12 Must-Have Apps for Every College Student

School is starting up again soon, and I’m already excited for it! I know it’s strange, but I absolutely love school. I love going to class, writing exams, researching, everything. A lot of that, though, is because I’ve found ways to make studying and student life easier and less stressful than they normally are.

A bit part of making life go smoothly is utilizing the tools available. I personally don’t like bringing my laptop to school unless it’s exam season, although I was getting into the online courses my very first year so I'm starting to feel better about bring my laptop. Since then, I’ve completely customized it to be my own super-school-tablet filled with amazing college apps, and I use it every day to take notes, write assignments, and make sure that I’m staying healthy! All things that are important in student life!

So here are the college apps that I personally love, and what have worked to keep me organized and good to go!

12 Must-Have Apps for Every College Student:

Istudiez Pro- This is my planner, it keeps track of my courses, homework, quizzes, exams, teachers, and etc. Are you having trouble remembering the deadlines of your projects or when your next test or quiz is? Sticking to deadlines is a problem that most college students face and seemingly can’t comply with. This app will allow you to input all your important activities in its calendar so that you will not miss another important deadline again.

Clear- How many to-do lists do you have in college? One for essays, another one for exams, the third one for parties… So, why not synchronize them all in order to get access from anywhere? Choose Clear for this goal, an application which syncs all your to-do lists with other devices and makes it easier for you to open them wherever you can find Internet access.

Chegg- We all know that a new semester means new textbooks. But don’t jump the gun and start purchasing all your books from the school bookstore – unless of course you want to throw tons of money down the drain. Instead, download the Chegg app which lets you search and rent any available textbooks…for much cheaper than actually buying the book! Plus, when you’re done with the book, you can put it back up on Chegg and rent it out to another lucky student.

Evernote- This app goes well with Clear and iStudiez Pro. In this app you can make a checklist, add reminders, take snapshots of notes written on classroom boards, or create a notebook directly on your phone. This app also has a market store that sells great school supplies!

Pandora- I love this app a lot, I'm always listening to music no matter what I'm doing. I love being able to listen to music close or related to a certain artist. If I studying for an exam or a final my go-to is classical music ( either like bach, mozart, etc). 

Groupon- Since college is expensive, and doing fun things usually requires spending some money, this app is a great way to save money. It offers hundreds of coupons. If you want to do an activity with friends, but can’t quite decide what to do, you can check this app and see if there are any great deals at places that sound fun. I had a friend who used a Groupon to get fondue with friends. I can’t have fondue, but it’s still awesome, and there are even better deals!

MyFitnessPal- Dining Hall food is fattening. There is a reason the freshmen 15 exists. There is also the fact that more people start drinking more or start eating more than usual because there are entire sections of the dining hall dedicated to cake, donuts, etc. There is also an increase in soda and coffee consumption because of the need for caffeine. All of these things may taste awesome, but are also pretty unhealthy. When I entered college, I desperately wanted to avoid the 15. I had two plans, first, I planned to lose 15 pants prior to starting college so that if I gained 15 pounds I would be my normal size. Or, second, I would simply watch what I ate, and work out more frequently. The second plan was the route I took. This app will help you monitor calories, workouts and the calories burned, and ensure that you’re body is remaining healthy.

Nike Training Club- Working out relieves all the stress that college puts you under. With the combined chaos of classes, homework, clubs, activities, etc; it can often be hard to find time to make it to the gym (unless you are an organized person who follows her schedule to the dot…). Nike Training Club offers equipment-less exercises and timed circuits that you can do right in your dorm room, no gym required. Sorry to break it to you, but now you’ve got NO excuses to not get your butt into gear.

Cram- Note cards are many people’s preferred way to study, but they’re also hard to keep track of. Cram is just the solution; allowing you to create your own custom flashcard decks or even searching for pre-created decks on your topic of study.

Easybib- Have you found yourself swamped with countless essays to write this semester? While there’s not an app to write the papers for you (at least not yet), there is one to automatically generate citations. EasyBib takes a picture of the ISBN/Barcode of the book and inputs the citation in MLA, APA or Chicago to your phone. You can then email the citations to yourself! No more losing easy points on papers because of citations.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary- It definitely doesn’t hurt to have a dictionary conveniently tucked away in your back pocket (or purse…or backpack – wherever you keep your phone). When you’re reviewing a lecture or reading a text book and you stumble across a word you don’t understand, just take out your phone and look it up. This is great for improving your vocabulary.

