Need some extra support at uni? There’s an app for that!
As you settle back into student life, you’re probably looking at how you can make this your best term yet! We think these apps will prove to be a big help, from note-taking, to revision, to task and time management…there’s an app for every aspect of university, and these are some of the best!
Stressed over citation?
You may have come across citation websites in the past, and popular website Cite This For Me is also available in app form on iOS and Android. Simply scan a bar code or fill out key information by hand, and Cite This For Me will organise it all into your preferred style of referencing – stress and hassle free! Just make sure you check out your college’s referencing guidelines to ensure it all matches up (ie, some colleges ask for a comma in between the author(s) and the date published, but others don’t!)
Top Tip: Cite as you go! Don’t leave everything to the last minute and scramble through your piles of print-outs and online library catalogues to find all the information you need. Citing as you go will save so much time and stress. Nobody likes to spend hours writing out their bibliographies!
Can’t keep up with your lecturer?
Office Lens synchs with your University account and allows you to take pictures of lecture slides, whiteboards, and handouts, and saves them as a pdf that is automatically saved to a file on your OneDrive. You can also save your images as word documents, presentations, and images. It’s a total lifesaver when your lecturer is going too fast for you and your notes to keep up!
Top Tip: Check ELE for lecture slides: some lecturers upload them before the lecture begins, allowing you to flick the slides through at your own pace.
Can’t keep off your phone during lecturers?
Hold rewards you with points for keeping off your phone, which can then be exchanged for vouchers entitling you to various rewards, including free coffees and cinema tickets!
If you’re keen to break this bad habit, but not looking for something that blocks you from your phone, try Toggl, which will time how long you spend on different categories of apps (ie, social media platforms), so you can keep track of how much time you dedicate to different activities.
Top Tip: If you live on or close to campus, maybe try leaving your phone behind when you go to class? As long as you have your laptop you’ll still have access to emails etc, and you’ll save yourself from the possible distraction.
Feeling overwhelmed during exams and deadline season?
Unstuck (only available on iOS) is for those moments when you feel overwhelmed and completely blocked, unable to figure out what to do next. It will guide you in ‘diagnosing’ why you feel so stuck, suggesting ways in which you could move forward.
Top Tip: During exam and deadline seasons, try and create a timetable to plan out what you’ll work on and when, including time for rest and socialising.