This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mich chapter.
Although essentially every app on our cell phone serves a purpose at one point or another, there are ten applications in particular that could be especially useful to a college student. These are the ten essential phone apps that every college student needs on their device:
- The Skimm: While away at college, students often find themselves immersed in their own little bubble and disconnected from the world around them. Although it is possible to catch up on the news by reading the newspaper or by watching CNN, who really has time for that? The Skimm is an email subscription news service that sends you a brief, yet informative summary of what’s going on in the world.
- Tap Roulette: Decision-making is tough. That’s why Tap Roulette is a necessity for helping you solve all your extrmely important problems like who will get up to open the door for the Pizza House delivery man and who will put down their credit card for the Sava’s bill. With the simple touch of finger, Tap Roulette will save you from the anxiety of regular decision making and leave the rest up to chance.
- Uber: Uber is an affordable and convenient way for you and your friends to get around your college campus, and even take you out for off-campus excursions. Uber is an essential for those cold, snowy nights when you just don’t feel like walking fifteen minutes from the library back to your dorm, and It’s a lifesaver when you can’t walk any farther in your heels on the way back from formal. Of course, it’s also good for the days where you just feel lazy for no reason whatsoever.
- LinkedIn: Although it may be scary, your entrance into college signifies your first step into the professional world. Even though Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are way cooler, LinkedIn is a great social media app that allows you to begin building your resume, connecting with potential employers, and growing your professional network.
- 7-Minute Workout Challenge: Amongst the rigor of academic classes, extracurricular activities, and having a social life, it is easy for college students to neglect their physical and mental health due to lack of time and motivation. With the app titled 7 Minute Workout Challenge, you can turn seven minutes of free time into a mini-workout to help you keep off the Freshmen 15 without taking up your whole day.
- Google Drive: Although less exciting than some of the other apps, the Google Drive app is sure to become one of your most frequently used applications on your phone. I promise at some point over the course of the school year you will be emailed a google document to register for a timeslot, to review an assignment, or to view an important document. The Google Drive app allows you to quickly access these documents and edit them on the go without the anxiety of a sudden internet glitch.
- Venmo: If you get nothing else out of this article, please just download Venmo. Venmo is an app that connects to your credit or debit card to your phone and enables you to transfer money to other Venmo users with the touch of a button. Imagine you go out for Angelo’s brunch with all your friends and you decide to put the check entirely on your debit card to avoid the confusion of splitting the bill. With Venmo, your friends can easily repay you the money by inputting their share of the check and paying it to your Venmo account handle. You are then able to transfer the money you receive back onto your debit card, free of any extra fees.
- Mathway: Download this one just because college math classes are annoying and nobody has time to for that. (It’s also a great way to check your math homework or web assignments)—just saying.
- Spotify: For just $5 a month with the student discount, Spotify puts the world of music in your pocket. Spotify enables you to create your own custom music playlists, as well as listen to premade playlists organized by genre and ~vibe ~. If you purchase Spotify Premium with the student discount, you’ll listen to music ad-free, which would be perfect to listen to during your 7 Minute Workout!
- Pocket Points: Saving the best for last, Pocket Points is an app that enables users to accrue points by encouraging students to stay off their phone in class. You may be thinking, why would I/how can I put away my cell phone during my hour and a half lecture? Well, Pocket Points incentivizes users to put away their phone by partnering with local establishments and online vendors to turn your accrued points into redeemable prizes. Prizes range from from online shopping discount codes to free food and drinks. I think I can keep my phone in my backpack for an hour if the reward is a free Jimmy Johns sandwich.
Photos courtesy of Google Images