With the start of school right around the corner (R.I.P. summer 2013) you may be getting stressed about getting back into study mode, managing your money, and staying safe on campus. If you’re feeling the pain of these back-to-school struggles, then check out these eight must-have back-to-school apps that we rounded up. These apps will convert your smartphone into a money managing, note organizing, personal trainer that will guarantee that the beginning of this year is a success!
1. bSafe – Free
Available for iPhone and Android phones
Who it’s for: The Street-Smart Collegiette
How it Works: Walking around campus by yourself late at night is never a good idea, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. bSafe will keep you safe even when you’re alone. The app has a GPS-based safety alarm and lets you set up you a network of family members and friends to be notified in case of an emergency. All you have to do is push the big red S.O.S. button on the app in the event of an emergency, and the app will text or call your contacts for help with your exact location. The app also has features that allow you to set a time in advance and will trigger an alert to be sent to your network automatically if you have not checked in at a certain location at that time. The app can also send out a fake call when triggered to get you out of an uncomfortable situation. All you need to do is press the fake call button on the app’s homepage.
2. Vonage Mobile – Free
Available for iPhone and Android phones
Who it’s for: The Collegiette Abroad
How it Works: Vonage Mobile is the perfect app for collegiettes looking to stay in touch with their friends and family back home when they study abroad. The app lets you make free voice and video calls, send texts, and share photos with other Vonage Mobile users around the world over Wi-Fi and 3G/4G. Vonage is also running a special offer for a limited time where you can get up to 3,000 minutes of free calls to any phone in the U.S, Canada, and Puerto Rico per month. Vonage also makes getting additional calling credits super easy: all you have to do is buy them in the app.
3. Evernote – Free
Available for Blackberry, iPhone, and Windows Phone
Who it’s for: The Organized Note-Taker
How it Works: Forget the days of buying spiral notebooks for every class. Evernote lets you take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists, and record voice reminders all in one place. The app also makes finding notes from the past a breeze through a search option. The sharing feature also makes it super easy to access content on Evernote anywhere by syncing across almost all of your devices. Kristin Doherty, a junior from Drake University, says that Evernote is her go-to app when it comes to keeping track of her classes. “It helps me keep all my notes in one place and stay super organized all year,” she says.
4. AnyMemo – Free
Available for Android phones
Who it’s for: The Flashcard-Obsessed Collegiette
How it works: Save your money and the planet by ditching paper index cards for this eco-friendly app that lets you create flashcards right on your smartphone. All you have to do is enter the information that you need to study, and AnyMemo lets you quiz yourself anytime you want. This app is perfect for auditory learners, too, as it has a built-in voice-to-text feature. Molly Callaghan, a junior at Elizabethtown College, says AnyMemo is her favorite app for on-the-go studying. “I love that I can squeeze in studying right before class starts or while I’m waiting for my friends to get to the dining hall without having to carry a million little index cards around,” she says. This app also lets users download files from Dropbox to convert into flashcards and has pre-made flashcards available for download for topics like languages and history.
[pagebreak]
5. Study Buddy – $0.99
Available for iPhone
Who it’s for: The Procrastinator
How it works: Think of Study Buddy as your friend who is forcing you to get motivated. The tool helps to tracks the amount and duration of each distraction that comes your way during your study session by using timers and a pause feature. As long as you are honest about the number of breaks you take, the app will provide you with personalized feedback to help you better manage your time and make the most out of your studying.
6. Nike Training Club – Free
Available for iPhone and Android phones
Who it’s for: The Fit Nut
How it works: Nike Training Club is your take-anywhere personal trainer. The 30- to 45-minute workouts can pretty much be done anywhere you can find the space, and they were created by some of Hollywood’s most famous trainers, including Rihanna’s personal trainer, Ary Nunez! The best part about the app? It rewards the completion of workouts with healthy recipes, fitness wear coupons, and celebrity fitness plans.
7. Songza – Free
Available for iPhone and Android phones
Who it’s for: The Music Lover
How it works: Whether you’re at the gym, studying for midterms, or getting ready to go out on a Saturday night, Songza will provide the soundtrack to your life. Simply pick the day and time and Songza will give you playlist options for different activities, like working out, driving, and even singing in the shower. The app takes the guesswork out of compiling an entire playlist from the Internet. It allows you to skip and fast-forward through songs, and it’s guaranteed to introduce you to some sweet new tunes.
8. Mint – Free
Available for iPhone and Android phones
Who it’s for: The Over-Spender
How it works: Between hitting the bar, paying for textbooks, and eating out, college can get pretty expensive. Mint helps to keep track of the funds that you do (and don’t) have so that you can avoid being broke at the end of the month. The app separates your spending into categories such as “Food & Entertainment” and “Auto & Transportation” to make it easier to keep track of your money. With features such as bill reminders and financial advice sent straight to your phone, Mint will help you prepare economically for the future (or at least the end of the month).
Make sure to get downloading these apps in order to guarantee a safe, fun, and financially stable school year come fall. In the meantime, let us know which of these apps are your favorite, or if we left your favorite app off this list!