University life can be pretty hectic. With jam-packed syllabuses, reems of lecture notes, dreaded deadlines, and a social life to manage, sometimes we just need a little helping hand to keep on top of things. These apps for students will make university life easier so you can concentrate on enjoying the experience.
Our smartphones give us access to a plethora of useful apps. There are over 7 million apps out there, so we’ve trawled the app stores to put together a list of the most useful apps for university students. Not only will the following apps make your university life easier and more productive, but they’ll also set you up with a solid foundation for life in the working world after you graduate.
From productivity and organisation to study and research, as well as communication and collaboration, these apps are here to help you succeed academically and streamline your daily routines.
Productivity and Organisation Apps
When it comes to staying organised, managing time effectively, and boosting productivity, the right apps can make a world of difference. Here are some essential productivity and organisation apps for students:
Note-taking apps
One of the most important tasks for any student is taking notes during lectures or study sessions. Apps like Evernote and OneNote offer seamless note-taking experiences, allowing you to sync your notes across devices, organise them efficiently, and quickly search for specific information when you need it. Need to take a photo of the whiteboard after a lesson? Try using Google Lens instead of your phone’s camera. Among many other cool features, Google Lens allows you to search the content of the image as if it were text. It can also copy any handwritten text from an image and paste it as normal text in your notes app. Pretty handy, right?
Task management apps
Keeping track of assignments, projects, and deadlines can be overwhelming. With task management apps like Todoist or Monday, you can create to-do lists, set reminders, and track your progress on various tasks. They provide a visual overview of your workload, helping you stay on top of your all-important university deadlines.
Calendar apps
Managing your schedule is crucial for balancing classes, exams, extracurricular activities, and even your personal life. Calendar apps such as Google Calendar or Apple Calendar enable you to schedule and organise your classes, assignments, and events all in one place. With syncing capabilities, you can access your schedule across multiple devices, ensuring you never miss an important deadline (or a student night out!).
Study timer apps
Staying focused and managing your study sessions efficiently is key to academic success. It’s so easy to get distracted when studying, but there are some great apps to help you stay focused and avoid procrastination. Apps like Forest or Focus@Will help you stay on task by providing timers and techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, which involve timed study intervals and breaks. Both apps can significantly boost your productivity and prevent distractions.
Study and Research Apps
To excel academically, students need apps that facilitate studying, research, and overall learning. Here are some essential study and research apps:
Reference management apps
When conducting research or writing academic papers, reference management apps like RefME, Zotero or Mendeley can be invaluable. These apps help you organise your research materials, generate citations, and create bibliographies effortlessly. They streamline the process of managing references, saving you enormous amounts of time and ensuring that your citations are accurate.
Flashcard apps
Flashcards are an effective study tool for memorising key concepts and terms. Apps like StudyBlue, Quizlet or Anki allow you to create digital flashcards that you can review anytime, anywhere. With features like spaced repetition, these apps are designed to optimise your learning process by presenting flashcards at strategic intervals to reinforce your memory.
Language learning apps
Are you studying a language at university? Or perhaps you’re interested in expanding your language skills. Language learning apps like Duolingo or Memrise offer interactive lessons, quizzes, and exercises for a whole range of languages. With their gamified approach, both apps make language learning engaging and fun, allowing you to brush up on your language skills on the go.
E-book and textbook apps
Lugging heavy textbooks around campus can be cumbersome. E-book and textbook apps like Bookshelf, Kindle or iBooks provide a vast library of e-books and textbooks that you can access on your smartphone or tablet. These textbook apps offer digital-first features like adjustable font sizes, highlighting, and search functionality. This makes your reading experience more convenient and efficient.
Communication and Collaboration Apps
University gives us the opportunity to work on some invaluable soft skills in a more controlled environment. Skills like teamwork, communication, and leadership are important not just in university, but also throughout your professional career. The following apps facilitate seamless communication and collaboration among students so you can ace that group project:
Group messaging apps
For organising study groups, discussing assignments, or staying connected with classmates, group messaging apps like WhatsApp or Slack are indispensable. You can create group chats, share files, and exchange ideas, making collaboration effortless and encouraging teamwork.
Video conferencing apps
With so many of us practising remote learning, video conferencing apps play a crucial role in attending virtual lectures, participating in online meetings, and collaborating with peers. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here. Apps like Zoom or Microsoft Teams offer features such as screen sharing, breakout rooms, and chat functions, meaning you can communicate and collaborate with your teammates no matter where you are in the world.
File-sharing apps
Collaborating on documents, presentations, and study materials is made easy with file-sharing apps like Google Drive or Dropbox. These apps allow you to store, access, and share files with your classmates or project team members. With real-time collaboration features, you can work on documents together, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.
Project management apps
When working on group projects, project management apps such as Asana or Trello can be a game-changer. Organise tasks, assign responsibilities, and track progress in an instant. With features like deadlines, checklists, and notifications, project management apps keep everyone accountable and ensure smooth collaboration.
In Conclusion
University life can be chaotic enough, so why not take advantage of the free tools that exist to simplify things? The apps outlined in this blog can be your best companions throughout university life and beyond. Take the time to try them out and find the ones that best suit your needs and preferences.
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