As the spring semester takes off, students may be looking for ways to utilize apps to help with school. Several apps are available to help students stay up-to-date with tasks.
Kody Gentry, engineering and technology sophomore, said he began using his phone to help him stay organized during his collegiate career.
“I never used my phone in high school to keep myself organized,” Gentry said. “When I got to college I felt like I had to have more than just a little planner.”
There are a variety of apps students can choose from based on their needs and what they want.
Todoist
Todoist allows people to create to-do lists and provides notifications as reminders. The app is utilized by Dale Blasingame, assistant professor in the School of Jouralism and Mass Communication.
“I’ve been using Todoist for two to three years now,” Blasingame said. “A friend of mine, a fellow professor, recommended it and it’s been a life changer for me. A life changer and a life saver.”
Dale said he is incredibly scatterbrained but this app has helped him stay on top of work. Todoist can be downloaded for free, but users can pay to upgrade to a premium version.
Clock
The clock app that comes on iPhones can be used to help students study for class. Alvaro Minor, nursing sophomore, uses the app to set a timer when studying as well as for breaks.
Minor said most people operate the app as an alarm tool or for cooking. However, he has found it useful to set hour intervals for studying.
“I’ve always used thirty-minute intervals for studying, but it was last semester I learned you can focus longer than thirty minutes if you simply force yourself to not be distracted,” Minor said.
Swipes
According to Google Play, Swipes is an app that allows users to insert their tasks and organize them based on the user’s priorities. The app has even been nominated for a Webby Award. Swipes can be used on mobile devices as well as computers and can be downloaded for free. Google Play stated a premium version will later be available.
Chains.cc
Chains.cc allows users to create lists of tasks throughout their days and works as a motivational tool to help build good habits.
Minor uses this app as well and downloaded it his freshman year of college.
“I started using it early on because I’m a pretty forgetful person; I tried using a notepad before, but that wasn’t working out,” Minor said. “I just couldn’t remember (to bring the notepad), and so I figured I spend a lot of time on my phone and now I use it for everything.”
Minor said the app is involves community interaction to where others using the app have the ability to encourage people who have the same task as them.
“If they’re all having to clean up every Saturday, then you all encourage each other to keep that up,” Minor said.
Chains.cc is $1.99 on the App Store.
For students looking to use apps to help stay organized this semester, there are a variety of options available to them if hardcopy planners do not cut it.