Image by Sean MacEntee, Flickr
Apps – if used appropriately – can help to ease a student’s workload, to communicate more efficiently and to organize more effectively. Here’s a list of our top 10 apps for students. Where possible, apps are listed across all three operating systems. Most apps on the list are free, which we all know is a student’s favourite price!
Social
1) Songza
This app is great for helping you unwind, or for getting you motivated for that 8:30am economics class. It streams over an internet connection and automatically creates playlists for you based on mood.
2) Facebook
You can’t escape adding Facebook to a top ten app list: Facebook is still king outside the classroom. Stay connected to friends and family, hassle-free.
Games
All of us need to blow off some steam. Remember, all work and no play makes for…a burnt out student!
3) Candy Crush
If you want your life to be completely consumed by any game app, this one is for you. Warning: may have severe repercussions on your academic life. And your social life. And your sleep.
Note Taking
4) Evernote
Evernote is the mega app for organizing your life. From trips and events to tasks and classes, Evernote can do it all. It has a built-in note taker (voice and text) so you’ll never forget another moment of inspiration again.
5) Voice Recorder – (Android); Voice Record Pro – (Apple); Parrot – Voice Recorder (BBM)
You’ll never have to ask a professor to repeat themselves again with this handy app. It records for as long as you have storage space, which on most phones is longer than you’d ever want. The Voice Recorder app for Android has a very nice feature that skips silences.
Organizing
6) Google Drive
Google Drive offers a great way to access your documents from anywhere, even offline. You can also incorporate Google Docs to give you seamless access to your files for editing. Simply add documents or study notes to Google Drive, and access them on the go – or more likely, on the bus 20 minutes before that big exam. It’s also important to store any school work in more than one place, in case your computer has a meltdown. Storing your files online is a great backup. (Blackberry: Cloud Explorer for Google Drive – $1.99)
7) Labtally
Labtally is currently available for 50 schools across the world. Sometimes finding a computer to use at your school can be really difficult – especially during peak times. Labtally lists the total number of computers that are available, in use, or offline in specific computer labs. It is only currently available for the Android market.
Communication
8) Skype
Staying in touch with friends and family is very important, especially if you move away from home to attend school. Skype offers a no hassle chat via video calls over Wi-Fi.
9) BBM
For quick messaging, nothing beats BBM – and now it’s available on Apple and Android. Chat with friends and family regardless of what type of phone they have. Simply download and install the app, then let people know your unique pin.
Finance
Balancing your cheque book is a tedious and often boring chore, but it’s a necessary evil. As a student living away from home, this may be the first time you have to manage rent, groceries, and student loans. Make it a little easier on yourself.
10) Mint.com Personal Finance
Stay out of the red with this handy app that tracks and manages all of your money, expenses, and how much you’ve spent buying Candy Crush lives.
What’s your favourite app to use? Tweet us @StudentsDotOrg and let us know!