1. Grammarly
This may be spoiling some Her Campus secrets, but I am honestly astounded that I had never heard of this before! Grammarly is a free browser extension that is essentially Microsoft Word spell check on high. Most of the time, Word will underline things in red or green indicating that it is wrong, and then will “correct” it to something worse! With Grammarly, mistakes are underlined in red and you can hover over them to get an in-depth explanation of what is wrong. From there, all you have to do is click the highlighted word to accept the proposed change. The best part about Grammarly (besides the fact that it’s free) is that it works in Word, Google Docs, Facebook, Twitter, pretty much any website where you are typing (as long as you enable this when downloading). If spelling or grammar isn’t your strong suit, or even if it is, this simple program can be a lifesaver!
2. Evernote
This is my most recent discovery. Evernote is a free website that allows you to simply take notes. Once you make your free account, Evernote allows you to jump right in and start taking notes then and there. While this is similar to GoogleDocs in that the notes are saved online, can be pulled up in an app and can be used to collaborate with other students, the one key difference that caught me is the notebooks feature. I never really vibed with GoogleDocs and I think it’s because my OCD tendencies always knew there was something better for me out there. The folder system has always seemed messy to me and took a lot of effort to maneuver, making it hard for me to keep one class’s notes all together. In Evernote, all you do is click one button to create a ‘notebook’ and then press ‘add note’ to start typing for that day’s class! All of your notebooks are listed on your home screen so as soon as you log in you just click the class of your choice and begin typing away. Love!
3. Canva
Again, why did nobody use this in high school?! Canva is another free program that helps you make the coolest custom graphic designs out there. All you have to do is make a free account and hundreds of free templates are placed right at your feet. From flyers to invitations, to even Twitter headers and Facebook cover photos, Canva has a template for everything. You can either personalize one of their designs or create your own completely custom graphic! There are even hundreds of free cute images and designs you can use to really make people think you’ve taken at least three classes in graphic design. Some science and business majors may be tuning out by now, thinking, “When am I ever going to use this?” But trust me; whether you want to make a cute Instagram story cover or kick butt on your next class presentation, Canva is the way to go. It even has an app!
4. LinkedIn
This last one is less of a tool that helps you in class, but it certainly will help you get jobs and interviews down the line. LinkedIn is the number one thing future employers will look at besides your resume, and for several good reasons. LinkedIn allows you much more space to be yourself and explain all your many talents. While a resume is simply a snapshot of who you are, LinkedIn serves as more of an excerpt. You can create a compelling summary of yourself, include all your experience and previous jobs, which courses you took in college that were impressive and even samples of your work. You can even request recommendations from previous employers or co-workers to boost your profile. LinkedIn also allows you to connect with others in your field and follow fields of interest, potentially leading to future employment connections. Don’t stress if you don’t have much to put on your profile during freshman year, that’s totally normal. But go ahead and start building your skeleton now, make some connections, look at how other people set up their profiles and keep Sydney’s article on things you definitely want to show off in mind!