There are several reasons why an MP3 player is a must-have gadget for students--other than making your jaunts to class a little more entertaining. An MP3 player has many practical uses, like blocking out distracting noise in the library, cafe, or dorm room. And popping in a pair of earbuds is also a good way to ignore a roommate's nightly phone calls as he tries to maintain that long-distance relationship.

Many of today's MP3 players even act as socialization tools, allowing students to connect with each other on Wi-Fi networks to share and recommend music. Here are our favorite flash players for every budget.