In Moment- This is a productivity app to help you stay focused in class and on school work. It helps you reduce your time in and on Social Media by 45% during your first week using this app. You are able to set limits and block Social Media, it rewires your digital habits by setting daily limits for Social Media usage, and blocks access when you're over the limit. You also get charts with time spent in all most popular Social Media.

These apps are my go-to ones, and they have made my college experience that much smoother! I hope they help you, too!

WHICH APPS WOULD YOU ADD? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS AND I MAY ADD THEM!

Your Guide to Surviving Finals Week

I hate to break it to you, but finals are coming. *starts freaking out*

Okay, now let’s take a deep breath, because I got you covered! I have been through five semesters of finals, so I know how it feels to be overwhelmed. I thought I would gather all of my knowledge and experience and prepare this finals survival guide.

Now, you don’t only want to get through your finals but to ace them! And this guide will help you do just that!

STUDY

Now I bet I can tell what you're thinking, "Obviously, I have to study. It's finals!" Trust me, I know that feeling. But before you get your textbooks out, you need to ask yourself a few questions so you can study smarter and save time! What type of exam am I studying for? Is it more about comprehension or do you need to learn things by heart? Is the exam recapitulative (meaning it’s going to cover the entire semester) or is it only covering the classes you’ve had after your midterms?

PLAN AHEAD

Surely, by now, you’ve found out that the best way to prepare (or to survive college at all, for that matter) is to plan ahead! Make a study schedule and stick to it. Block out hours dedicated to studying and nothing else!I do mine by week. I write assignments and when my finals are down. Then plan out my week by hour, I break it down to prioritize the important things that need to be down first, then add in everything else.
Basically, do what works for you! But don’t forget to use your planner and stick to what you have planned!

PRIORITIZE

That kind of goes with the whole planning thing. Sometimes it can all seem a little too much. Between college, extracurriculars, work, and friends, you don’t know where to put your energy. It can all be a little overwhelming. Make sure you write down what you need to-do and by when if that will help. Make sure it has everything on the list and just homework, write in activities and the times you go to them. PRIORITIZE your list! Don’t be afraid to say no if you think you can’t handle it. Your classes should always stay a priority, even if that means taking fewer hours at work or canceling a few appointments. Don’t forget to think about your health first!

SLEEP

In order to stay on top of your game, you need to get some sleep! Try to get into a regular sleeping cycle, and not only the day before your finals! Sleeping is important when you’re preparing too. Give your mind and body a break, they’ll be thankful!

EAT HEALTHY

I have to admit that this is my weakness. My body is always craving junk food, but even more when I’m under stress. However, feeding your body with healthy food will give you enough energy to give the best performance you can!
Basically, make sure you’re getting enough of everything, that you have a balanced diet. However, don’t go overboard!

How to Be More Productive

Productivity is one the things I struggle most with. Especially around finals, I can’t seem to find proper motivation! And even once I find it, I can seem to get anything done. I sit at my desk with the best intentions, and before I know it, a 10-minute study break turns into an hour of reblogging stuff on Twitter. Needless to say that I don’t get anything done while doing that.

So I decided to share with you a few tips that help me to be more productive. Hopefully they will help you too!

GET DRESSED

We all love to stay in our pajamas all day, every day. I can never get anything done when in my pajamas. It's like a lazy day, I don't want to do anything. Pyjamas are for reading or watching Netflix. Instead, put on some pants and a shirt (it can be an oversized sweater) and get to work! You’ll feel much better, trust me!

WORK AT A DESK

Are you doing your work on your bed? Get rid of that habit! Beds are for sleeping or chilling. You won’t get anything done (or not nearly as much as you could) if you’re doing your work on your bed. I don't do my work at a desk, I find I am more productive at the kitchen table. Do what is best for you to be the most productive at study time.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

I think that’s a given. You’re probably thinking “Duh! Of course I need to stay away from distractions!”. But are you actually doing anything to really stay away from them? Your phone and laptop are probably going to be the things that are most likely to keep you away from really being productive. These things take up most of the time we could be productive. This is one of my flaws, I don't always study. I used to think I had all the time in the world.

