Technology–it’s both a blessing and a curse. All students know the struggle of sitting down to study and immediately getting distracted by our flashy and compelling cell phones. Instead of trying–and failing– to limit screen time, make your phone work for you with the best apps for
college students!
As a busy college student, I live by Notion. It’s both a desktop and iPhone app, meaning you can easily access it from any device. At its core, Notion is a journaling app, but I’ve customized it to use as a calendar/daily schedule program.
I’ve inserted all my deadlines and events into a calendar and kept a daily to-do list that has kept me motivated and on track for this whole year. Notion is incredibly flexible, with it being used for
writing essays, keeping lists, organizing your classwork, and so much more. Notion is a great way to collect your thoughts and tackle all your work.
If you are looking to stay off your phone, then try downloading Forest! Forest is an app that turns off your phone for the amount of time you set it for.
It makes the process fun by “growing a tree” while you stay off your phone. If you exit the app during the time, your tree dies. When put into practice, it is a very motivating way of staying focused and off your phone.
Additionally, Forest promotes
environmental conservation and has planted over one million trees in real life. It’s truly an inspiring app and one everyone should use!
Most academic emails usually use Outlook, which is why it’s practical to download the app onto your phone or computer. Getting the app means you’ll get notified every time you get an email and ensures you don’t miss any important information.
It’s common for students to rarely check their email, but I promise there’s crucial information in your inbox! Stay in the know by downloading Outlook.
I’ve found that, in college, I’ve enjoyed checking my fitness statistics for the day. For example, checking how many steps I clocked during the day and how many hours of sleep my Fitbit recorded.
I strongly recommend downloading MyFitnessPal or another fitness app to track not only exercise but your day-to-day activity! It has made me feel better about myself and encouraged me to incorporate more walking and
light exercise into my day, as well as keeping me accountable in terms of sleeping.
Noonlight is one of the highest-rated safety apps on the app store.
Campus safety is a major concern for many parents and students, so having this app downloaded is very handy. The app is $3 a month, but it offers so much security and reassurance that it really is a worthy investment.
When you find yourself in an unsafe location or feeling even the slightest bit uncomfortable, simply press and hold the button. If you make it to safety, release the button and enter a PIN number to indicate your security. If you find yourself in danger, then release the button and don’t enter your PIN. This notifies authorities and tracks every movement you make.
Take your paper to the next level with Grammarly, a free editing app that scans your paper for grammatical and syntax mistakes. It’s great for cleaning up your paper or just giving your final product one last review.
My favorite part about Grammarly is that it scores you on different measures: clarity, engagement, delivery, etc. You can tweak the settings to match the type of paper you’re writing, whether it be formal, academic, scientific, etc.
Use your phone to make smart financial decisions with Mint. Juggling academics, personal relationships, extracurriculars, and finances in college isn’t easy. Make it a little easier on yourself by getting this
personal finance app to help you create a budget, track your spending, and get suggestions.
The Fastweb app is your one-stop shop for
scholarships! When you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, shift to Fastweb and scroll through scholarships instead. Even if you don’t apply to any, looking at the potential scholarships out there and thinking about the applications is a much more efficient use of your time.
Hopefully, you’ll find these apps helpful in navigating academics and getting your phone to work for you!
