Let’s be honest – attending the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa can be overwhelming as a new student. Between keeping up with campus news, navigating island life, and getting lost on campus, it can be a hard adjustment. So if you’re just like freshmen me, a deer caught in the headlights, don’t panic: I’ve got you covered. I rounded up five apps that all UH Manoa students need to have on their phone!
- Moovit: All Transit Options
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When I first moved into my dorm I had never used TheBus despite living on O’ahu for 15 years. I had a hard time understanding the bus schedule and their app just made it even more confusing. So when I was searching for other apps to do the job I found Moovit and it quickly became my saving grace.
Moovit has all of your local transit options including ride-sharing – so if you don’t like riding TheBus, you can still use it! It shows you accurate arrival and destination times, maps, and get-off alerts. The app is up-to-date and details your transportation rides all for free!
As a student dorming without a car, Moovit made exploring the island so simple and stress free!
- H Rewards
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One of my favorite parts about going to our sports games besides the food are the prizes. You name it, UHM has probably given it away – UH gear, gift cards, MacBooks. At my freshmen orientation they gave a free Ipad to a random student just for downloading this app, and I got a limited edition UH shirt for showing up to a basketball game and having this app.
All you have to do is download the app and check in to a sports event and you’ll be able to start earning points! The more points you earn, the more prizes you’ll be eligible to win. The app will also send you notifications about any special giveaways happening too. I recommend always having this app downloaded if you go to games, an orientation, or anything else because UH loves giving prizes to students. - UHM Shuttle
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The Manoa campus has a great commuter option: the Rainbow Shuttle. The shuttle is free (you just need your student ID) and takes you around campus, the neighboring vicinity, and off-campus parking locations.
Oh, and the best part? It’s air-conditioned.
The shuttle app allows you to track the shuttle, similar to the Moovit app. It provides you with the location of your shuttle, the arrival time, and any other information you’ll need for your ride. Even if you have the shuttle routes memorized, the app is still great to have so you stay updated! Due to Covid-19 the Rainbow Shuttle is currently suspended, but remember this app when the service starts up again!
- Manoa Now
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Manoa Now has everything you need to know about the university in just this one app – campus help, loading dining dollars, Ka Leo articles, and anything else you can think of. Keep your notifications on and you’ll be up to date with all you need to know!
Overall, this app is great to have as a student and has an endless amount of resources to help you succeed in your classes and as a student living on O’ahu.
- Rate My Professors
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The life saver of all college students. The Rate My Professors app and website will let you rate your professor, see the class difficulty level, and read previous student ratings. This app has saved me from absolutely terrible professors and has given me some incredible professors. It tells you everything your university doesn’t want to tell you. Trust me when I say this app is an absolute must!
College campuses are intimidating, regardless of size. Use these apps and before you know it, you’ll be navigating UHM campus life just fine. Have a great semester, rainbow warriors!