Hi guys.

im a noob here

erm... i just got my laptop last week and i am very excited to use it at my uni

but the problem is, my internet connection will be almost exclusively wifi. be it at uni or my hostel.

being in a place full of students, i can't help it but feel a bit insecure.
the thought of some random person sniffing at my connection and obtaining my personal details terrify me.

im a bit paranoid now    i don't even dare to log into my hotmail account.
so the question i wan to ask is, is it possible to encrypt my wifi connection?
i had heard of VPN but im just a student, so i a bit reluctant to spend money
how bout Tor? is it effective?

any suggestions/tips guys?