A vacation at a beach and taking an exam. Though these things may sound like polar opposites, one factor remains unchanged in both of these activities: preparation. We prepare for events, and perhaps we prepare for what may happen after we make a decision or choice. But preparation comes with a cost, whether it be in money or time, so how do we know when to prepare?

“You should definitely get a warranty,” my mom said as we were configuring the options for the laptop.

“But I’ll be careful," I pleaded. I was on a budget, so I was trying to minimize the cost.

“I know you’re trying to save money,” she insisted, “but you already have a coupon. Just get the warranty. You’ll never know when something will happen.”

“Fine. This better not be wasted money, though.”

The laptop arrived a month later, on my birthday. Unboxing it was a joy, as it always is with new things, the pristine packaging and the satisfaction of opening it up one piece at a time. It also felt good to let all the excitement stream out of me after a month of waiting and anticipation. At that moment, the warranty was merely a faint thought, like a grain of sand in a vast desert. However, the warranty I had refused to buy would save me just weeks into owning the laptop.

It was an ordinary day. I strolled into my room and hastily opened the lid on my laptop. I pressed the power button, ready to relax and play some games to finish off the day. I fumbled with my mouse to pass the time. I waited for the screen to display an array of colors that signaled it was powering on.

Nothing happened. Confused, I pressed it again, slowly this time. I felt the plastic button reach its full depth and produce a metallic click. But again, the screen maintained the placid blackness it displayed moments before.

Dumbfounded, I checked for any obvious signs of systematic failure, but nothing seemed unusual; the charger was plugged in, there was no physical breakage, everything was of the ordinary. After consulting online forums, I discovered that my computer was, to my horror, broken.

 I was left with no choice but to call Dell Support.

Before I called, I thought that the problem I faced with my computer was a common one and had an easy fix. My mind had no idea about the rollercoaster of emotions I would face just moments into the call.

The call I had with Dell Support was a long and stress-inducing one. It consisted of the agent trying to find the source of my problem for what felt like an entirety, though this proved a waste of time as he found no leads.

 After an endless amount of questions, the call ended with this conversation:

“Is your charger displaying the blue on the ring light?” he asked.

“Yep, the charger is fine.”

Sigh. “Looks like we’re gonna need to replace your motherboard.”

As if I was trying to convince myself I misheard him, I asked, perplexed, “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I said, we need to replace your motherboard.”

My heart dropped, and I was immediately overwhelmed by a barrage of feelings. The day was no longer ordinary. My fate was sealed. The cost of the motherboard was detrimentally high and would cost north of $1,000. All that was going through my head was how outraged my parents would be when they heard the news, and my mind could simulate the inevitable screaming that would come out of their mouths and swallow me into their dark abyss of rage. As I embraced this, I asked the agent one final question:

“How much will the repair cost?”

“Well, because you have a premium warranty, the cost of your repair will be entirely free.”

Though this experience was a concise one with an exceptional end, I constantly reflect on this memory whenever I open up my laptop (which is now fixed) and ponder the endless possibilities that this experience might’ve ended in, questioning myself and what would’ve happened if I made a perhaps different choice, or taken the risk of not buying the warranty. Though there are multiple answers to those questions, all I know is that though a risk may seem small, it doesn’t mean that it won’t happen, and you should always “prepare for the worst, hope for the best.”

 

 

 

 

-Tyler W.