A few weeks ago, I made a list of fantastic apps every student should have. This week, after some digging around, I found 5 additional apps that students would benefit from. Mobile applications are becoming an essential for everyday living; from helping wake us up in the morning to matching us for romantic dates, mobile applications have come to dominate much of our lives. But which applications will be handy for the AU student this Fall semester?
Sleep Cycle:
When I first heard the name sleep cycle, I rolled my eyes. What kind of sleep cycle do most students have? A highly irregular one. But after the initial bout of skepticism, I tried the app only to be pleasantly surprised by the impact it had on my sleep routine. The typical night owl in me has struggled to wake up for my early morning classes since the beginning of elementary school. However, since installing this application at the end of high school, I discovered a better way to understand my sleeping patterns and, better yet, use the application to wake up in a less abrupt, alarm-shaken way.
Dropbox:
Many students already have this handy application that enables fast transferring, and syncing of files and making sure that even when technology fails you, your files are backed up and restored in a heartbeat. Dropbox is similar to Google Docs and can be accessed online, on your phone and electronic tablets. Dropbox offers a limited amount of storage space, however, if you’re using only documents with no large video or media files, the free storage space can last many years without reaching its limit. Save yourself the burden of carrying a USB and use this application instead.
Voice Recorder:
In my early undergraduate years, no matter how fast my words-per-minute typing speed was, there was always one professor who spoke at the pace of lightning. To save myself the pain of having to type at the pace he spoke at, I recorded his lectures (with his permission) which allowed me to review his lecture at my own pace. Voice Recorder is an excellent application as it also enables me to slow any recorded audio file to 0.5x pace or speed it up to a 2x pace. If a professor is speaking too slow or fast, you can always adjust the lecture recording to ease your understanding.
My Fitness Pal:
Having neglected my workout routine for many weeks during final exam season of last year, I downloaded this application in hopes of improving my diet and exercise. While the application won’t motivate you to achieve new milestones in your workout routine, I did find the application helpful for managing our diet. The application enables you to find food items and track your calorie consumption over the course of the day, week, month and year. I was particularly surprised the application has a database of just about every food item from my favorite shrimp cracker snacks to homemade lamb roast.
Stocard:
Ever forgot to bring a membership card while shopping and missed out on a member-exclusive deal? I certainly have. This summer, I discovered Stocard, an application that stores the barcodes of just about every membership card available. The app is easy to use and has a scanning feature that stores the barcode that can be scanned at checkout.