WORK AT A CLEAN PLACE

Remember that desk I mentioned earlier? Keep it clean! Make sure you only have the necessary things out and remove the clutter. I always feel so much better and can study better because my space is clean and organized.

SCHEDULE EVERYTHING

If you think your assignment will take more time than what you’ve scheduled, break it down into smaller tasks! Write everything down, this will help you in the long run. Studying and just getting homework done for the night or week can help so much, especially with stress.

DON’T TRY TO MULTITASK

Just don’t. I realize we think we can get more things done, but you're not giving 100%. It’s much better to stay focused on one thing at a time and do it to the best of your abilities rather than do more than one things at once. Sure, you might get more things done, but is it the best you could have done?

What are your productivity tips? Do you see anything in that list you want to try out?

How to Write an Amazing College Paper

Doing any kind of assignment is hard. At least for me, I am a procrastinator. I also don't like doing essays because I never know when or how to start the introduction.

Once, I get started it is easy to finish. I have already written two papers out of 4 for my drama class. I would assume for my second English class I will be doing more. Here are my tips and advice when writing a college paper.

If you’re an incoming freshmen who has yet to experience writing a college paper yet, just you wait, you’ll become familiar with them very quickly.

In either case, nobody really wants to write them and everyone is looking for ways to make it as easy as possible. How I write my college papers from start to finish (my advice to you).

1. Pick your question.

Some of you may have a mandatory question assigned, and in that case, you can skip to the next section. If, however, you have a list of questions, or need to think of a question yourself, this is the place to start.

If given a list of questions, don’t just choose the one that seems easiest. Often, questions can be deceiving; the ones that seem easy can turn out to be much trickier or more nuanced than you expected. Choose the essay question that legitimately seems the most interesting to you, regardless of how difficult it is. It’s better to be energized by a challenge than to trudge through a question you find boring. Even if it is difficult, the professor will know that you took a risk and challenged yourself.

Coming up with your own question can be difficult. Take a look at the required reading for the course and the subjects raised in class lectures, and come up with a question for yourself that you find interesting, to which you don’t already know the answer.

2. Make a timeline.

This is like a schedule. Whether you have four days, two weeks or a month to write a paper, make a timeline for every step of the way.  Plan how long you plan to brainstorm on what you’ll write about, then how long you’ll research information and how many pages you’ll work on each week, day, hour etc.

Unfortunately, a schedule like this is often a luxury, and for some classes (or universities!) it’s just not possible. I have 5 classes this semester, I have essays to write every week and every 2 books in my other class. I usually only get to spend three to five days per essay. In that case, I still recommend one day for just research and then to divide the length of the essay over the days you have left.

3. Find all of your resources.

Nobody likes doing research.  Since you have to so some research one way or another in order to write your paper, do lots of research all at once.  It’s better to have more information than you have room for in your paper rather than to have to continuously go searching for more information.

Make sure that if your professor lists an author or book, you get your hands on that source, whether it’s at your library or via inter-library loan. It could make a big difference in your final thoughts on the topic, and your professor may be surprised if you leave the source out of your essay.

4. Note taking and writing your outline.

I prefer to take typed notes when I have the time, because they are cleaner and more organized than my handwritten ones. However, if you prefer to take notes by hand, that is fine and totally up to you.

If I am writing my notes on a computer, I use a Notebook Word document that allows me to put a different author in every tab. An alternative to this would be Google Drive or Evernote, depending on what you have access to. After this step, I write out a list of quotes and summaries as I read.

Yes, I know most people hate being told to make an outline but it really is a great way to keep track of everything that you want to cover in your paper and to make it organized.  You can use your own outline format.

5. KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING.

As you work on your paper, find a system to help you see what you’ve already done and what resources you’ve already used.  Not only does it help you keep track of everything, but it also helps to give you a visual of your progress.  I personally like to highlight things as they are completed or used.  That way I can still read them and have a very clear visual of what’s been done.

6. Writing the essay.

Now comes the hard part: writing the essay. If you made a good outline, this part will be a lot easier.

a. Reflecting on previous feedback

If you’ve previously written an essay for this professor, take a look at the feedback on your old assignments to see how to improve. Did you use too many quotes? Were you too wordy? Do your best to take that advice to heart in this essay. If this is your first time writing for the professor, just do your best and see some of my general advice below.

b. Which citation style to use

Always make sure to cite correctly – plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is a very serious offense, and could get you expelled.

