Purchase a small hanging-file lock-box. Carry the key to the box on your dorm or car key ring. Organize the file box according to subjects, courses or terms. Store the lock-box under your bed, in the closet, or in another safe location away from curious eyes of friends and other students.
Print two copies of each of term papers, tests and study guides and research papers. Turn one copy into your college professor. Place the other hard copy in the appropriate section of your file lock-box.
Purchase a USB flash memory drive for your computer. Get a key ring or lanyard for the portable device. Save important electronic college papers and projects both to your main computer's hard drive and to your USB flash memory before printing them. Attach the USB flash drive to your car or dorm keyring or to a zipper pull on your backpack, or store it in a drawer.
Download and install encryption software on your computer such as Axantum's AxCrypt or TrueCrypt's free encryption software. Place your college paper documents inside a separate system folder. Protect the folder using the encryption software and a strong password.
Protect your computer with system passwords to add an extra layer of safety for your stored electronic papers. Create an alpha-numeric password that is difficult to guess and does not contain a common word such as "computer." Set your computer to require this password both on initial log-on and when re-entering the operating system after hibernation and screen-saver mode.
Buy a physical, steel locking device for your desktop or laptop computer. Lock down your computer in your dorm while you're away. Carry the locking device with you on campus to lock your laptop if it is stored in your car or kept at a college classroom desk for any long period of time.