Back to school smartphone app articles are pretty easy to find with a simple Google search, but Northwestern's cutthroat academic schedule requires more than any old app roundup. Here are some that will especially simplify everything from project planning and note taking to budgeting and staying awake. All we need is a smartphone and the will to organize our lives.
Student T.A. (iOS; 99 cents)
It's never too early in the school year to overbook yourself. Those who find themselves facing down a full courseload, a work-study job, sports practices, several jobs and community service may need something a little more in depth than Google Cal. Student T.A. not only keeps you up with your schedule, but you can also use it to plan time for individual homework assignments, create a playlist to study with and even procrastinate with the plethora of themes available.
Trello (Android, iOS; free)
Organize your next group project with Trello, an app specifically created to facilitate delegating tasks to group members and tracking finished components of the project. Collaboration and project management updates you make on your phone are automatically synced to Trello's website, so your peers who don't have access to the app have no excuse not to keep up with your constant check-ins.
Mindjet (Android, iOS; free)
This is Northwestern, so that means midterms will probably start next week. Keep that 12-page history paper planning organized with Mindjet, an app to help you create epic mind maps with all sorts of colors and arrows to play with. Some may see it as an extra step when they start writing their paper eight hours before it's due, but a little outlining can go a long way.
gFlash+ Flashcards & Tests (Android, iOS; free)
Gone are the days of paper flashcards. gFlash+ Flashcards & Tests lets you create cards using either the app itself or import a spreadsheet from Google Docs to create an even bigger set of flashcards. Play with your flashcards as if it's a game, and track your improvement as you go along. Images and sound clips can also be imported to make studying for a music or art class easier. And someday when you're studying for the GMAT or similar important tests, you can use the app to purchase study content as well.
Evernote (Android, iOS; free)
Everyone has that day (or week or month or life) when he or she just can't log enough hours of sleep. An unfortunate effect of that condition, besides weight gain and a weakened immune system, is falling asleep in class. But some students try to fight it and continue taking notes, only to discover they are completely illegible later. Evernote won't keep you awake, but it's almost as miraculous. This app allows users to take notes, record voice or video notes, capture pictures and organize everything by notebooks and tags. The cool part about it is that it's available on every platform, from iPhone to Droid phones, to Windows and Mac laptops and even Blackberry, so the notes you take on your laptop will be available on your phone for those long El rides when there's nothing better to do than study.
Grades 2 (iOS; free)
With all these scholarships and study abroad applications floating around, GPA is a big deal here. The quarter system and its blitzkrieg waves of tests and papers make it hard to focus on the big picture, which is your overall grade in the class, but Grades 2 makes it easy to keep track of and plan your grades. Instead of doing all that work to figure out what grade you need on a final to pass Orgo, just plug in your past assignments and tests along with your intended overall grade, and Grades 2 will tell you what score you need on the final to hit that grade. Best of all, let your family and friends see you planning your grades with this app, and they'll know you mean business.
Pocket Budget (Android, iOS; free)
Norbucks, Joy Yee's, Einstein Bros. and all those other convenient nearby food offerings may be draining your bank account, as are rent payments, concert tickets and shopping trips. You have to manage your money somehow, and Pocket Budget can help you do that. There are countless budgeting apps available, but simple, comprehensive budget planning apps for students (not stockbrokers) are few and far between. Pocket Budget lets you view your expenses by category and plan how much you will allow yourself to spend that month. It's the perfect time to learn now, before you have to start paying back all those student loans in a few years.
CoffeeGuru - America's Best Coffeehouses (iOS; $1.99)
It's easy to find a Starbucks, but no one needs an app for that. Siri has you covered there. But Siri isn't as good at pointing you in the right direction to find the nearest Fair or Direct Trade independent coffeehouses. That's where CoffeeGuru comes in handy. This app will find all you coffee connoisseurs some caffeine on those late nights when you have to forego sleep in order to spend time with your Calculus book. Gotta do your problem set somehow.
Wi-Fi Finder (Android, iOS; free)
Finally, for a good start to the school year, it's important to have a working Internet connection. There will come a day when you're registering for class, completing an online test or looking up cat videos when suddenly NU's wifi will fail you. Yes, that day will come, and that will be when you can't connect even when you need it the most. But when that day comes, just open the Wi-Fi Finder app and type in your current location, and the app will point you in the direction of free wifi elsewhere. Pair this app with CoffeeGuru, and you can watch all the cat videos. Or, you know, research for your poli sci paper.