If you think about it, our smartphones are like clothing; we don’t leave the house without wearing clothes just like we don’t leave without our phones. Grabbing your phone is a natural instinct, like taking off your heels the moment you get home. Checking a notification on your phone is like that annoying zipper on your favorite pair of jeans that just won’t stay zipped, so you’re consistently checking it throughout the day.
Now, think of the App Store as shopping and trying clothes on at the mall. If you see an app that looks like it will be useful, you download it like you would impulse buy a floral, cold-shoulder top at Forever 21.
Then, you explore the app, use it for a couple days, but after that, you probably forget about it, as it stays there for months wasting memory on your phone. This unused app is the same as that top you bought that you wore twice and now it sits in your closet taking up space.
Just like clothing, there are some apps that you use all the time and some that you never even click on. From studying to cooking, here are five functional apps for a college student I guarantee you will use at least once a week!
PHOTO: Lex Kelly
1—Amazon KindleÂ
Regardless of where you buy or rent your textbooks from, it is going to be expensive! In my experience, depending on the textbook, I have found that downloading the E-book with the Amazon Kindle app is often cheaper than purchasing the actual textbook. You can download a free sample or the entire book to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
2—Egenda
If you’re like me, writing things down in my agenda is helpful, but I still need more reminders. Egenda is an electronic agenda in which you to enter in all of your assignments for the semester. It also sends you notifications on due dates and reminds you to study for upcoming exams.
PHOTO:Â Daisa Harris
3—CoinKeeperÂ
This budgeting app allows you to track your expenses and see where you spend your money the most. It separates your expenses into categories such as eating out, gas, groceries, etc. Then, it helps you create a budget for yourself. If you forget to enter your purchases, CoinKeeper sends you a daily notification reminding you to keep track of your money and stick to your budget!
4—Thrive MarketÂ
As a college student, eating healthy or organic can be challenging, especially if you’re on your school’s meal plan. Plus, grocery shopping can be an all day affair if you lack your own transportation. With Thrive Market, you can get a vast variety of organic and gluten-free food for half the price that the grocery store sells them—all delivered to your door! A membership is $65 a year; however, there is a free 30-day trial!
PHOTO:Â Cassidy Clark
5—Tasty
Buzzfeed’s Tasty app has video tutorial recipes from breakfast to dessert. The tutorials are simple and easy to follow, especially for someone who is at the beginner stage when it comes to cooking.
Find any of these apps interesting? Have any other apps you love to use while at school? Let me know in the comments below!
