverage sales in 2009, while vitamin-enhanced drinks and energy drinks got about 23% and 18% of 2009 alternative beverage sales, respectively, in the US. RIVALRY: The worldwide competition between three major producers (PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Red Bull) made the industry rivalry become global. In U. S. , Pepsico has engulfed almost half or 47. 8% of the market shares last 2009. The only region where Coca-Cola beats Pepsico is in Asia-Pacific. Coca-cola has 13. 7% of the market shares while Pepsico has 12. 4%. Worldwide, Pepsico is still leading among the three with 26. 5% of market shares while Coca-Cola and Red Bull had 11. 5% and 7%, respectively. MARKET SIZE: The global beverage industry’s dollar value for beverages in 2009 was $1,581. 7 billion (458. 4 billion liters); with 48. 2% of industry sales was from carbonated soft drinks, 29. 2% from bottle water, 4. 0% from sports drinks, 1. 6% flavored or enhanced water, and 1. 2% from energy drinks. The dollar value of global market for alternative beverages in the same year was $40. 2 billion (12. 7 billion liters), while the dollar value of the U. S. market for alternative beverages stood at $17 billion (4. 2 billion liters). Meanwhile, in Asia-Pacific region, the dollar value for alternative beverages in 2009 was $12. 7 billion (6. 2 billion liters) and it was $9. 1 billion (1. 6 billion liters) in the European market. MARKET GROWTH: The dollar value of the global beverage industry had grown approximately 2. 6% annually from 2005 to 2009 and was forecasted to grow approximately 2. 3% annually from 2010 to 2014. However, this indicator for the alternative beverage industry was much higher. For example, the dollar value of the global market for alternative beverages grew at a 9. 8% annually from 2005 to 2009, but was expected to slow down to 5. 7% annually from 2010 to 2014. Based on the geographic share of the alternative beverages market, U. S. largely covers 42. 3% of it; while Asia-Pacific, Europe and Americas (excluding U. S. ) only cover 31. 5%, 22. 2% and 4% respectively. US is the country that has strongest growth internationally in terms of alternative beverage sales with a 84. 78% growth between 2005 and 2009; while Europe and Asia-Pacific are 22. 97% and 24. 51%, respectively. However, poor economic conditions in the US in 2008 and 2009 led to a 12. 3% decline in sports drink sales and a 12. 5% decline in flavored and vitamin-enhanced waters sales. It was also the reason why energy drinks sales increased just a little of 0. 2% between those years. 2. What is competition like in the alternative beverage industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is weakest? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness and the potential profitability of new entrants? In the beverage industry, competition can be extensive (large scale). There are many substitute beverages from tea,soft drinks,fruit juices, and bottled water. Provided that there is a wide range of substitute beverages, this weakens the competitive power of substitute beverages when there comes a change to consumer preference. Because there is a large purchase for wholesale clubs, grocery stores, and convenience stores ; consumers have significant influence in negotiations for pricing and slotting fees with the producers. Wholesale clubs and the likes find it difficult to represent new brands due to limited shelf space.when products become a household name such as coca cola, red bull, etc already offer the demands of consumers. Coca Cola and PepsiCo are the least vulnerable when it comes to substitute products since they offer a wide range of variety beverages. The strongest competitive force is competitive rivalry within the industry, competition grows stronger by the year. The primary focus on brand image is key to becoming a household name in the industry, Attractive packaging should be developed, New research and product development, Increase of distribution capabilities, Better taste and more variety. The Bargaining power and leverage of suppliers is the weakest competitive force, Consumers tend to buy more alternative products. The threat of new brands varies by market maturity of each alternative beverage category. Competition is strong and will continue on growing every year in the product line. Competition among all brands center mostly on brand image, attractive packaging, new product and research development, sales promotion, better access to shelf space, and strengthening distribution capabilities. Rivals expands their numbers and types of alternative beverages in their product line, the opportunity for low switch cost for consumers gets introduced and sales efforts to establish consumers brand loyalty. 