Whether you’re receiving that last-minute e-mail about a canceled class, or you’re simply checking when the next bus arrives, smartphones provide endless possibilities for college students. But some students don’t truly realize the potential they hold in their hands – particularly how helpful a smartphone’s applications can be in navigating almost every aspect of campus life.
Here are just some of the apps you may find yourself using in your four years at school. The best part? They’re all free.
Evernote. iPhone: Yes. Android: Yes. Useful for note-taking, grocery lists, remembering ideas.
Evernote allows you to take notes on your laptop and sync them to appear on your smartphone at all times. The notes automatically update no matter where you’re taking them from, and it allows creativity in note-taking that isn’t possible in a simple Word document.
Dropbox. iPhone: Yes. Android: Yes. Useful for notes, homework files, group projects.
Dropbox is similar in concept to Evernote, but is focused more on the cloud-sharing aspect. You can share files from anywhere and also with anyone – so if you need to share documents with your group-project members, this is the product to use.
HopStop. iPhone: Yes. Android: Yes. Useful for travel on any form of public transportation.
HopStop is a necessity for students located in or near a city. It’s especially helpful for those who aren’t familiar with city life and need a little extra help getting to and from interviews, internships and other commitments. Other useful travel-related apps are Google Maps, NYC Map, Waze and Gasbuddy (for those looking for the cheapest gas in the shortest distance).
StudyBlue. iPhone: Yes. Android: Yes. Useful for flashcards, studying on the go.
StudyBlue is the perfect app for students who think they are too cool for school. If you don’t want anyone to catch you studying extra hard for that super-easy final, make flashcards on StudyBlue. Everyone will just think you’re texting your friend on the way to class, not cramming last-minute notes. It’s also not as messy as actual flashcards. (Flashcards+ also is a good substitute app.)
Pulse. iPhone: Yes. Android: Yes. Useful for gathering news from many different outlets.
Pulse is a news-collecting app that allows its users to create sections of news publications such as entertainment, business, technology, gaming, art, food, lifestyle, sports and others. The app displays headlines from the user’s selected publications, grouping them all together and giving the best collection of news from each topic. It’s a super-cool app with a wide variety of publications listed, and is definitely worthwhile for both news buffs and those trying to keep up with the basics.
Readability. iPhone: Yes. Android: Yes. Useful for reading those articles you didn’t have time for.
Readability is great for those times when a headline looks interesting, but you simply don’t have time to read the entire piece. This app allows you to send any article, story or webpage to an application on your phone to read later on. There’s no excuse to pass up that funny Buzzfeed list.
You also can check if your school’s student newspaper has its own app. Many schools have their own apps, with features such as dining-hall menus and upcoming events. There isn’t a better way to keep up with what’s happening on campus.
Emily Maas is a senior at Rutgers University. © 2013 USA TODAY. All rights reserved.
