In case you haven’t noticed, iPhones on campus are now about as common as Sperry’s. Sometime over the summer, everyone swapped their BlackBerrys for the newest generation of Apple’s cash cow. This phenomenon didn’t just occur at Boston College, it was even documented on the hilarious blog “Betches Love This Site” as “The iPhone Switch.”
Personally, my transition from BBM to the ever-constant struggle with auto-correct has been amusing. And with each passing day, I’m increasingly more impressed with myself for not cracking that vulnerable screen. But aside from that, I la-la-love my iPhone. And why is that? Because apps make my crazy, hectic, stressful life just a little bit easier.
If you’ve got basically any product from Apple (Phone, Pod, Pad), here are the absolutely necessary apps you need:
1. Facebook
Waiting for the Comm Ave bus? Occupy yourself with some light reading… like your news feed!
2. Twitter
Hello, did you see my article last week? Twitter is the best; when you see something funny on campus, upload a Twit pic of it! If you’re early for your class, look busy and important on your phone while you scroll through tweets.
3. 2Do
I’m usually only a fan of free apps, but this one got me. Though $6.99 is pretty steep for an app, I guarantee you it’s worth it. This to-do list will keep you organized and productive. You can make recurring events, set reminder messages, and write projects and checklists. You can categorize tasks (school, work, home, etc.) and cross them off once completed!
4. Evernote
This app is amazing- it allows you to make notes that capture anything and everything (text, web clips, images, audio). You can tag individual notes and create multiple notebooks. Whether you’re an artist who finds inspiration everywhere or just want a better system for recording homework assignments, you’ll love Evernote. The possibilities for this app are endless- just check out “100+ Evernote Uses.”
5. GooCal
If you’re like me (and Ari from Entourage), you live and breathe off of your Google calendar. The system is amazing for keeping me organized between my classes, my Her Campus meetings, and 10:15 Sunday masses. This app syncs your Google calendar to your phone, so you can reference it on your way to Hillside, on the stairmaster in the Plex, or during a lecture in Devlin. No more forgetting important events and meetings!
6. Foursquare
I’ll admit, I resisted Foursquare for the longest time because I thought it sounded creepy telling the world my current location. But then I realized you can learn cool tips for local places or even get special discounts from stores just for checking in! Plus, it’s kind of fun to be studying in O’Neill and then get a notification that your friend just checked in to the library also!
7. QR Reader
If you’ve been seeing those square barcodes on everything lately, you need this app. You simply scan the barcode (found in newspapers, on billboards, and on products), and it takes you to a website or special promotion. Some products’ barcodes even bring you to price information and nearby location listings! It’s the latest frontier in marketing and advertising.
8. Shazam
Wondering what the name is of that sick song playing at the party? Shazam will listen for a couple seconds and then magically tell you the song, artist, and album!
9. AppBox
This is basically the “jack of all trades” when it comes to apps. You can use the mirror to make sure there’s nothing in your teeth. You can look up every possible holiday just for kicks. There’s a “days until” feature which allows you to count down to big events (138 days until Valentine’s Day, in case you’re wondering). There’s even a tip calculator so you can leave a respectable tip at Legal Seafood. If you’re abroad, you might find the unit conversion helpful.
10. LinkedIn
Whether you’re in CSOM or not, you should definitely be on LinkedIn. Start using your summer work experience to network with other professionals! Remember, it’s not the grades you make but the hands you shake.
11. Boston College
If BC kids don’t download this app, who will? Our personalized app is updated with the current weather, latest campus news, upcoming events, and even a campus map for freshmen. You can watch tons of videos (including James Franco’s appearance last semester!), save gorgeous pictures of campus, and answer poll questions.
12. BC Eagles
Now that you know how football works, you can follow the Eagles like a true Superfan! This app is pretty cool, allowing you to customize the news feed by your favorite sports. For example, since one of my friends is on the sailing team, I added them to my front page of the app. I can look up schedules, see recent photos, read the latest news articles, and even watch highlight videos!
13. Instagram
We all love to hate hipsters (according to Michael Le), but for some reason, we still like to make our photographs look hipster chic… This app let’s you upload your pictures from last weekend and put cool tints or effects on them. Just by adding a sepia tint, that picture of you and all your girls sitting on a couch at an off-campus party suddenly looks sick and is Facebook-ready.
14. Nike Training Club
Have you seen those cool Nike commercials lately featuring strong female athletes, like Hope Solo? This app allows you to bring their motivation and encouragment with you to the Plex! You can choose which type of workout you want (get lean, toned, strong, or focused) and then specify whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced. You then have a variety of different exercises and strength training programs to guide you, including tutorial videos! No more boring elliptical for forty minutes!
15. C21 Center
The Church in the 21st Century is responsible for bringing Agape Latte events to Hillside every first Tuesday of the month. Now they have an awesome new app for all you faithfuls on campus! You can watch videos from their speaker events on campus or submit a prayer for someone. You’ll also find thoughtful reflections, including one by Kerry Cronin herself.
16. TransLoc
I wanted to end with 15 apps, since it’s a nice number, but this app is pretty necessary. As you can imagine, it gives the current locations of our beloved Comm Ave buses. Definitely a must for all you off-campus kids come winter time!
There’s one app that isn’t absolutely necessary, but you might enjoy it: HeyTell. It’s basically a walkie-talkie app, for when you don’t want to text or call. You just hold down the button and speak, which sends your audio blurb to your friend to listen to.
You’ll notice I didn’t include any games. Honestly, if you have enough spare time to be playing games on your phone, you need to get involved in a club or activity on campus. Or you can spend your time more wisely by building a resume or meeting with the Career Center. Better yet, go work on checking items off of your BC Bucket List!
What do you think, collegiettes™? Did I forget your favorite app? What rounded square button do you click multiple times a day? Add comments below, tweet at us, or leave posts on our Facebook wall!