Words by Linda Tell
For teenagers and twenty-somethings, August is a month of endings, beginnings, greetings, and goodbyes. Summer vacation rapidly comes to a close, and a new chapter commences: college. For freshmen, heading off to a higher institute of learning can be scary—but it doesn’t have to be. Nowadays, students don’t have to navigate university life alone. Whether it’s prepping for big exams or transitioning to campus life, these 12 must-have college apps will get you prepared for the next step in your academic career.
EasyBib
In college, plagiarism is a serious offense. Failure to properly site your research will lead to failure, or worse, expulsion from the university. In the past, creating a bibliography was tedious: the formatting is complicated as a publication’s details aren’t always easy to find. Fortunately, students can download EasyBib, an app that does all the work for them: just enter the details, and the app’s algorithm will churn out a perfectly formatted bibliography. Better yet, enter the title of your publication, and the app will search for the information online, nearly eliminating the manual process completely.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
Tinder
Everyone’s looking for love. And college is one place to find it. Even if you’re not looking for something serious, it’s nice to have somebody whom to spend the night with. We all know and love Tinder for its ability to connect us to matches in our general proximity. The technology works better in a college atmosphere, helping students break the ice.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
Self Control
College is the world’s greatest contradiction: on one hand, it’s an institution of higher education—a place for reading, writing, learning, and studying. On the other hand, it’s party central. How are you expected to get work done when [enter fraternity here] is having a lawn party down the block? But perhaps the most disrupting distraction of all is the Internet. Procrastinators will find salvage in Self Control, an app that blocks Internet users from selected websites. Simply pick your poison (Facebook, Twitter, Evolve ENT), and enter the amount of time you want the sites to be blocked. Of course, Self Control can’t stop friends from pressuring you to drop the textbook and head to the movies, but it can at least prevent you from getting sidetracked in the library.
Download it Now at Online for FREE
Amazon Kindle
Textbooks are the bane of every college student’s existence. They’re bulky, heavy, and expensive. Fortunately, many textbooks these days have converted their material into e-books. We’ve all heard of Amazon’s Kindle, the e-reader that revolutionized the world of publication. But you don’t need to own the device to take advantage of the platform’s wide array of books. The Kindle app allows you to download all your textbooks onto a smartphone or tablet.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
GrubHub
Late night in the library? Too lazy to leave the dorm room? Whatever the case, if there is something college students love, it’s delivery food. After all, nothing beats a 3am pizza pie, especially when its dropped off at your front door. The GrubHub app allows students to search for local take-out restaurants using filters like type of food, price, and location. Additionally, users can order food straight from the app, eliminating any possibility of inconvenience. The only thing better than this app is the food itself.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
Spotify
Searching for the perfect game day tailgate playlist? Need some calming tunes to concentrate your thinking in the library? How about an alternative to block out your roommate’s snoring? The Spotify app allows college students to search for any song, artist, or album: free of cost. Not only can students discover new music, but they can create playlists online, and play them back on the go. It’s the must-have college music app, ready at the click of a button. No frat party is complete without it.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
Venmo
University life is all about splitting the bill, spotting a friend, lending some cash, and (for some) losing your wallet. But owing money to a bud, landlord, or organization can lead to sticky (and sometimes pretty serious) consequences. Kiss debt goodbye with Venmo, an app that allows you to pay back friends with the tap of a button. Just sync your credit, debit, or bank account with your digital account, and select who to pay, and how much you owe them. It’ll keep track of your spending habits as well, so you don’t have to.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
Google Drive
Picture this: It’s 11:30pm. You’re adding the final touches to an essay that’s due at midnight. Suddenly, the computer crashes. Everything is lost. Sounds like a disaster, right? Google Drive solves this problem, so you’ll never suffer this tragic loss again. By now, we all know how to use Google Docs. Google Drive syncs these documents with all of your devices, so even if you can’t access your paper on the computer, the most updated version will still be accessible on your smartphone.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
Study Blue
If you didn’t learn to share in kindergarten, you’ll certainly learn the skill in college. It’s not uncommon to ask someone for their old study guides, notes, or flash cards. Study Blue has culminated all of these user-created tools to create the ultimate study bank. Collaborate with other users to find the best material to help you master any subject. With more than 250+ million contributions, the app is guaranteed to have just what you’re looking for.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
ooVoo
The beginning of college is also the end of high school. For many students, this means leaving home, and moving away from everyone. Fortunately, ooVoo connects you to them and serves as a free video-chat service to communicate with them. The app offers call, text, and video features, including the option to video chat with up to 12 people at once! You can conference with buddies, catch up with parents and grandparents, and check in on siblings, all without spiking the phone or cable bill. Then again, you can kill two birds with one stone and speak with everyone all at once!
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
Wolfram Alpha
This app brings information (no matter how obscure) straight to our smartphones. The underlying goal of WolframAlpha is to make the world’s knowledge – whether it is scientific data, historical facts, or mathematical solutions – easily accessible. It uses complex algorithms to interpret questions, and then fetches the most accurate answers. It’s the know-all app that’ll never let you down.
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for $3
Download it Now at Google Play for $3
If you’re not on it right now, get with the times. Instagram is a vital essential for college, as it will broaden your social life. Post a picture a day to create timeline of your college experience. Or use hashtags to connect with other students, expanding your networks. Some universities encourage students to use the popular photo app to help promote the school. Who doesn’t want to show off their gorgeous campus, spirited sporting events, or decorated dorm room?
Download it Now at the Apple App Store for FREE
Download it Now at Google Play for FREE
