It’s started: back-to-school advertisements, ordering textbooks and saying bye to friends at home. But before packing your bags and loading up the car, download these smart, free (mostly) apps – you’ll be set for a fantastic, full year of college life.
1. Flashcards+ [Free]
Flashcards+ is a cool way to record all of your notes from lectures onto digital flashcards, letting you study and review notes whenever you need (imagine elliptical study sessions). Here’s a bonus: Flashcards+ also gives you access to (literally) millions of pre-made decks.
2. MobiQpons [Free]
From the cheapest beer to PB&J for dinner, we’re always looking for ways to cut costs. But cutting coupons is last on our to-do list. Right on your phone, MobiQpons finds deals for retailiers within ten miles of you. The coupon is back.
3. BIGWORDS [Free]
School time means the annoying process of ordering, renting or selling textbooks, and it means, even more annoyingly, huge costs. BIGWORDS makes the whole ordeal way easier (cheaper) with a simple search option and slashed prices. Some users have reported savings of about $1000. Not too shabby if you ask CM.
4. DrinkOwl [Free]
The one, the only Happy Hour is oftentimes the single best hour of all our hours. DrinkOwl has a simple mission: make that hour even happier by hooking you up with the cheapest drinks in your locale. Yeah, it’s awesome.
5. HowStuffWorks [Free]
HowStuffWorks (by the Discovery Company) has fantastic articles, podcasts and videos on basically any topic you’re interested in. If some good ol’ fashioned info doesn’t float your boat, its games and quizzes are guaranteed to remind you during in between classes that learning actually can be a ton of fun.
6. SCOUTMOB [Free]
There to help us budget-crazed college students find local deals and events is SCOUTMOB. Julia Melvin, a graduate of Columbia University, says, “If you spend more than $20 any day Sunday-Thursday, it’s great.” SCOUTMOB adapts its suggestions to your previous likes, sort of how Facebook does, which makes finding what you want a cinch.
7. Formul8 ($.99 … Boooo)
Formul8 could replace your nerdy best friend this semester. The most popular and commonly used formulas for calc, chemistry and physics are easily accesible, though, sadly, your nerdy best friend’s quirky sense of humor is not included.
8. Virt U: The Virtual University [Free]
After watching hours of netflix and My Drunk Kitchen Videos on Youtube, a little intellectual stimulation goes a long way. Virt U, with its wide selection of grad and undergrad lectures from MIT, Harvard, Stanford and Berkeley (all of which are easily found with a flexible search option), is a lot of stimulation; post-video-binge it feels oh-so-good.
9. Trello [Free]
Trello can be a lifesaver for those with a million things to do (all of us), and nothing other than sticky notes, or a planner (which you’re probably going to lose) to write them down on. Here’s how it works: similarly to pinterest, you can create any number of types of boards – one for a to-do list, one or for organizing photos – and then share them with your friends and classmates. Or, you can just keep them to yourself.
10. Evernote [Free]
With Evernote, a hugely popular app right now, you can record voice memos, share files, make to-do lists and sync your notes from the app to your computer. Jess Wells, a Junior at Adelphi University, is a big fan of Evernote: “I use Evernote on my phone and my iPad. I love it, it comes in handy when pulling up attachments or papers on my phone from emails.” It’s streamlined, and, truly, a do-it-all app.
