Need help focusing on your studies or navigating living in a share house? There’s plenty of apps out there designed for students – here are our faves.
Gone are the days when parents would tell you to get off your phone so that you could concentrate on your studies. Now, you can use your phone for the purpose of study and concentration, with plenty of free apps available to download to your phone designed to promote study, productivity, organisation and even mental wellbeing or financial management if that would be beneficial to you. We’ve picked the ten best apps for students that are in market at the moment:
Exam Countdown – the best app in the run up to exams
Exams are stressful enough – take the edge off with an app that does exactly what it says on the tin- counts down the days, hours and minutes until your next exam which should help you organise your revision time…and avoid any ‘I didn’t realise there was an exam on today’ excuses to your tutors.
SelfControl – the best app for studying
We’re all guilty of it – spending ten minutes on something productive and then rewarding ourselves with twenty minutes on Instagram or Facebook or googling something totally random.
So SelfControl – another one that does exactly what it says on the tin – blocks us from going onto our favourite sites for a certain period of time, when you submit a blacklist.
Focus Keeper – the best app for focusing (duh!)
Keeping yourself off Facebook and Instagram is one thing, but actually focusing on your studies is another thing. Focus Keeper uses the Pomodoro method- breaking your study time into manageable chunks which maximises concentration.
Focus Keeper will let you set goals for yourself and track your progression.
Wunderlist…the best app for organisation
Wunderlist is a handy app you can share with others that basically makes group assignments a whole heap easier. Tick off as you go, whether it’s something you’re doing as a group or single assignment. And this list app doesn’t just have to be for studying either: use it for grocery lists, exam prep or life admin reminders.
Google Drive – the best app for storing your files
All those different files and folder you have to take account of during uni can be a bit overwhelming. With 15GB of free online storage, you can access, save and share your files, photos and folders with others – via any smartphone, tablet or computer.
OurHome – the best app for living in a share house
OK, living away from home and finally having the freedom to live however you want is pretty cool, especially when you’re living with your mates. But sometimes living with new people, however awesome they are, can be a little bit tricky – in particular when you need to delegate chores. OurHome removes any awkwardness by letting you all assign and schedule chores or any odd jobs that need doing around the house, including grocery lists. It also has a chat function so that you can catch up with each other about non-boring chore stuff throughout the day.
Paprika – the best app for meal prepping
When you’ve had a busy day, the last thing you want to think about is cooking dinner or doing a food shop. Luckily, Paprika makes food prep that much easier. You can plan out your weekly meals with the calendar and keep shopping lists, nutritional info and your own recipes all stored within the app. Plus it gives you access to heaps of different recipes from across the web, so gone are the days where you’ll be living on the same boring dishes day after day.
f.lux – the best app for managing sleep
It’s no secret that playing on our phones late into the night causes havoc with our sleep patterns – the blue light from devices can delay sleep for around an hour.
F.lux manages this by changing the screen on your computer to a warm hue rather than blue, which helps you use your devices without interrupting that all-important sleep.
PS. F.lux can only be used on computers or iPhones- an alternative for Android users is the app Twilight.
The Happiest Hour – the best app for your social life
OK you’ve studied hard all week, you’ve done your weekly shop and you’ve caught up on sleep…now for the fun stuff! The Happiest Hour is the one of the best apps for students to help you find local happy hour deals , including food deals and trivia nights – so whatever night of the week, and however tight your budget is, there’s no excuse to not let off some steam and discover the city you’re in with your mates.
Calm – the best app for unwinding
The stresses of everyday are enough to stress the best of us out. Some people encourage yoga or meditation classes, but if that’s not for you then you can try some private meditation in the privacy of your room…or on the bus…or whilst walking home…the list of places you can meditate using Calm is endless! Be it talking you through different breathing techniques, chants or peaceful scenarios, Calm is recommended by mental health experts as a great way to de-stress.
Lost on Campus – the best app for helping you find your way around campus
With over 42 campuses connected to this app, you’ll be able to navigate your way around no problem! Lost on Campus is a nifty app that will help you find your classroom and essential facilities on campus. But beyond that, it also offers a platform to buy text books, receive alerts when a book you’re waiting for comes in, and even make money by selling your own.
