Essential apps to get you through university

Woman using smartphone

If you’re a student, there are hundreds of smartphone and tablet apps that promise to make your university experience great. Luckily we’ve done the hard work for you and whittled down a list of the best. So for a first class honours in studying, partying, or simply being an awesome housemate, here are the essential apps.

Best apps for organisation

Being a uni student means adulting hard and organising your own life. Wunderlist (iOS & Android) offers a simple to-do list and task manager to help you get stuff done. Whether you’re sharing a shopping list with your housemates, working on a project or listing out your assignments, you can capture and share your to-dos from your phone, tablet or computer.

Get Dropbox (iOS & Android) and you won’t have to worry about losing your notes or coursework. Just upload your documents, photos and videos in the cloud and get them online whenever you need to, from any device. All you need is an internet connection.

For easy online access, you can keep all your passwords, credit card details and other virtual identities safe through Dashlane (iOS & Android), which uses advanced encryption. To login to any of your synced accounts, or make a payment, all you have to remember is one master password.

Best apps for lectures

In ye olden days, students used to go to lectures and scribble down their notes. Now, all you have to do is press record, sit back and soak up the lesson your learned professor is imparting. At revision time, it will all be there waiting for you. Notes (iOS) and LectureRecordings (Android) are particularly good. Remember to ask permission beforehand though!

Best apps for studying

Books. Chances are you’ll have to read at least a couple of them while in college. Scribd (iOS & Android) has millions of different documents and books you can download straight to your device.
If you’re a student of literature, CliffsNotes (iOS) will give you character and plot summaries for every novel you’re supposed to read. The audio version is a godsend too, as you can catch up anywhere – on the bus, at the gym, even on your way to the exam.

Best apps for essays

You’ve done the research. You’ve written the essay. But there’s just one more, really painful task to do: compile the dreaded bibliography. Download Cite This For Me (iOS) or EasyBib (Android) for a great time-saver. Take a picture of the barcode or type in the title of the book, and hey presto, you’ll instantly have the reference for your bibliography.

Best apps for revision

Revision. Even the word is enough to send your serotonin levels into a downward spiral. But with the right app, revision can be fun. Or at least easier. With GoConqr (iOS & Android) you get mind maps, flash cards, notes and quizzes to help you study. Exam Countdown (iOS) keeps track of the days until each of your exams and gives you a daily countdown to help you stay focused.

Best app for finance

Making your student finances stretch is hard. No savvy student should be without Idealo (iOS and Android), a brilliant app that gathers and compares prices of over three million products from thousands of online shops, especially great if you’re about to make a bigger than usual purchase.

Best apps for house-shares

Conversations about money can be awkward at the best of times. Acasa (iOS) will cut all that out. It makes it easy to divvy up bills and you can track who has paid for what, so no more festering resentment about whose turn it is to buy the loo roll.

Managing chores when you’re in shared accommodation can be, well, a chore. Chored (iOS and Android) lets you split tasks with your housemates, and will even tell you who’s in and out at any particular time. So the next time they say they couldn’t clean the bathroom because they were out, you’ll know.

Best apps for cooking

When you get sick of super noodles, rice and pasta, download BigOven (iOS and Android). It has more than 350,000 recipes so there has to be at least something you will like and can actually cook. You can also save and share recipes easily and create a shared shopping list for your housemates, and the use up leftovers functionality is especially good for budget-conscious students.

Best apps for staying safe

For many, college means party time. Circle of Six (iOS & Android) lets you choose up to six trusted friends to add to your circle. If you’re on a night out and get into an uncomfortable or risky situation, you can discreetly send your circle a pre-programmed SMS alert message with your exact location, in just two taps.

At the end of the evening, mytaxi (formerly Hailo), (iOS & Android) is one of the the safest and easiest ways to get home. In just two taps you can get a licensed taxi. If you don’t have cash on you, you can pay through the app – the charge comes directly out of your bank account.

Best apps for fitness

The fresher’s curse. The fresher’s 15. The fresher’s spread. All euphemisms for the weight most uni students gain, due to an unhealthy combo of late nights, spice bags and drinking. With My Fitness Pal (iOS and Android) you can log what you’re eating and keep track of your calorie intake.

Couch to 5KM (iOS and Android) is a simple way for novices to get running. If you’re more serious about sport, then Strava (iOS and Android) achieves great results, allowing you to track your performance, set goals and see daily progress.

Best for gadgets

Lose your phone in college and you’ve pretty much lost everything, including your brand new social life. iPhone users can use ‘Find my iPhone’ and Android users can download the Where’s my Droid app, so if you do leave your phone in the library or student bar, it will be a lot easier to track down.

For total peace of mind, you should think about getting gadget insurance. With Car ’N Stuff, you get affordable car insurance and renters cover, with access to travel and gadget insurance.

Image: Ivan Kruk/123rf.com

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