I’ll admit it: like most millennials, I’m always on my phone. I can usually be found mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. For a long time, I felt to feel like my phone was controlling me. I couldn’t go 20 seconds until I got this itch that I just had to scratch, and I’d have to be scrolling again. And while I’m not anti-technology in any way. I think technology has revolutionized our world, and it brings connection and a sense of community we couldn’t get otherwise, but I wanted my phone to start really working for me. I figured if I already had my phone on me anyway, why not use it to my advantage? So, I started looking into the apps that could teach me something or do something for me. I wanted apps that would really enhance my experience and open up my world, that wouldn’t just drain my battery and kill my brain cells. With this article, I’ve shared a couple of apps that I really think will revitalize and re-energize your life this spring: some are for mental health, some are for fitness, and some are simply for fun! Either way, they ’re all great. I genuinely feel like they’ve made my life better, happier, healthier, and more organized! If you’re looking to upgrade your phone experience, check out the following apps!
1. Today
The Today app is a habit tracker that will help you accomplish goals and add positive habits this spring! You can create a habit that you want to keep track of, set how often you want to check in on that habit, set up reminders that will go right to your phone, and then start tracking! You log in to the app and check off each day you accomplish the goal. I use the app to keep track of my laundry, and I also use it as encouragement to eat at least two servings of fruit a day. On the days I eat a banana with my breakfast or have an apple as my snack, I can open the app and add another day towards keeping that habit! The app rewards you by tracking streaks, so if you consistently follow through on the habit 10 days in a row, the app will congratulate you, which helps keep you motivated to continue building progress! It’s never too late to introduce a positive habit into your life, and this app will make it a billion times easier.
2. Co-Star
If you’re a fan of astrology, you’ll definitely want to download this app; even if you’re not a true believer, you can still use this app to have fun with your friends! First, Co-Star will give you your whole birth chart, explaining all your signs and houses in stunningly accurate detail. It also provides a helpful horoscope, which is updated daily; It’ll warn you when mercury is in retrograde, so you can prepare accordingly! Co-Star can also tell you compatibility between you and your other friends who have the app! If you’re a Libra and your friend is a Taurus, it’ll tell you all about their birth chart, and whether you guys are cosmically linked! Whether you take it seriously and use the information on this app to guide your everyday life or it’s simply a fun activity to do on a Friday night, download this app as soon as possible!
3. Wordscapes
I go through phases with game apps; I was obsessed with Temple Run when it first dropped, but I quickly lost interest. The same thing happened with 2048; I was hooked on it for months, but then abruptly lost interest and stopped using it. But I’ve been back at it with a new game for the past few weeks. It’s called Wordscapes, and I can’t seem to put it down. It’s sort of like a solo game of scrabble, where you are given a word bank and have to use the letters to fill in a puzzle. You get daily prizes and slowly work your way up to harder and harder levels! It’s weirdly addicting, and a great way to pass the time between classes or when waiting for the train.
4. Huji
If you’ve seen someone post a picture that looks like it’s was taken on a disposable camera, chances are it was taken with Huji! It’s been everywhere lately and for good reason. It adds a super cool polaroid-y, vintage-y feel to your photos that can really spice up your Instagram feed. You can make any portrait, landscape shot, group photo, or selfie look a little extra special with Huji, so make sure to download it today!
5. Headspace
With classes picking up and teachers piling on research papers, group projects, and exams, life can get a little stressful. So take a break with Headspace! Headspace is an awesome meditation app that can help you practice mindfulness over these next few crazy months. It can help you get a better night’s sleep, focus more on the important things in your life, and can even help you out in an acute moment of panic or anxiety. The app has longer, 10-15 minute daily meditations, mini-meditations for quick mental rest, calming sleep sounds to help you drift off, and the app can even track your progress and help you stay steady with your mindfulness. If you want to help erase some stress and anxiety in your life, this app can help you take the first steps to a clearer, happier mind.
6. Sworkit
If you’re super lazy like me, going to the gym is just not even on your radar. But if you need to sweat a little to burn off some stress, or you want to take baby steps to healthier, happier lifestyle, you should definitely check out Sworkit. It’s an awesome fitness app that has a ton of quick workouts you can do from the comfort of your own dorm! No more trying to find time between classes and extracurriculars to spend slaving away at the gym surrounded by intimidating, sweaty dudes; with Sworkit, you can choose from a ton of different workouts that are beginner friendly and will get your heart rate up and your blood pumping! For those of us trying to be healthier this year, this app is the perfect stepping stone to getting more comfortable with working out and exercising!
We spend a lot of time on our phones, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be a negative thing. Technology offers us a wealth of opportunities that would never have been available to us just twenty to thirty years ago. Want to learn a new language? You can do it on your phone. Want to get better at drawing? You can do it on your phone. Need to distract yourself or self-soothe in a stressful situation? You can use your phone! There’s a world of information and wonder contained in the tiny computers in our pockets, we just have to make them work for us. Let me know some of your favorite apps that make you happier, smarter, healthier, and more productive! And make sure to let me know if you download any of these apps and find that they help you!
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