Lots of us spend a bit too much time on our phones, and I’m just as guilty of this as anyone. But since moving to UT, some of my screen time has actually been helpful and productive. Here are some of my favorite apps to make the most out of your scrolling:
Corner
Moving to a new city, I’ve had to discover the best spots near campus, and Corner has been a great guide. Corner has a Pinterest meets Google Maps kind of vibe, with users creating lists of their favorite spots or locations they hope to visit. The homepage lets you filter by what’s new, trending, and popular, and a map illustrates places near you to add to your list. Clicking on a location will show you other people’s reviews, photos, and places you might also want to explore. Corner is also continuously receiving updates, most recently the addition of their “vibe search.” This new feature allows you to search a category and receive personalized results based on your tastes. For anyone looking for new spots to visit (or for anyone who just really likes making lists), Corner should be your next download.Â
Merch
Walking down Speedway the past few weeks, you see students advertising for their orgs, handing out energy drinks, popsicles, stickers — basically anything to attract students to their booths. Merch allows students to figure out where they can get free merch on campus. When you find a group giving out free things, you can take a picture and post the freebie to the app. This creates a pin that allows other students to see where to go. Students can then comment on the pin, usually with updates on how to get it or whether or not the item is still available. Merch also includes a leaderboard system. Students are ranked based on how many freebies they’ve shared, and schools are ranked based on how many freebies their students have posted (UT Austin is currently ranked #1, in case you were wondering!) For anyone who wants giveaways, Merch is a great download.
Study Bunny
As a student, I (sometimes) put my phone down and study. Study Bunny is my go-to app to keep myself focused during study sessions. This cute study app allows you to set timers when you need to work. As the timer counts down, your bunny happily turns the pages of its textbook. Completing the study period gives you coins, which you can then use to purchase cute items for your bunny and your room, including a shark costume, a pet butterfly, and a tea set. Additionally, Study Bunny features a study tracker, where you can view how many hours you’ve spent studying for each subject over the past month. The app is simple to use, cute, and, unlike many other studying apps, free. I would recommend Study Bunny to anyone who’s been caught scrolling a few too many times during a study session.Â
UNiDAYS
We’re all trying to save money, so student discounts are lifesavers. UNiDAYS is a great way for college students to find good deals while shopping. The free app is filled with tons of student discounts on popular brands. After a quick verification process to make sure you really are a student, UNiDAYS lets you save your favorite brands and get notifications for new deals. The app offers savings in tons of categories, including tech, travel, clothing, and food. If you don’t see a specific company, you can always use their search feature to check for offers you may have scrolled past. Also, some brands offer giveaways that let you win free products or gift cards without even making a purchase. If you’re looking for Halloweekend costumes, a new computer, or some skincare, I’d recommend UNiDAYS before you buy.Â
Locket
While college is exciting and fun, it’s easy to get homesick and miss your family and friends from back home. Locket is a super cute way to stay in touch with the people you care about. After downloading the app, you add a widget to your phone’s home screen and add your friends in the app. You can then take photos with the in-app camera. Then they are sent to your friends, and they pop up on their home screens. Locket also features “Rollcall,” which lets you share photos from your week with your friends. It’s basically a photo dump that lasts for 7 days until next week’s Rollcall. The app is also very minimalistic, and it’s simple to use. For anyone who wants to see their friends from home, Locket is a must download.
These are new favorite apps to navigate collegiate life. I hope you can find some use for them too!