Different disciplines require different citation styles. As a religion major, I most often use Chicago and MLA style. For a list of which disciplines require which citation styles, look here. If you’re still unsure, ask your professor!

c. General tips

There are plenty of things I could say here, but I’m going to stick to three pieces of advice. The first is to really engage with the subject of your essay. Really ask yourself the question that you’re trying to answer in your writing, and then do your best to make your essay’s answer as thorough and clear a possible.

Second, try to stay clear in your writing. Don’t get too creative with a thesaurus; clean, elegant writing is always the best way to go. Some great books on this are the Chicago Manual of Style and The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.

Third, try not to over-quote (my biggest writing sin!). Using too many quotes is the sign of an insecure writer. A tip for this is not to have any books or articles open next to you as you write; just go off of your notes and your memory. When you do use a quote, try to go for primary sources, and use a sentence before and after the quote to set it up and explain its relevance.

7. Editing the essay.

You finished your essay! Put it aside for a night if you can before taking a look. This will let you return to it with a fresh eye and a clear mind.
When editing, I find it most helpful to print it out and go through with a pen, crossing things out and marking them as I go. Look for any errors in grammar or citation, and try to make your writing as clear as possible. If necessary, ask a friend or tutor to look over it for you to see if they catch anything you didn’t.

If you struggle with grammar and citation, I really recommend you get a citation guide. Personally, I love the Pocket Style Manual, which was a required purchase at my college and which has saved my butt on more assignments than I can count. It includes sections on each of the major required styles in which to format your papers. There are school-specific versions and a general version, but the differences are pretty small. I recommend the general version of your school doesn’t have its own.

Finally, know when to put it down. If you’ve been editing your essay for hours and you’re about to throw it out and start over, stop. Have some confidence in yourself and your abilities. You didn’t come to college to be the perfect student – you came to learn. Your essay is probably much better than you think it is.

DON'T PROCRASTINATE!!!

How Do I Set Up my Planner for College

I am not always good at staying organized. I really used to have mental breakdowns because I didn't know what was due and on what day.

I know this because the first week of classes I was given all my syllabi outlined with their many assignments and told about the ones not on them and I practically died. Not because it was too much, but because I had no where to write everything down and keep it organized.

Well technically I did. I had a planner, but it just didn’t work for me. There wasn’t hourly planning, and I need hourly planning. I also didn't think about due dates and what not. So, I need a planner with planning times and space to write assignments and their due dates.

That’s how insane I felt.

I have been asked many times how I manage to do it all. Normally, during the semester, I have several classes, a part-time job, and a blog (aka a second job). And at the end of the day, I still manage to get As in most (or all) of my classes. How do I do it all? With my planner. This is the one tool that I use religiously semester after semester and I swear that it is the main reason why I am a successful student.

With the beginning of a new school year comes the time to prepare for the new semester. One of the things I love most about new semesters is setting up my planner. But in order for your planner to work for you, you have to set yourself up for success. Now I’m using the Writefully His planner and I love it.

Having a planner is the number one necessity to staying organized.

The Student Planner is different. It’s a printable planner that comes in three different layouts, and each of them is designed to help students succeed. When you buy the Student Planner, you can access to all versions of the planner! So you’re sure to find something that works for you. What’s even more awesome is that when you buy a dated planner, you get access to undated sheets from the other layouts to you can switch formats to fit your needs and lifestyle! It’s a planner that always works for everyone.

All formats include a goal section, student sheets to organize your semester and succeed, and reflection sections to help you live your best life!

The other part of the planner is the monthly layout. You wouldn’t think so, but I actually use this section very sparingly. I use it for presentations, tests and quizzes, school events, birthdays and other really big things I need to make sure I don’t forget. I also like to use the monthly layout to write things I’m interested in doing/attended but haven’t decided whether I want to commit to yet.

My favorite part of the whole planner is how the whole left sidebar is for to-dos. There’s one on the monthly and weekly pages. I didn’t include a photo of the one with the weekly layout because there was sharpie that bleed through the page before so it looked really gross.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m like to-do lists’ number one fan. It’s so convenient that there are two spots to write what you need to get done, because somethings aren’t as time sensitive (like wanting to go watch tv) and fit in the monthly list but not the weekly list. The monthly list is also useful for things you need to remember to do at the end of the month but you know about now. Like I have a friend whose birthday is in the last week of September, and I need to remember to order her gift, so I put it in the monthly to-do list so when that week comes around I know I already have it ordered.

