Now that college is in the swing of things, it can get overwhelming pretty quickly. It’s easy to get lost in the world of exams, assignments, and meetings when organization isn’t your forte. But not to worry—we’ve figured out exactly what you need to stay ahead of the game and in control of your life. Over time, we’ve collected a series of apps that will turn college life into (sort of) a breeze.
1. Todoist
The best to-do list around, Todoist makes organization insanely easy. Simply type in your tasks, set a date or a priority, and it’ll list everything out for you. You can even place your tasks into groups like “Personal” and “Shopping” for easier access. The best part: the iPhone app syncs instantly with iOS so you can access an up-to-date list on both your phone and your laptop.
2. Mint
Unfortunately it can be way too easy to blow through hundreds of dollars in a short span of time while at college. Those late night Pizza House orders and constant coffees really add up, and it can be hard to track your spending habits. A great solution to this problem is Mint, an app that tracks your spending and tells you where your money goes. It splits your payments up into groups like clothes, food, and others to make it easy to analyze what exactly is eating up your bank account. At the end of the week, the app even sends you an alert that shows you how much you spent that week, and warns you if you go over your budget. While Mint may make you think twice about ordering feta bread AND a pizza, your bank account will thank you in the long run.
3. Evernote
For those of you who love to take notes on your laptop, but are annoyed by the disorganization this creates, Evernote is for you. The app allows you to upload files into groups so you can easily access notes for each class, as well as syllabi and readings. It’s a great way to organize all of your materials in one spot. You can even take photos of handwritten notes and upload them through Evernote’s extension app. It may seem complicated at first, but once you figure out your way around the app, it organizes your academics in the blink of an eye.
4. MyFitnessPal
Stop the Freshman 15 in its tracks with this calorie-counting app. After entering your personal information, MyFitnessPal suggests a meal plan focusing on calorie consumption that will help you stay in shape in a healthy way. Simply enter your meals and snacks into the journal and its database will tell you how many calories you’ve consumed and how many you have left to consume during the day. Adding in exercises will change the calorie consumption to even out the process. It even links up with the health app on your iPhone, so your daily steps tracked by your phone adds to the calorie formula! It’s a great way to keep an eye on your calorie consumption and motivate you to choose healthy foods over those that will contribute to the terrifying college weight gain.
5. Companion
Going out is part of being a college student, and walking home at night is pretty much inevitable. There will be times when you might have to walk alone, and that’s when Companion comes in handy. Created by some of our fellow UMich students, this app helps you keep track of your friends as they walk home. It can alert your friends if you’re feeling nervous about your walk and even has the ability to contact the police. Companion is a definite must-have for college students to feel safe as they walk home at night.
6. Venmo
There will be countless times when your friends will have to spot you for a purchase, and since everyone is a broke college student, they’ll expect their money back. Venmo is a great app that lets you hook your account to your bank account (safely, of course) so you can pay your friends back at the click of a button. Paying rent and getting your friend back for drinks the other night is made simple with Venmo. It’s super popular across campuses, so definitely check it out.
Even though life can’t always go smoothly, these apps will help you have somewhat of a handle on everything. From schoolwork to money to organization, these six apps cover everything you need to stay ahead of the game. So start downloading, because it’s time to get your life together to make this school year the best one yet!
Photos courtesy of: Top Men’s Magazine, Wikimedia, Android Police, I’m Just Creative, Companion, Rewind and Capture