College can be very stressful—especially if you’re on your own for the first time. There’s suddenly so much you have to figure out that you never had to worry about before. But you can make things much easier on yourself with the help of your smartphone and a few app downloads.
Here are 10 of the best apps out there for navigating your college experience with confidence.
1. Amazon Mobile
Maybe you don’t have a car. Or maybe your college town might not be the shopping mecca you envisioned. Or, let’s be honest, maybe you’re just lazy. Bottom line: you food, supplies, books, and toiletries—and you need it all delivered to your door. The Amazon app is free and lets you browse for and buy just about anything you could need. Bonus points if you sign up for Prime Student and get free two-day shipping and other perks.
2. Mint
Learn how to manage your money like the grownup you’ve become. Mint is a free app that lets you view all of your finances and bank accounts in one easy place. Separate by category to see where your cash is going, and use that knowledge to create a budget that works for your life.
3. iHomework 2
You have papers, readings, and tests coming at you from every direction, with no parent breathing down your back to get things done. Keep track of all of your assignments, exam schedules, and coursework with this app, which helps you map out everything school-related. You can even set yourself notification alarms for upcoming deadlines.
4. Google Drive
Never get stuck away from your main desk without your files again. Take notes in class, then access your notes from another computer at anytime. Write your paper at home, and then pull it up on your friend’s laptop. Never worry about not having everything you need handy and stored in the Cloud again. Google Drive free and sign-up is automatic if you use your Gmail account.
5. Todoist
Need a good to-do list app that isn’t too overwhelming and just lists all your tasks in one handy place? Track everything going on in your life, school-related and beyond—even doctor’s appointments or bills you need to pay. Why write your tasks on a board in your room when you can carry it in your pocket to reference all day?
6. Dropbox
Here’s another app that will ensure you never are more than a click away from important documents. Save things in Dropbox, and they’re accessible from any device—even your phone. Don’t lose important data or documents again.
7. Feedly
Overwhelmed by all the news you’re getting from multiple sources and apps? Use Feedly to aggregate the publications, blogs, YouTube channels, and other sites you follow, so you can see at a glance what’s new and keep up with news and updates from your favorite sites.
8. EasyBib
No idea how to format your works cited list? Never fear. EasyBib will give you the right citation for whatever book you’re quoting from and it will tailor it for whatever citation style you need.