Another thing with using a planner: color coding really helps.

I have 10 different colored pens I use for my planner, and each one has a different meaning. But I honestly don’t follow it very well. The only things I really keep up with is that red is school work, purple is school events, blue is friend/family related and pink is blog related. Having the different colors really helps to see what you should be spending your time on, and what you need to prioritize.

Color code each event in your life. Some people like to use different colors for each class, but I personally like to do things a little differently. For example, my color code for the fall semester went
like this:

Assignments – orange
Exams – blue
Work – pink
Internship – purple
Study abroad – green
Other stuff – yellow

Each color represents their own section of my life. Once you memorize which color corresponds to which section, you’ll be able to quickly glance at your planner and know what you’ve got going on.

Bonus tip: Use your planner!

The one way to ensure your success this semester is to actually use your planner! There’s no point in setting it up if you won’t end up using it. It’s a reflex for all successful college students (myself included), but it might not be your case. Don’t worry! If you’re not used to using a planner, just become accustomed to using it frequently. Take it out at the start of every class and have it on-hand. That way if your professor says a date that you need to remember, you’ll be ready to jot it down!

So let’s recap:

• Use a planner and take advantage of all of its attributes (hourly scheduling, top three and to-do lists, monthly planning)
• Use the monthly calendar for all your school assignments and big events
• Color code both to keep everything straight and avoid color overwhelm
• ^{_{Keep sticky notes handy for to-do lists, grocery lists and random strikes of inspiration}}

Dream College

My dream college is South Carolina State University. Most younger students don't understand what a dream college is. Most Likely because they just aren't to the stage in life about thinking what they want to do with their life after high school. Well, I'm not going to get into that with my post. I'm going to list the top 5 reasons I want to go to SCSU and why.

South Carolina State University

1. I want to learn how hard being on my own will be without actually being alone. I am in a wheelchair and right now I have both of my parents helping me and I know they won't always be here to help, I want to learn how hard life is being on my own.
2. It is diverse. I hope to learn about new cultures.
3. They have a great Journalism department. My major is Journalism in Mass Media. I eventually would like to own my own big media company.
4. It is out-of state, I don't want to stay in Illinois. I realize out-of state expenses cost more. I just feel like I'm not going anywhere in the state of Illinois. I refuse to move to Chicago because of the violence.
5. I want to get myself out there. You know, Go Big or Go home and I refuse to give up and go home. Getting my journalism skills out there is important to me.

College Application Tips

I am a sophomore in college this year. Time just flew by! I am super excited, to talk about application essays for college with you. I am, of course, not an expert when it comes to these things. However, I wanted to share with you some advice I've learned from my experience being in college as well.

Here are my tips when applying to college: 

Be aware of dates

Nothing can be worse than missing a submission deadline. I have all of my important dates for college mapped out to stay on top of things. Don't be a procrastinator, you don't want to be scrambling around late November to submit your application.

Brainstorm

Don't neglect to skip this part for your application. I find it difficult to just simply start writing an essay. Before you get to typing keep a list of bullet points of details and ideas. That way it will make your essay come much more easily.

Editing

When it comes to rereading your college application/essay, don't do it immediately after you finish. Save the document, and allow your eyes some time for a break. Once you're reading to reread, be sure to read it allow, I promise it will help you catch silly spelling/grammar mistakes!

Get Feedback

A new website that I have been using recently is called EditRevise. It essentially acts as your English teacher or your college admissions officer. EditRevise is an online service that can be used to provide feedback on your college app essays. After submitting my first essay draft, it took roughly (get it?) 48 hours until I got my feedback. (You can also pay a little more to receive the feedback within 6 hours, if you're in a hurry.) The comments I got back I found to be very helpful and detailed. I also liked how if a editor commented on a section, they would provide me with a sample sentence. With submitting three revisions of my essay, I found that it allowed me a great foundation for when I write my other essays.

I hope you found these tips to be useful, I am not an expert so I'd appreciate it if you have any advice to help me in this process!