Every few months, it seems about time to organize my phone, beautify my home screen and change up my background. Along with this change of pace, I set out to find apps that are more useful than what’s sitting untouched behind my screen. By the next clear-out, a lot of what was previously downloaded ends up not getting used. However, there are a bunch of apps that stuck around for me, and I think all college students should download them if they haven’t already. These school apps seriously help make getting stuff done in college more enjoyable, so they’re worth a download! So, without further ado, open up your app store in the next tab and get ready to simplify your college life.

Notion

Notion does the job of so many other apps rolled into one. If you need a serious boost in organization, then Notion is the app for you. Its several functions allow you to make to-do lists, create calendars, checklists, take notes, journal, make budgets, etc. This app is an organizational powerhouse and is available as a mobile app AND online, so it is great for transferring important organizational stuff to where it’s most convenient.

Transit

Similar to notion incorporating several organizational aspects into one app, the Transit app combines functions of other transportation apps into one. The main function of this app is to keep track of local bus routes. It’s extra convenient because if you select a route you’re wanting to ride on, the app will even send you push notifications when you should be leaving your house in order to get there on time! Additionally, the Transit app can also help you order an Uber and depending on where you live, help you discover many more ways to get around all in one space.

Audible

Whether you’re trying to squeeze some pleasure reading into your busy college life, or you’re trying to catch up on some assigned reading, Audible is the biggest lifesaver. Instead of taking time to sit down and read it yourself, you can listen to books on the fly and be twice as productive with your time. I like to use Audible for my assigned readings while also getting chores done around the house. This app has really helped reduce my stress levels by opening up my time and I also feel like I have an easier time paying attention to books this way as opposed to sitting down to read, as I easily get distracted.

Amelia Timer

Staying on track can be difficult, but setting timers for yourself can make a world of difference when trying to get some serious work done. Whether your task involves studying for a test or cleaning up around the house, you can set a timer using Amelia Timer to allot time to that task and then also allow time for breaks. On top of being useful for time management, Amelia Timer is also such a visually pleasing timer! Enjoy staying on top of your tasks with this one!

LitCharts

This app changed the game for me when I discovered it in high school. We all know and love SparkNotes for it’s summarizing powers but sometimes it just won’t cut it. Well, LitCharts was made by the creators of SparkNotes and is advertised as something even better than the original site. LitCharts offers summaries AND in-depth analysis of texts that are common in-classroom. And when I say in-depth, I mean in-depth. There are tools that track the use of symbols and themes throughout books, several background pages to learn more about the characters and context of a book, and the summary pages are broken down by chapter or section so you can really get the gist of what’s going on in your book. While reading a book is always preferable, LitCharts makes it so that you don’t feel completely lost in class if you didn’t have time to do the reading. It also can be really helpful to refresh your memory on certain parts of a story or even help with understanding something that wasn’t all that clear to you. It’s seriously a godsend, take it from an English major.

Grammarly

If you haven’t heard of this magic extension and app, you’ve probably been living under a rock. Grammarly is such a helpful tool for elevating your writing skills and acting as a proofreader for everything you type. Whether it’s on an essay, email to your teacher or text message for a group project, Grammarly not only helps you assess your grammar and spelling, it also helps you figure out your tone, and help you find replacements for words that might not be the best fit.

Dictionary.com

Don’t know a word in your reading for homework, instead of just skipping over it, it can take two seconds to get the gist of the word using Dictionary.com’s app. On top of this obvious function, I love using Dictionary.com as a widget on my home screen to see the word of the day each day. It can be a fun way to learn a new word and maybe even remind yourself to try and use it at some point.

Venmo

This one is also pretty obvious, but if you don’t have a Venmo you’re doing college wrong. Needing to send your friends or roommates money is inevitable. In college, you pay rent, eat out, split groceries, etc., and keeping a running total for cash can be SUPER difficult. Using Venmo makes everything SO much easier. I also love using Venmo’s debit card as a college hack for budgeting. The debit card offered by Venmo only pulls money from your Venmo balance, so you can keep a tighter restriction of your spending through there.

Spotify

Music is a must-have for late-night study sessions, pretty walks around campus, and nearly every moment of free time in college. In my opinion, getting that student-discounted Spotify premium account is WAY worth it. There’s no bigger buzzkill than listening to ads when you’re trying to jam out.

Quizlet

If you’ve studied for your fair share of tests, you’ve probably been introduced to Quizlet at some point. Not only is this app useful for studying stacks people made for tests similar to what you will be taking, but it also is a great way to move your notecards digital. In your moments of free time, you can easily whip out your phone and sift through flashcards for your next test. It almost makes studying feel like a game – almost.

Bumble

Maybe you’re looking for a new boo, maybe you’re looking for new friends, maybe you’re even looking for a job. Bumble can help out with all of the above. While it’s known as a dating app, and can surely serve its purpose as one, I think Bumble is unique because it allows people to use a different mode within the app to look for friendships and even employment opportunities. The friend side of Bumble can be especially useful to college students. It can be hard to find your people, using Bumble, you can explore people looking for friends who share your interests and values! Bumble not for you, check out other dating apps in this article.

Amazon

A lot of people will already have Amazon downloaded and ready-to-go, but if you don’t, maybe consider the download. It can be hard to make it out to the store to find just what you need, especially in college, and especially if you don’t have a car. This is where that doorstep (or mailbox) delivery comes in so handy. Amazon is also a great place to rent out textbooks at a cheaper price than your campus bookstore might offer. Also, Amazon prime is offered at a discount to college students, so that two-day delivery can be a serious win!

Photomath

If math isn’t your strong suit, Photomath might just save your life like it did mine. As an English major fulfilling her math requirements, I STRUGGLED understanding concepts and getting homework done in under three hours on my own. Some things simply would not click for me. Photomath made that easier. All you have to do is snap a pic of your math problem and Photomath will not only help you solve the problem, it gives step-by-step instructions of how the problem was solved so you can better understand what the heck is going on. If you need more math help, a Fraction Calculator app can help you save a ton of time, so you’re not converting back and forth all night.

Days

Keeping track of important days can be hard and planners can’t really count down the days for you. Maybe it’s counting down to something exciting like your graduation, but you can also use Days to help you count down to friends’ birthdays, events, or anything else you might want a heads up for so you can prepare. Days lets you know how long you have to find a present or buy a dress and does so in a sleek, pretty-to look at way.

Template

Throughout my college career, I’ve found that I’ve been using social media more than I anticipated. I’ve needed to promote projects, events, and share my work online. The template app makes it easier to throw a picture (or a few) into a frame or layout for a story, post, or whatever. This app helps everything stay looking stylish and neat, but still gives you an easy way to organize posts and stories.

What college and school apps are you going to download? What are your favorite helpful apps for college?

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