5 Apps to Help You Start Strong This Semester
Read time: 5 minutes
This blog post was created in collaboration with Meliah Smith. If you'd like to connect with Melia or hire them to help you with any of your writing needs, you can do so by emailing meliah.ams at gmail dot com.
Ah, the beginning of the semester… a time for new friends, new teachers, and new beginnings. For some, this period is like a refreshing blank slate; for others, it’s a time of much stress and responsibility. Fortunately, whether you’re looking forward to the new semester or already wishing for it to be over, there are apps available that will give you a leg-up. Listed below are 5 apps that will help you start strong this semester:
Alarmy - Alarm Clock & Sleep Sound (iOS - Android)
Website: https://alar.my/
Free version available
Alarmy Premium - $7.49/month (7-day free trial)
Whether you want perfect attendance or have more productive mornings this semester, Alarmy is an excellent choice. This app may seem like your regular alarm clock, but it has some valuable features tacked onto it. The most notable one is the “missions” feature which wakes your brain up by forcing you to complete a task to silence your morning alarm. These missions are highly customizable, ranging from shaking your phone several times or completing math problems. You can even adjust their difficulty level, just in case you’re a naturally skilled mathematician at 6 a.m. Fortunately, the mission feature is included with the free version of the app, but if you can’t seem to wake up early no matter how hard you try, it may be worth investing in the monthly subscription service. Alarmy Premium has more challenging missions, such as reaching a set amount of steps or completing squats. Another feature included with premium is that you can set a personalized voice recording as an alarm. These can be simple reminders for important morning tasks or messages that will wake you up in the a.m.
Evernote - Notes Organizer (iOS - Android)
Website: https://evernote.com/
Free version available
Evernote Premium - 7.99/month (14-day free trial)
Evernote is a well-known productivity app — and for a good reason! It uses a simple design, making it incredibly user-friendly, but don’t let its simplicity fool you. This app takes note-taking to the next level by incorporating many different ways to take notes. One example is the voice recording feature, which automatically transcribes your live voice notes into text. This app also includes premade templates for you to choose from, such as general lecture notes or essay outlines. If none of those options tickle your fancy, you can design your own template and apply it whenever you’re ready to take some notes. While Evernote offers a free version, Evernote Premium has some additional features, such as setting reminders within your notes which can be helpful if your teacher decides to switch up deadlines without updating the syllabus. If you’re a high school student who can’t use electronic devices in class for note-taking, this app can still benefit you. Consider taking notes by hand in class, then rewriting them using Evernote. Not only will this help make your notes more organized, but it will also help you to recall the information you learned in class.
Exam Countdown - School & Uni (iOS - Android)
Website: https://examcountdownapp.com/
Free version available
Exam Countdown Premium - $5.49/year
This app does exactly what its name suggests. Exam Countdown is a simple app that helps you keep track of the seconds, minutes, and days leading up to an exam. While seeing this countdown may seem daunting, it’s important to keep track of how much time you have until a major exam. Doing this will allow you to set reasonable study goals for yourself and will prevent you from losing track of time. Exam Countdown also lets you set reminders prior to the exam, so you can input an exam date and forget about it until two weeks before. Another useful feature is that you can add notes to each countdown, which can be helpful when you want to record how many questions to expect or what textbook chapters you should study.
Quizlet: Learn with Flashcards (iOS - Android)
Website: https://quizlet.com/
Free version available
Quizlet Plus - $7.99/month (30-day free trial)
If you’re a high school or college student, you’ve probably heard of Quizlet by now. This app is popular because it’s the perfect study aid, as it allows you to make digital flashcards that you can use in various ways to help you study for quizzes and exams. After downloading the app, you will first make a flashcard set for whatever class you need to study for. Once you make the flashcards, you can start learning by testing yourself using multiple-choice questions or timed matching. The free version of Quizlet is handy as is, but if you want to take studying a step further, Quizlet Plus is worth the money. The paid version, which has a 30-day free trial, lets you use the app ad-free and has more customization options for your flashcards. Some premium features include scanning texts that convert directly to your sets and adding personalized photos to your flashcards.
GroupMe (iOS - Android)
Website: https://groupme.com/
Free version available
Emoji packs available
Last on the list is a familiar app called GroupMe. This app is an excellent way to stay in touch with your classmates and get updates on any deadline changes if you are absent from class. This simple messaging app lets you create group chats for your courses, where you can message in real-time, share photos and files, and make polls. It’s easy to add your classmates to the chat: either send them a link or a QR code to the group. One important thing to remember is that not all instructors allow classes to have a shared GroupMe. Your best bet is to ask your instructor if you can make a group chat beforehand and ban any members that attempt to share answers to homework or test questions.
Thank you for checking out this post. I hope that these suggestions have been helpful and that you are able to find the products that work best for you.
If you have any questions or need extra guidance, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm always happy to help in any way I can.
I wish you the best of luck with your studies and hope that these organizational tools help to make your semester a success. Good luck!
If you're interested in enhancing your learning experience this semester, kindly fill out the form below. We'll get in touch to discuss how we can support your educational journey.