As I work on my final portfolio for my MSN, I hear stories from my classmates about computers that crashed and now they can't access papers from previous classes that are to be included in the portfolio. Fortunately, they do have another method of obtaining the papers from the school- for a price. But to them, it's worth it to be able to complete the portfolio and graduate, although some may not get them in time as there is quite a backlog of support requests for previously submitted papers.
I have been a victim of a hard drive crash prior to becoming a student (again) that led to an emotional roller coaster. First, heartbreak over losing pictures that could never be replaced, to elation over finding a service that could pull as much uncorrupted data as it could, to shock at the price (which was totally worth it, but a hit to my bank account), and finally to anger at myself for not having backed up those irreplaceable and important files.
This experience has led to me being obsessive about backing up each and every assignment. I save them to my computer, I save them on a flash drive that is stored in a waterproof/fireproof lockbox, and I upload them to an online backup service. I also have a physical paper copy that, as a last resort, I can type in again. It gave me peace of mind that it would take multiple catastrophic events for me not to have access to these papers to complete the portfolio requirements.
While my primary purpose of backing up files was to have access to them for the portfolio, those files are also evidence of my growth both academically and professionally. Some of them may even lead to professional publication, another important facet of the nurse-scholar-practictioner.
So, take heed from my experiences and those of my classmates- back up your work. Make sure you can always access it, whether your computer is stolen, your hard drive crashes, your computer gets a virus, your house burns down, or any other catastrophe that can strike. Nursing school is stressful to begin with- no one needs the added stress of finding out that paper you wrote three years ago is needed for your current class, and you can't access it.
