By Emily Unsworth

OK, so, story of my life: I get back to school a couple of weeks ago after a Summer II break only to unpack and discover my laptop thinks it would be funny to play a little game on me. Oh, but not the fun kind I play when I’d rather be doing anything but homework. No, this was the kind I have only come to expect in my life. This game involves my computer deciding not to turn on and me trying everything I can short of voodoo to bring it back to life.

In spite of the fact that my mom thinks I should have majored in computers instead of journalism (because I know how to check e-mail, minimize windows and print out digital pictures, bless her heart), the only thing I could think of to fix the problem was to make sure my computer was plugged into a power outlet. After confirming it was not because my apartment’s electricity that wasn’t working, I had quickly exhausted every (and the only) option in my computer-illiterate brain.

Keep in mind, this computer was given to me as a present when I graduated from high school more than three years ago. It’s an age considered to be pretty much ancient in computer years. But I was not ready to give up hope on my usually-trusty machine yet.

Thankfully, since it was move-in weekend on campus, ResNet was still open. I grabbed my computer hoping that the people who actually do major in computers could help.

But fixing it at the first place I went would be far too easy; remember, this is the story of my life. So after joining what seemed to be the entire freshman class who needed help setting up their computers that actually did turn on, the ResNet people told me it would be no dice as far as getting my computer to work. In fact, no one there would be able to help me and even if someone did look at it they would probably just tell me it was dead. Wonderful news, really.

After a quick panic attack, I decided to call my parents, who were just on their way home from dropping me off and breathing a sigh of relief, as they finally were free from their overdramatic daughter. But this was cause to be dramatic. I could not enter my first week of classes without a computer! Frustrated with ResNet not being able to do something (anything!), I headed to Best Buy, where the ResNetters suggested I go for help.

I bet you can guess what happened – same deal, different place. They told me I could send my computer away for a couple of weeks, put some money down and probably get it back having to pay just as much to fix it as a new computer would cost. I think I left Best Buy faster than I had left ResNet.

Rewind back to sophomore year when the same computer would start, but wouldn’t go much further than the opening screen. ResNet couldn’t fix it, so I decided I needed help pronto and Googled computer fix-it sites in and around Boston.

I came across PC Rescuer, which advertised free pickup and delivery and was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I was ecstatic and called right away. Head of PC Rescuer and engineer Bassem Bandar came within hours of my call, took my computer overnight and returned it the next day not only in one piece, but up and working better than it had before.

So back to a couple of weeks ago when I was thinking I would just take that two grand that I had chilling in my back pocket and buy a new laptop, I remembered this amazing computer guy. I called him (he actually remembered who I was from his last visit!) and told him to come by my on-campus apartment later that night.

Within five minutes of his arrival, he once again worked his magic and to my astonishment had it running like new again. There were no words for my relief (well there were, but I can’t put them here).

After fixing my computer and cleaning out all the junk that had accumulated in it over the past year, my roommate told Bandar about her computer’s problems, and guess what? He was more than happy to fix hers too. We had a complete computer repair party going on. And not only does he offer great student rates, but computers will be picked up and dropped off at one’s house or apartment completely free of charge – with free estimates.

A full-time engineer and UMass-Lowell grad, Bandar knows his stuff. He told me he has a 99 percent success rate when it comes to fixing computers. When I asked about computers that are just dead, he insisted he can always bring them back to life, and I don’t doubt it.

As for me, I think I’ll stick with journalism. Sorry Mom.

– Emily Unsworth can be reached at [email protected].