Smartphones & College: How Your Smartphone Can Help You Make the Most of Your Experience

I remember my first day of high school like it was yesterday. I was in awe of my newfound sense of independence, specifically when I learned that I had a say in my schedule and that writing in my agenda every day was no longer mandatory. When I arrived at university, my so-called freedom was ten times greater – I lived with my best friend, chose my own courses and set my own curfew! But it didn’t take long before I realized that creating the structure I needed to succeed would solely be up to me.

That’s when I began to rely on my smartphone to help me manage my campus routine. With my device’s home screen covered in student-friendly apps and an array of helpful smartphone tips in my back pocket, staying in control of my new responsibilities was easier than ever. And that was a few years ago. Since then, smartphone capabilities have become even more advanced to better support student life. Check out these tips and tricks to help make the most of your experience this year:

Smart tips

Keeping track of responsibilities is easier when you have a couple go-to “shortcuts” programmed in your phone.

1. Repeat reminders: Set a reminder in your calendar for every lecture, tutorial and recurring event you have in your schedule. Even if you have an A+ memory, campus life is extremely fast-paced and it is easy to forget where you need to be and when.
2. Voice Notes: University makes your mind churn! Whether your professor gives you a hint about the exam or you suddenly realize that you need to make a pit-stop at the grocery store, using your phone’s “voice note” function helps to clear your mind. With speech-to-text functionality on Android and iPhone, your thoughts can also be turned into “written” notes and saved on your device.
3. Airplane Mode: Studying for an exam can be difficult with distractions from your smartphone. If you train yourself to disengage with your device by activating your smartphone’s airplane mode, you’ll spend less time procrastinating and have more time (and battery power!) for personal time later.

Want more helpful smarttips? Check them out here: http://bell.ca/smarttips

Productivity Apps

Smartphone apps are an extremely efficient tool to make learning and studying simpler. Discover the ones that work for you in our list of recommendations below:

Any.do – To-do List:

Download for Android or iOS (Free)

Sometimes students just need to get things done and Any.Do understands that. From keeping track of upcoming due dates, to creating grocery lists, the app makes it easy to keep your life organized in one place. Wake up to a prompt encouraging you to review and update your “to-do’s” and shake your device to remove tasks that have successfully been completed (which, by the way, is so much more rewarding than crossing them off a list!)

Dropbox:

Download for Android or iOS (Free) 

If your computer has ever crashed while you were in the middle of 20-page paper, then you know first-hand how discouraging losing your work can be. As a student, you’re constantly writing and saving files under pressure. The Dropbox app makes it easy to store and share all your documents, photos and videos through one secure location, protecting your hard work and ensuring that the librarian doesn’t see you cry…again. 

Alarmy (Sleep If You Can):

Download for Android or iOS ($2.29)

Deep sleepers, rest assured! Alarmy – the World’s Most Annoying alarm app ­– is determined to get you up! The app interrupts your REM by pairing an alarm with a destination on your screen (i.e. the bathroom, the kitchen, etc.) In order to turn off the alarm, you must travel to the pictured destination and snap a photo (selfie sticks are optional!). So, you can get a good night’s sleep instead of fearing that you may sleep through that dreaded 8AM statistics class.

StudyBlue – Flashcards and Quizzes:

Download for Android or iOS (Free)

Flashcards are an incredibly useful tool for studying, but they aren’t always convenient to create and carry around. That’s where StudyBlue comes in. The app allows you to design your flashcards and set them up in a way that suits your study style. Choose from shuffled, in order, hardest to easiest, least studied, or just the ones you’ve been forgetting (which is perfect if you’re cramming right before your exam).

Mobile TV

You didn’t hear it from me but, every student needs to rest his or her brain and indulge in some much-deserved TV-time. With Mobile TV, you can watch over 40 Live and On Demand channels right from your phone on the Bell TV app. Unwind after a long day in the library with an episode of Master Chef Canada or catch a glimpse of your favourite sports game on-the-go while on your commute.

The Bottom Line

Student life is exhilarating but it can also be overwhelming, especially if you don’t have a solid routine. While your parents may not be a stone’s throw away to keep you organized, hopefully some of these smartphone ideas will help. Of course, when you need a little extra support, your family and friends are just a phone call away.

Do you rely on your smartphone to help make your student life easier? We’d love to hear your thoughts.