I'm pretty strict on the apps I keep on my phone. I hate when my storage gets close to full and don't keep an app on my phone unless I find myself using it multiple times per week. Because it's 2018, I just have to express that my phone is the most important tool for school and staying connected to my friends and family. Here are some of my favorites, all free and some that even come with the iPhone.
1. Venmo
A life necessity. I can't remember what i did before Venmo and how i went to group events without venmo. Granted, letting an app access your bank information is scary, which is why i was a little late to the party with downloading this app. I rarely have cash and this app makes it ridiculously easy to transfer money to my friends if i owe them or just want to be a nice human and send them a little "coffee on me" notification to make their day a little brighter.
2. Instagram
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An app that I skim through multiple times a day, which probably doesn't come as a surprise to you. Instagram has been all the buzz for years now, but there keeps being new updates and improvements made that just makes the app even more useful. It's where i keep myself up to date on celebrity news, find inspiration for beauty, food, and fashion and am able to share with friends quickly and easily. Honestly, I can live without twitter and snapchat, but Instagram is a social network that i really don't think I'd be able to ever give up.
3. Lightroom
I'm a big fan of sharing my photos, but an even bigger fan of editing them. Something about editing is just so soothing to me and I'd rather edit than watch a Netflix show during some downtime (is that weird?) Lightroom is my go-to editing app that's pretty close to professional editing, considering i have the free version. It's very similar to VSCO, but if desired you're able to purchase presets to apply to your pictures in order to edit pictures quickly and consistently. We all know that Instagram doesn't have the best editing tools, so in my opinion Lightroom is the best editing app out there.
4. Podcast
My obsession with podcasts just started this past summer, and I'm so happy it did. I listen to a podcast while walking to class, on a long drive or plane ride, white studying or while trying to fall asleep. Podcast is the next big time happening in the social media world and I'm a huge fan. I can listen to a variety of people and topics all for free.
5. Google Photos
A MUST if you're an iphone user. It's inevitable that technology will have glitches, and sometimes the problems can't be solved or rewinded when important data is lost. My most prized possessions on my phone are my photos, and i never want to be at the risk of losing them. Google photos is a way to backup all of your pictures so if there is an incidence where you lose some or all of your photos, the app automatically syncs to your camera roll so you don't have to remember to back things up. Not only is it free, but it doesn't take up too much storage on your iphone either.
6. YouVersion Bible
This doesn't apply for everyone, but as a busy college student who still wants to prioritize their faith, this is my lifesaver app. If i'm on the go, running low on time or needing some extra inspiration, i turn to this app. Aside from the app serving as a mobile bible with all of the different bible translations available, there's tons of different themed devotions to choose from and keep track of. You can also friend others on the app and share notes, highlighted verses and devotion progress.
7. Google Drive
A true lifesaver. There's always group projects, study sessions or planning happening that involve content that you need others to be able to see and edit. Google drive allows you to share documents, slides, excel sheets and forms with any gmail account and allows you to control the privacy. When my google drive is organized, my life is organized.
8. Pinterest
One of my all time favorites, Pinterest allows you to organize your life and create different boards for anything from food, fashion, beauty or gift ideas. I basically already have my dream wedding, house, kids and life planned out for me on this app. If you know my Pinterest, you've already met me basically. It's so helpful in everything from planning what to cook for dinner to what design to paint on a canvas and makes getting dressed a lot easier by providing inspiration for any look I'm trying to accomplish.
9. Spotify
Spotify makes it easy to listen to all of your favorite music and discover the new jams everyone is talking about. It's free, but has advertisements. The premium addition is $10 a month, but only $5 for a student account which also includes HULU. I eventually gave in to the student discount, and I can confidently say it's great and I will never be going back.
10. Notes
11. GroupMe
Let's be honest, group text messages can get extremely annoying and can pile up when we have a busy day. GroupMe allows you to create a group with whoever you want and gives you the option to mute the message if you wish. I have chats for all of the extracurriculars I'm involved in, different friend groups i associate with, and to communicate with my study groups.