3. How is the market for energy drinks, sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced beverages changing? What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those forces individually or collectively make the industry more or less attractive? The market for energy drinks, sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced beverages is now changing due to the change in the long-term industry growth rate. Because of the US recession on the entire beverage industry the demand for the alternative beverages was expected to grow worldwide as the purchasing power of the consumers increased. The volume of the alternative beverages offered higher profit margin than those of other beverages. Product innovation, in terms of flavors and formulation, was the most important competitive feature of the alternative beverages. They competed on the basis of differentiation from traditional drinks. This made the industry attractive because of the enhanced look and flavors that the company made. The modernization in marketing and distribution system changed the industry in the way that the beverages may be bought from convenience stores, restaurants, sporting events, delis, concerts, festivals, carnivals and vending machines. The industry was made more attractive because of the famous artists that the companies hire for advertisements. There was also an expansion of target markets, and an increase in new entrants, which made the industry seem appealing to others. The regulations and policies that the government implemented made the industry less attractive due to the products’ faults being exposed to the public. The growing concern of people about health associated with their consumption also made the industry less attractive. For example, caffeine in energy drinks, mixture of alcohol and energy drinks, melatonine hormone in relaxation drinks, and use of Kava and unapproved valerian roots as food additives. The drivers of change, however, will unlikely alter the attractiveness of the alternative beverages for the next years because large producers of this industry would rely on product innovations and acquisitions to increase sales and market shares. But individual and collective effect of industry drivers of change will likely affect the attractiveness of the industry. 4. What does your strategic group map of the energy drinks, sports drink, and vitamin-enhanced beverage industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best positions? The worst positions? PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Red Bull GmbH, and Hansen Natural Corporation are strategic groups that are in the best positions because they have already established a market position and they hold most of the market share in the alternative beverage industry. They also account for most of the sales in the industry and they have conquered not just US but also Europe and some parts of Asia and America. Living Essentials, Vacation in a Bottle, Dream Water or Drank are strategic groups that are in the worst positions. This is due to the small number of consumers that they have and policies implemented by the government hinder their expansion. Though Living Essentials lead the development of energy drinks, they did not expanded their market thus other companies took advantage of the opportunity. 5. What key factors determine the success of alternative beverage producers? The four key factors that determine the success of alternative beverage producers: (1) access to distribution, (2) innovating product skills, (3) image, and (4) sufficient sales volume. The first one is access to distribution, which is regarded as the most important industry success factor due to the fact that most brands of energy drinks/alternative beverages cannot achieve good sales volumes and market shares unless they are widely available in stores, and there are also far too many brands for all to be included on store shelves. Popular brands that enjoyed first mover advantages such as Red Bull and 5-Hour Energy and brands offered by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo were assured of consistent access to distribution. The second factor is innovating product skills. By definition, alternative beverages were different from traditional beverages based upon product innovation. Moreover, continuing product innovations were essential to developing additional volume gains from line extensions and the entry into new categories like energy shots. The third one is image, which was also a critical factor in choosing a brand of customers. The image presented by the product’s name and emphasized in advertisements, endorsements, and promotions created demand for one brand over another. Brand image was also a result of labels and packaging that alternative beverage consumer found appealing. Small producers with poor image building capabilities found it difficult to compete in the industry unless the product enjoyed a first-mover advantage similar to that achieved by 5-Hour Energy. Finally, sufficient sales volume to achieve scale economies in marketing expenditures is also an important driver. Successful alternative beverage producers were required to have sufficient sales volumes to keep marketing expenses at an acceptable cost per unit basis. 6. What recommendations would you make to Coca-Cola to improve its competitiveness in the global alternative beverage industry? to PepsiCo? to Red Bull GmbH? Coca Cola * Increase alternative beverage drink brand awareness in Europe and capture its market * Grow infrastructure in Africa. * Continue to budget and implement their â€Å"2020 vision† corporate strategy * Enhance product line and innovation PepsiCo * Focus on current energy drink line * Continue to promote their tea and juice-energy lines * Offer different sized cans for current energy drink lines of No fear and Amp * Proceed to distribute Rockstar energy drinks and strengthen their alliance with them RedBull * Expand product line while focusing on market penetration in South America * Branch out with additional lines of alternative beverages * Continue to promote brand.

