Six Apps Every College Student Needs

By Hannah Brown
Web Content Contributor

With the new year and spring semester underway, our minds are filled with everything from getting ahead on our New Year’s resolutions, to finding a date by Valentine’s Day, to “When is the course drop deadline again?”

The last things we want to think about are impending exams and due dates. Didn’t they say college was supposed to be fun? Take a look at these six apps that can increase your productivity, mood and energy this semester.

Flora

Do you find yourself easily distracted by your phone when you should be studying? Flora is a free productivity app focused on habit tracking and task completion through positive reinforcement. Flora lets you plant seeds and grow trees by staying off your device. Use the built-in focus sessions and break times to build your garden starting today.

Reviewers reported increased motivation, a decrease in habitual procrastination and additional flexibility when compared to similar apps. Users can also compete with their friends and even opt-in to plant actual trees in Africa and East Asia at an additional cost.

Word Hippo

Word Hippo is a valuable tool that is a great addition to anyone’s library, whether you need to write an essay for class or a discussion post. Think of this app as a dictionary, thesaurus and search engine all in one. Whether you are recycling other students’ responses or are just trying to sound smarter using a bigger word – we’ve all been there.

I find this app to be extensively thorough and user-friendly with many options to find that perfect word or phrase all in one place.

Daylio Journal

For some, bullet journaling has become an everyday ritual. For the past few years, moleskins, midliner highlighters, washi tape and calligraphy traveled the internet and created an addictive way for a new generation to track and boost their productivity. Unfortunately, not all of us can be that creative, which is where Daylio Journal comes in.

This fully customizable self-care bullet journal keeps track of your mood and activities. Was one of your resolutions to be more active? Eat more balanced foods? Get more sleep? You can keep track of all of that here. Use it consistently and see your month or year in review.

Day One Journal: Private Diary

Do you want the benefits of a journal without the stress of adding to it every day? Day One is a free journal created with this in mind. Whether you choose to write every day using their daily writing prompts or just record your important life events, Day One has the ability to appeal to everyone.

What sets this app apart from others is the ability to upload photos and videos along with text entries as well as see your year highlights. Pair this privacy-protected journal to all of your devices to have memories that will last you a lifetime.

MinimaList – To-Do List & Widget

If you are like me, you have come to appreciate the aesthetic that is minimalism. With its neutral palette and simple design, MinimaList is designed for keeping all your to-do lists, reminders and checklists in one place. Pair it to all your devices and create wallpapers and home screen widgets so that you will never forget anything again.

Alarmy

As most college students can attest, there is nothing tougher than waking up for an early class, or any class for that matter. And while it seems to have little consequence in the moment, skipping class can take a toll on grades. Because let’s be honest, who has the discipline to just skip one class? Waking up and staying up is the hard part, so make sure you have coffee on hand and download Alarmy.

Alarmy is a definite way to ensure that you won’t ever wake up late again. This free alarm clock app wakes your brain and body up by ringing until you complete your set challenges. Everything from solving math problems and memory games to missions that force you to get out of bed. I tried this app out for a few days and can promise that although effective, it is as annoying as it sounds.

Make your college experience better by downloading any of these apps to jumpstart your journey to productivity, organization and self-care.

Featured Image by Hannah Brown