Being a college student is hard. You have to worry about classes, your living situation, whether you need to work, making friends, and so much more. It’s a lot, and it can be overwhelming. Luckily there are a number of different tools to help you successfully navigate your college career. Here are a few apps to keep you on top of everything from class to cash.
Perlego and Campus Books
Even though technology is everywhere, you may end up in a course that requires hard copy textbooks. These textbooks can cost hundreds of dollars — and they’re heavy! This is where Perlego and Campus Books can help. With Perlego, you have access to more than 500,000 textbooks, so there’s a good chance you’ll find at least one of the books you need on the app. Perlego also allows you to read the textbooks both on- and offline. If your textbooks can’t be found in Perlego, don’t despair — Campus Books can help. With Campus Books you can comparison shop for the cheapest version of the books and even identify libraries that lend them for free. The app also tells you if it makes more sense to buy or rent the books. Between the two apps there’s a good chance you can get all the books you need without paying the hefty bookstore price!
Evernote
Once you’re in class you’ll be taking plenty of notes — that’s where Evernote comes in. A free app for Android, IOS, and Windows devices, Evernote allows you to use your phone’s camera to scan and upload a digital copy of your handwritten notes; add a wide variety of media, including sketches and photos; and sync everything in the app across your devices. With Evernote, you’ll never have to worry about losing your notes, or not having them handy when you need them.
TurboScan
In addition to your own notes, there’ll be tons of printouts for and from class. TurboScan allows you to scan these documents into high-quality PDFs and JPEGs. You can store, search, print, and even share documents through the app. This app is a great way to cut down on paper and keep larger documents in one easily accessible place.
EasyBib and RefMe
If you haven’t already, you’re going to be writing a lot of papers during your college career. The last thing you want to do after writing a long paper is figure out how to correctly cite your sources. Thanks to EasyBib, you don’t have to think about it. EasyBib will generate citations in MLA style for free. If you need a different citation style, you can still use EasyBib. By upgrading to the premium version, you can access all the citation styles. The free app RefMe also creates citations, but uses your phone’s camera to scan a book’s barcode. Once you scan the barcode, you choose the source and the citation format you want, and you’re good to go.
Venmo and Mint
Apps can help you control your cash. By linking your bank account to Venmo, you can make and receive payments — like easily pay your roommate back for the pizza you shared. No matter how you are funding college expenses, you still need to ensure you’re spending money wisely. With Mint, you can manage your money by making a budget. The app also allows you to check your credit score.
Consider your specific needs to figure out which apps will be the most helpful to you. Whether you use one app or 10, apps can give you peace of mind, streamline your work process, help you learn new skills — and make the most of your college experience.
On Topic
Danielle Boyer, Ojibwe, is a young robotics inventor, author, activist, and advocate for youth who has been teaching kids since she was 10. Armed with a desire to make the technical space an equitable one, she created The STEAM Connection, a nonprofit that has helped her reach hundreds of thousands of children worldwide. Through her nonprofit Boyer creates innovative learning solutions utilizing robots that she invents and gives to kids for free to make technical education accessible. Boyer was featured in the spring issue of Winds of Change. You can learn more about her and her work here.
What are the top three must-have apps on your phone and how do you get the most out of them?
1. Instagram: Rethinking Its Use
Instagram is best known for its photos and reels, but it is an underrated networking and career development app. I am constantly messaging STEM professionals to ask questions and am reading guides to learn more about everything from aerospace engineering to robot design. Instagram has enabled me to find amazing mentors, join impactful fellowships, and meet now lifelong STEM friends.
2. MindMeister: Visual and Virtual Thinking
I have used so much paper while scrambling through ideas, inventions, and assignments, only to struggle reading my own handwriting. Finding MindMeister has helped me create mind maps to visualize ideas virtually with the addition of media, emojis, and more. I’m currently using it to conceptualize a pitch.
3. Electrodoc Pro: Electronics Pocket Reference
Whether you’re an electrical engineering student, STEM educator, or are simply curious about electronics, Electrodoc is the perfect database for all things electronic tools and references. It is a great household aid in everything from trailer to Apple connectors. As I’ve been learning how to better design robots, this app has really helped me become a more confident designer and future engineer.