A Good Supervisor

What makes a good supervisor? Do the roles they play have something to do with it? Is it the responsibilities they play that make them that way? Or is it really their own values that make them be?As these questions came across to my mind, I stop for awhile and ponder, trying to figure out things. I strongly believe that there are many traits to be considered in order to make the leader a good supervisor but then, I will only give three desirable and most significant traits that I consider that make a leader a good supervisor.The heart of this study is to provide three reasons or traits of a good supervisor and explain each trait.A good supervisor must be†¦CoachI do believe that a good supervisor must be a good coach. This trait must be possessed in every supervisor. A good supervisor sees the importance on coaching his/her employees. Good coaching includes working with your employees in order to set up and create appropriate action plans, time lines and objectives.A good supervi sor must know how to delegate and at the same time gives continuing and constant support and guidance to his employees as they finished their action plans. He is occasionally challenged by drawing a fine line as supervisor and a confidant of the employees to avoid over familiarity.Positive ThinkerA good leader always noted as a positive thinker. He ponders of how things must be done or why not things cannot be done. A good leader must be open minded to new ideas and ideologies, training opportunities and changes, optimistic and always face the future with confidence, and his confidence can influence his employees.A good supervisor is passionate towards his work and the role he plays. If a supervisor wants to lead his employees, he must begin to practice the art of positive thinking now.Advocate for EmployeeA good supervisor is frequently accountable and in authority to stand for the requests of the employees and to management, together with standing for the case of the employees for deserving a reward. An example for this is, if a certain worker or an employee is worthy to be promoted, the supervisor frequently must support and defend the case for promotion to the manager of the supervisor, too. It is not uncommon for workers to occasionally seeing the supervisor as part of the management and at the same time considering the supervisor as a confidant.ConclusionA good supervisor is typically having specific and positive traits. The traits mentioned above can really help the supervisor becomes closer to his employees and be their confidant. As a whole, dealing with the employees with love and concern makes a leader a good supervisor. It is not all about being a superior to your subordinates but a good friend as well to your employees.

What to Do if Your Laptop is Stolen in College

What to Do if Your Laptop is Stolen in College College is difficult enough without having to worry about things like computer theft. But if the unthinkable happens and someone does walk off with your computer, an already-busy college life can suddenly get a lot more difficult. So just what are your options? Find an Immediate, Short-term Solution Its not like a computer theft ever really happens at a good time, and yet a stolen laptop does seem to occur during the worst parts of the semester. Consequently, dont make things even more challenging for yourself by not setting up some kind of alternative solution as soon as possible. Ask if you can borrow your friends laptop for a little while; see where the nearest computer lab is (as well as what hours its open); check with campus offices, like the IT department, to see if they have any loaner laptops for students whove lost their computers or had them stolen. Let Your Professors and TAs Know If you have a major assignment, midterm, or exam coming up, zip a quick email to your professor (or, better yet, talk to them in person). Keep the drama to a minimum; youre just letting them know, not using the opportunity to present excuses. It takes less than a minute to send an email saying I just wanted to let you know my laptop was stolen yesterday. While Im working to find another solution, I did want to let you know that Im doing my best to stay on schedule with assignments and other computer-based work. Even if you dont end up needing an extension, its smart to be proactive in a situation where you might need a little help. Talk to the Campus or City Police If someone ran off with your laptop, they obviously took something of high value. Even if you think you have a 0% chance of getting your computer back, its still important to file some kind of report. You might need to show something to your professor, for example, to demonstrate that you really did lose all of your work 2 days before your final paper was due. If you or your parents file an insurance claim, you might also need proof of the theft; a police report can help substantiate your loss. Additionally, if your laptop is eventually found, having something official on file can help you get it back. Let the Staff Know If your laptop disappeared in a place like your residence hall, the campus coffee shop, or the library, let the staff know. You might feel like a dummy for leaving your computer unattended while you went to the bathroom or raided the vending machine, but you still should alert the staff. If your laptop was stolen off campus, let the staff of the store or facility know as well. Look Into Replacement Options True, youll probably need a new laptop of some sort. But before rushing out to buy one, see if the theft is covered under any kind of insurance policy. Did you purchase renters insurance, for example, when you moved into your off-campus apartment? Or does your parents homeowners policy cover theft in your residence hall? A few quick phone calls can possibly save you a lot of cash, so make the effort to investigate any insurance coverage you might have but didnt think about until now. Figure Out What Data Went Missing You might be so focused on losing things for your classes like your midterm papers and research that you forget about everything else on your machine. Identity theft, however, may be a major threat for you now. Did you have any banking information saved? What about automatic logins for things like email accounts, social networks, and online stores? If theres even the slightest hint that someone might have access to your personal data, call your bank(s) right away and place a fraud alert on your credit report. Find Another Long-term Solution Unfortunately, getting another laptop right away might not be a realistic option for you, logistically or financially. If youre now stuck without your own computer, spend some time trying to find a reasonable long-term solution. (Note: Always planning on borrowing your roommates computer will get really tricky really quickly.) Check out the computer labs on your campus; make sure you know their hours and plan in advance. See if and how you can reserve a computer in the library. Check with your campus IT department to see if they offer loaner machines or if, by chance, they have an old machine you can rent or borrow for the rest of the semester. Although theres nothing like having your old laptop back, with a little creative work you can find a solution that can carry you through.