The beginning of a new semester is a stressful and overwhelming time, especially if it’s your first year at Pitt and especially if it’s your first time living in Pittsburgh. Luckily there are a whole lot of apps out there to help. If I could tell freshman me one thing, it would be to come to Pitt with these apps already downloaded – they’ll make your life so much easier!
- Ride systems
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If you live on upper campus like I did, you’re probably already aware that Pitt provides free shuttles around campus. The most popular are the 10A and 10B that travel between upper and lower campus, with stops at Cathy, Sutherland, Panther Hall and more. You will definitely need the Ride Systems app to track their location so you’re not waiting for 20 minutes in the rain and cold!
- TransLoc
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Many people don’t seem to know this, but Pitt provides free nonemergency transportation for when the shuttles aren’t running! Whether you’re deep in South O and don’t want to pay for an uber, or you don’t feel comfortable walking home from the library after late night studying, SafeRiders are always an option! They will even pick you up from Pittsburgh’s Greyhound, Amtrack or MegaBus stations and bring you back to campus. You can only use the service once a day for a maximum of 25 trips per semester. Just use the TransLoc app to call for a ride.
- moovit
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Now that you know how to get around campus, it’s time to get out of Oakland and explore the rest of Pittsburgh! Your Pitt ID gets you on the Port Authority buses for free, so take advantage while you can. Download the Moovit app to navigate wherever you want to go using public transit.
- PItt Mobile
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This is a great app for when you’re still getting accustomed to life at Pitt. You can easily pull up your class schedule, see a map of campus and check dining hall hours. It’s much easier than googling everything!
- Duo Mobile
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We all know how annoying the multifactor authentication is. To save a little time, download the Duo Mobile app and change your settings to automatically send you a push when you log in.
- Canvas
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Personally, I like my phone to be a safe place away from school-related notifications, but I know a lot of people that use the Canvas app to quickly check their grades or assignments due.
- Grades
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Speaking of grades, have you ever tried to calculate the lowest grade you could get on an exam to still pass your class? I definitely have, especially towards the end of the semester with finals. This app does all of the work for you, telling you exactly what grade you have and what grades you need to get on upcoming assignments.
- Quizlet
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Quizlet has been my go-to study app since high school, and using it on the go is super convenient.
- Pitt Panthers Gameday
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Download your tickets for sports games, buy buddy passes and see important updates with this app. It’s also helpful to see the entire sports schedule because I highly recommend checking out sports other than football and basketball. One of the most fun times I’ve had at Pitt was at a volleyball game!
- Local Food Apps
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Last, but not least are food apps. Lots of restaurants use mobile ordering and rewards systems on their apps. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten free Dunkin’ and Chipotle by ordering online. Here are some Oakland food places that use them: Starbucks, Dunkin’, Chipotle, Roots, Piada, Five Guys and McDonald’s.