By Gabriel Rente
Elm Staff Writer
In an age of technology, there are a myriad of apps for just about anything. While we are more than well acquainted with the uses of Google for purposes such as researching, emailing, storing, and discovering, there are apps geared toward more specific uses, ones that could very well change your life as a student.
Duolingo: This app is great if
you are trying to learn a new language. With over four and a half stars in ratings, the app offers 16 different languages for English speakers, from Spanish to Russian to Esperanto. Users can set daily goals for themselves and compete with friends over course comple- tion. It is perfect for those who want to squeeze in extra practice for a language course. Duolingo is free and available on smart- phones and PCs.
Quizlet: This a popular app for the classroom and study hall. For those who are reliant on flashcards for studying, this app helps keep track of all those decks. Users can create flash- cards and save other sets from fellow users. What sepa- rates this app from other flashcard apps is that it allows various ways to study the flashcards through games. This app is free and also available on PC and smartphones.
Habitica: Procrastinating is a term all too familiar with students. Habitica is a task managing app that turns your life into a videogame. Enter to-do lists, daily goals, and other tasks, and then create a personalized avatar. As you complete your tasks, you receive points to unlock special features like skills, virtual pets, and quests. Play with friends to keep each other in check. With over four and a half stars, Habitica is free of charge.
Brainy Quote: Know the author, but can’t remember the quote? Chances are it’s on Brainy Quote. I love this app because not only does it offer daily words of wisdom, but it’s also useful for writing purposes. The peaceful nature backgrounds
add a pleasant aesthetic while browsing. Search quotes by category or author in the app library. This four-and-a-half-star app is free for users.
Sleep Cycle: This handy app is the saving grace for those of us (all of us) struggling to maintain a regular sleep sched- ule. Using the phone’s built-in microphone, it analyzes your movement and tracks your sleep, waking you during your lightest sleep cycle so that you feel more refreshed. After one night’s sleep, the app provides graphs and a sleep analysis for users. This app is free for iPhone users but costs 99 cents for Android users.
Mint: Need help managing your money? Mint can help you with that. From the mak- ers of TurboTax, the app tracks how much you spend and suggests tips for creating the ideal budget in a secure setting. It also provides financial advice based on the goals you set for yourself, like want- ing to buy a car or pay off school loans. This app is also free and available on smartphones.
Tiny Scanner: You’ll be singing along to Elton John after you download this helpful app. Tiny Scanner scans your documents, photos, receipts, and just about anything else and saves it on your device as a picture or PDFs. Easily share what you scan through email, fax, Google Drive, etc. With over five starts in rating, Tiny Scanner is free and available on smartphones. It is also a good idea to download the Student Event Board’s WC Events app, that way you stay updated and informed on all the campus happenings.
If you need an app to learn your own vocabulary for your college courses, maybe Wokabulary (https://wokabulary.com) is something for you.