Sunny Series: Tech tips for your summer session
Check out these hot tips for keeping your technology cool during the summer.
Sunny Series: Tech tips for your summer session
Check out these hot tips for keeping your technology cool during the summer.
It’s here already—the end of the Spring 2026 semester. Whether you’re administrative staff and still working through the summer or a student heading home out of state, we all have a few warm months ahead of us.
Here are some technology-focused reminders that students, faculty, and staff can take forward into the coming months in order to have a successful summer:
Technology do’s and don’ts for the warmer months
Summer means something different for everyone—whether that’s sandals and salty air or the nearest baseball diamond or your own backyard hammock, here in the northern hemisphere, you can guarantee it’s going to be hot. Keep a few things in mind as you cart your tablets, laptops, and phones around this summer:
- Don’t leave your tech in a hot car
- Close apps that have been running for a while
- Don’t stack your devices—they’ll overheat!
Use the summer to reset
Another way to get the most out of your summer months is to use them as a built-in calendar reminder to do some digital decluttering. Some activities may include: Clean up your drive (and your Drive!); turn on automatic updates for important software applications to help streamline security patches; spend time cleaning out your email inbox to make sure you’re not missing important communications; and more!
The idea here is to prioritize a fresh start to the Fall 2026 semester. Whether you’re faculty and traveling during the summer session, a student who will move home and then back to Oxford in August, or a member of our administrative staff and still working year-round regardless of the season, we can all use the academic calendar as a timeline—much like “spring cleaning” activities that are popular for household maintenance.
Press the summer “reset” button and start the academic year right!
Travel smart with technology
The next few months may also bring a vacation or two for those who like to travel, which means you’ll need to brush up on traveling with your tech (among other things, of course). Here are a few quick tips:
- Prioritize security: Set a strong password for each of your online accounts before you leave
- Use the Miami VPN when accessing school resources
- Before you go: Back up your data
- Avoid public Wi-Fi (or, at minimum, unsecured public access; in other words, make sure the network you’re joining requires a password)
- Make sure you’re familiar with local laws regarding devices and privacy (if you’re traveling abroad)
- Learn how to authenticate with Duo while abroad; our Knowledge Base article provides key information
Peruse the National Cybersecurity Alliance’s guide for traveling and cybersecurity for even more tips.