Organizing your backpack and folders for class is helpful, but have you ever thought about organizing your phone? It’s likely that you spend a ton of your time on your phone, and having these apps will allow you to find what you need faster than going to a computer or using your phone’s browser. My first tip is to put all these apps into a folder and label it “School” or “Pitt.” All of these apps can be found on Apple or Android.
Wether App
If this is your first winter in Pittsburgh, you’re in for a big surprise. It’s super cold and windy and wet for a good five months (or more). You need to check the weather every day (it’s literally the first thing I do when I wake up) before you go to class to see if you’ll need an umbrella or snow boots. Luckily, most phones have a weather app built in.
Pitt Mobile App
I use this mostly to track the shuttle buses, which is most useful if you live off campus. Did you know that the 20A stops at Giant Eagle Market District? It also has useful things like a campus map, a place to track the laundry machines in dorms, a place to look up your grades, and the menus for dining locations on campus.
Courseweb
I bet you freshmen didn’t know they had a Blackboard app! I use this all the time whenever I forget what my homework is and I’m rushing somewhere. At first, you’ll see all the classes you’ve ever taken. To have just your current classes shown, click on the edit button and tap the eye . It “closes,” which means you won’t see it on your dashboard.
Facebook/Facebook Messenger or GroupMe
Many clubs and groups within Pitt use Facebook to communicate. If you don’t have a Facebook, you should probably make one if you want to get involved on campus. Large friend groups, dorm floors, and sometimes classes might use an app like Facebook Messenger or GroupMe.
Bank App
Most banks, like PNC, have their own apps to help you track and save your money. If your bank doesn’t have an app, you can also use money trackers like Spending Tracker or Monefy. Figure out what you spend money on, make a budget, and (try to) stick to it!
Exercise/Food Tracking App
No one wants to gain weight in college, but it’s hard not to when you live in a freezer for most of the year. An app like MyFitnessPal helps you eat right and gives you tips on how to exercise in the winter! It’s really easy to put your food in: you can type it in yourself, scan a barcode, or look it up in the app. All food from Sodexo is available, so you can put your Market food right into your app. You can also set reminders so you don’t forget to exercise or to put your meals in.
Pitt uses Outlook, and there’s an app for that. It makes checking email so much easier it and makes it convenient to contact your professor when you don’t have your computer. If you have multiple email accounts that you use, you can use Outlook or the email app that’s already built in to check all of your accounts at once.
Calendar
Please please please utilize your phone’s calendar! Write down your homework in your planner, sure, but put all your important meetings and appointments in your phone. There have been way too many times when I was caught up in something or forgot to look at my planner and I missed an event. Always set a notification for 15 or 30 minutes before your plans so you have enough time to get there.
Music App
Music can calm you down, help you study, or get you pumped up for the weekend. Download your favorite app or put your music directly on your phone. I like to make playlists on 8 Tracks or listen to others’ while I get ready in the morning. Some crowd favorites are Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, and RockMyRun.
Don’t feel like you have to delete your favorite apps because you’re in school. It’s okay to look at Instagram before class or check YikYak on the bus – just not every second of the day. Having apps specifically for school helps remind you to work hard now so you can play hard later!
Photo Credits: Taken by the author on her phone, except for the Bank App