People love to say college students have more free time than anyone else. Classes are only around an hour each, and you can stop by the food court or cafeteria to grab a quick, pre-made meal.
Your only real responsibility is studying before a couple of tests each month. Life is easy — right?
The truth is often the complete opposite for most students. Yes, classes are short, but the rest of the day is packed with other stuff.
You need to schedule enough time to study for each course you’re taking, plus extra time to write papers and do readings and other homework assignments.
Many students work a part-time job or two to be able to buy groceries or pay bills. Then, there’s the pressure to fit in an internship you can use for college credit or work experience.
However, being in college isn’t about kicking back and relaxing. There’s a lot to juggle, which can be overwhelming.
You may not have had such a busy schedule in high school, so your ability to plan things out and meet every deadline might not be possible from your memory alone.
That’s where apps can come in to help! Try out some of the apps below and see which ones can help you figure out your deadlines and get ahead of your responsibilities.
1. Microsoft OneNote (iOS and Android)
It’s become way more common for students to show up to class and open their laptops, instead of taking notes by hand.
Most people can type faster than they can write, and you can quickly access the information you need to review online. If your school assigns access to student email accounts through Microsoft Outlook, you need to check out OneNote.
Microsoft OneNote will be a lifesaver if your courses require a lot of note-taking. It’s super-flexible, so you can handwrite your notes or type them in.
It saves audio recordings for those lectures you know you’ll want to listen to a second time through, and it even syncs with your Outlook calendar so all your deadlines are organized with your notes. It’s seamless to use across laptops, tablets and phones.
2. Clear (iOS)
Everyone organizes a little bit differently, and if you’re a to-do-list kind of person, Clear is the app for you.
Clear divides tasks into sections, so you can make a section for each class you’re in and assign yourself individual tasks within each section.
You can also color-code your lists and sync them across your devices using iCloud. Read up on reviews, then try it out by downloading it from the App Store.
3. RescueTime (iOS and PC)
Ever find yourself at the end of your day with things you still have to do? When time seems to slip away, try using RescueTime to help you out.
This app works only on computers, because it monitors what you work on and collects all the data to give you advice. It’ll show you how long you’ve worked on something, and notify you when you need to switch tasks.
You can set goals and get weekly reports about how you’re doing with time management. It’s worth a try if you don’t know where to start on your tasks!
4. Assignment Planner Free (Android)
When you’re in college, you may have trouble figuring out your GPA and grades at any given moment.
School websites can be difficult to navigate, so once you figure it all out, put it in an app instead! Assignment Planner Free is a great app for Android users who want everything in one place.
It’ll keep track of your grades and GPA, plus give you reminders when deadlines are approaching.
5. myHomework Student Planner (iOS and Android)
If you’re looking for a customizable app that will keep your entire academic life organized, you’ll be happy after downloading myHomework Student Planner.
You can keep track of everything, from which students are in your classes to when late and upcoming deadlines need your attention.
Being able to keep up with all the little changes that will happen throughout your week is just one of the reasons you should use a digital calendar. It makes things even better that you can access it on the go through your phone!
6. My Study Life (iOS, Android and PC)
A highly rated app by both teachers and students, My Study Life is accessible on any platform. Take notes on your computer during class and read them over on your phone while you’re eating dinner at the dining hall.
You can view your schedule in monthly, weekly or daily formats, and even print things out if you need to. You can read the reviews and get motivated to become organized, and the clean, easy-to-understand platform will keep you on track to meet all your deadlines.
Students always have so much going on, and that may make you feel like you’re drowning in deadlines.
Don’t stress about not being able to meet them all on time!
Try out some organization apps to see which one works best for you, and take advantage of that technology to not only be confident about meeting deadlines, but also be reassured you can handle anything college tries to throw at you.
