Adjusting to college life can be challenging in everything from doing well in classes to sticking to a budget. Even if you’ve been on campus for a few months, you’re still likely to run into challenges. Luckily, these apps can solve even the most obvious problems. Trust us- there’s an app for that!
1. Problem: Used flashcards tend to pile up in your room long after an exam. Solution: Flashcards+
Studying with flashcards allows you to remember vocabulary and other terms by forcing your brain to recall them. However, writing out every French term or chemistry equation on a 5X7 notecard is a tedious task. And let’s be honest: used flashcards tend to accumulate in the bottom of messy desk drawers months after the class is over.
The app “flashcards+” allows users to create their own deck of cards without spending a penny on paper! Once you’ve made a new deck, simply add as many cards as you need, type out the terms, and you’re good to go! Plus, the app allows you to search for hundreds of premade decks on almost any academic topic. It’s like having a study buddy for all your classes!
2. Problem: It’s hard to create and stick to a budget. Solution: Spending
It’s not uncommon for students to come to college with little experience on managing their own money. However, it’s a skill needed to attend college without going broke and to survive in the real world.
“It’s an allocation of resources, and you need to know functionally not only what you can spend money on, but where the money you got went.” WD Allen, Assistance Teaching Professor, Department of Finance states.
“Spending” makes it easy to keep track of all your purchases from caramel macchiatos to concert tickets right on your iPhone. Each time you make a purchase, you log it including clothes, eating out, entertainment, and or even a customizable one. Then, you enter your salary and other sources of income. The front page of the app then summarizes your spending to let you know if you’ve done a good job tracking your finances or need to cut back on the shopping trips.
Allen explains that managing your money on your phone makes it an easier task to complete.
“Everybody always has their phone with them, so it makes annotating stuff a little less painful. That’s the big hurdle that needs to be overcome: the resistance to writing down everything that your money goes for and coming up with a budget”
3. Problem: You need to reference your history notes ASAP. Solution: Dropbox
If you don’t already own a Dropbox, stop what you’re doing and download it as soon as possible. Dropbox allows you to create an account to store your files. If you lose everything or need to pull up your sociology notes on another computer, you simply log onto your account to get access to anything that’s stored in the file.
The iPhone version of the application allows users to access their documents straight from their phone. This is especially helpful if you need to quickly reference your biology paper or don’t want to lug your laptop to class to take notes.
4. Problem: Moving to a new college town means you always forget what channel MTV is on. Solution: TV Guide App
It’s difficult to remember the number of every TV station in a new town. Even if you’ve been on campus for a few years, it can still be difficult to find the number of a channel you don’t watch as often. Unfortunately, college doesn’t contain a binder listing every station like hotels do.
Luckily, the TV guide app lets user enter their zip code and cable provider of the area they’re in. From there, you can view the channel number for every network, from NBC to E!.
If you’ve forgotten what time “The Bachelor” is on (not that you would ever do that), it’s no problem! The app shows you what time each show is on. This is especially helpful if you’re adjusting to a different time zone and need a quick reminder that “American Idol” is on an hour earlier. Plus, it provides reviews for each episode and allows you to set a reminder 5 minutes-an hour before your favorite show begins. No more excuses for missing “Say Yes to the Dress!”
5. Problem: You forgot to bring your clicker to class… again… Solution: Web>clicker
No feeling is more defeating than settling down in class, taking out your laptop, and then realizing that you forgot your clicker on your desk in your dorm room. Thankfully, “web>clicker” allows students to click in using their phone.
Although the program is currently not available for all University of Missouri classes, the iClicker company is piloting the program to test how well it works.
“This option is not available on our campus right now, however we are running a small pilot this semester. If the pilot goes well, we may consider expanding this option to other courses. There will be a number of yet to be determined factors involved in the decision.” Charlie Rigdon, Educational Technology Specialist, states.
6. Problem: You can’t remember what time you fed the meter and want to avoid a parking ticket. Solution: Parking meter pro
Parking on a college campus can be difficult. With limited spaces and hundreds of students, you’re sometimes forced to park at a meter. However, parking tickets can quickly add up if you forget what time you fed your meter.
Luckily, “parking meter pro” keeps track of what time you paid for your parking spot. After feeding the meter, simply enter how much time you’ve paid for. The app sets an alarm and can alert you up to 15 minutes before your meter expires. You can even take a photo of your car and use the provided map just in case you forget where you park. By saving money on parking tickets, you can buy more Starbucks lattes (just don’t forget to track these purchases in the spending app).
7. Problem: The people that live above you are being loud the night before your big midterm. Solution: White Noise Lite
One of the more challenging college experiences is learning how to adapt to living with people all around you. It seems as though the nights you need 8 hours of sleep, people are nosier than they are during the daytime.
Thankfully, “white noise lite” allows users to tune out their neighbors while they sleep. The app has a variety of soothing sounds, including crickets, a thunderstorm, the ocean, and more.
“White noise can provide a consistent background that masks those sounds and can help one fall asleep. Once asleep, a person can still be easily awakened by sudden sounds, such as a roommate returning to the room, or doors opening in the hall. White noise can mask those as well.” Ines Segert, Asst Teaching Professor, Dept Psychological Sciences, states.
Next time you need to block out your chatty neighbors, don’t forget to plug into white noise!
8. Problem: It’s too cold to walk to the rec to break a sweat. Solution: Fitness buddy
It can be difficult to create a workout routine, especially in the colder months. Bundling up in the freezing cold to walk to the recreational center can inhibit anyone’s intention to burn calories.
“Fitness buddy” has a library of dozens of exercises categorized by muscle, including core, arms, lower body, and more. Although most exercises require dumbbells or a resistance band, the “bodyweight” options allow users to do exercises without equipment. Some of these options include arm dips, flutter kicks, and squats. Once an exercise is chosen, the app walks it through step-by-step to ensure that it’s done correctly. It’s the perfect way to break a swear in the comfort of your own room!
9. Problem: Purchasing new songs off iTunes is quickly eating away at your paycheck. Solution: Spotify Premium
You may be familiar with the computer version of Spotify and have heard advertisements for the app, but Spotify Premium is worth the investment. Instead of purchasing every song you love, you can listen to unlimited music and create your own playlists for $10 a month.
“I would love to have it on my phone and not just use it on my computer.” Hannah Matthews, MU freshman, states.
Another secret? Spotify premium allows you to access your music on offline mode, meaning you can listen to your favorite tunes even on the dead spots on campus. Not a bad deal for “all-you-can-listen-to” music!
10. Problem: It’s 70 degrees in January and you’re stuck on campus with an unneeded coat. Solution: Weather
Although this one may seem obvious-every iPhone comes included with a weather app- it’s extremely important to check the weather before heading to class or going out at night.
The “weather” app gives hour-by-hour updates on the daily temperature and displays forecast up to 6 days in advance. That way, you can prepare for an unexpected storm by wearing your Hunters and raincoat to class.
“It helps me prepare my outfits for the day and lets me know whether I need to bundle up or put on an extra scarf or gloves.” Brooke Burge, freshman
It’s a simple process, but by checking the app before leaving your room, you can easily avoid weather fashion faux pas.
Photo Credits
apple.com – tuaw.com – geekopolis.com – computeractive.com