Edited by Tasmiyah Randeree
Commuting can be hard, especially if your commute is 2 hours long one way like mine is. If your train is empty, it might be a good time to get any readings or problem sets done. But more often than not, I end up travelling during rush hour, in which there is barely any space to keep your feet on the floor, let alone hold a book on your lap. So I have come up with a list of iOS apps to keep yourself entertained and productive in other ways when you don’t exactly have any elbow room for your textbooks. Most of these apps are easily accessible if you do not have a data plan, and all of these apps are free, making them extremely affordable for an average university student.
Happy Colour
This app is an amazing stress reliever. It’s your standard colouring app, but instead of choosing your own colours, you have to colour in the picture using colours corresponding to a number. For example, if an area on the picture is labelled 2, you would colour that area with the given colour corresponding to the number 2. If you’re like me and would not like the added stress of choosing colours in your colouring activities, this is just the right app for you! You can save pictures to colour offline if you don’t have data, and there’s quite a large variety of pictures to colour!
Wordscapes
This game is absolutely addictive! It’s essentially a crossword puzzle, but the words can only be found using a given set of letters. For example, how many words can you find using the letters that spell out CONVICT? It’s easy to play offline and has many opportunities to pick up extra coins and prizes, which offers a good incentive to keep playing. Plus, it provides a chance to improve your vocabulary immensely! It’s definitely my commute game of choice.
Netflix
This might be obvious, but the “download” option on Netflix has saved me from boredom during many GO Train delays. I’ve watched many documentary series and comedy shows during my commute, and there’s honestly nothing better than winding down after a long day of classes or work with John Mulaney or an episode of Queer Eye. The only drawback is that these downloads can expire after a few weeks, so it might be better to update your downloads once a week and re-upload any shows that you haven’t finished yet.
Podcasts
The iTunes podcast app has also allowed me to have an entertaining and frankly productive commute. The variety of podcasts available are amazing, and many of them are available for download so you can listen whilst offline. Podcasts are an amazing way to dive into different topics, some even very bizarre and funny. Some of my favourites include: “Flash Forward”, where alternate futures using different sci-fi technologies are explored, giving us a Black Mirror-style lens into how they might affect humanity; “The Hilarious World of Depression”, in which a guest, usually a comedian, gives a hilarious and honest insight into their struggles with clinical depression and mental illness; and “How Did This Get Made?”, in which the hosts take a look at some of the most hilariously awful movies and review them with a special guest. It’s a fun and productive way to spend your commute, expanding your knowledge or just having a laugh.
Oak
After working through a ridiculous amount of meditation apps that required me to pay a truckload of money to access their services at some point, I came across this gem of an app. There aren’t many meditation options available as of now, but as you work through the levels, you can unlock more. And all the options I have available right now are accessible offline, and are highly customizable! I can select meditations for different purposes, adjust the duration of these sessions, and can also add background noises of my choice! There is also a variety of sleep sounds for you to fall asleep too, and I can confirm that they all work well, because I never seem to get to the end of the 30-minute audio without dozing off. If you would like a relaxing, mindful way to spend your commute, then this is the app for you.
Quizlet
If you’re in an extremely busy week and would rather spend your commute catching up on some studying, this is the app to go for. I know many people who already use Quizlet as part of their studying routine, but on a commute, this is a great way to review some concepts without wasting any of your flashcards or paper. The app also provides fun activities and games to test your knowledge after reviewing your online cards and can make your review process fun while making it through the busy commute. The only drawback is that this app requires data to access your flashcards and may not be accessed or saved offline.
Commutes can be stressful, and after a busy day with classes and studying, a rush-hour commute is the last thing you want to deal with. But even stranded in that crowded TTC car, you can definitely make your day a little bit better and more productive with these great apps.
All app screenshots credited to the author.