Posts published on December 8, 2014

10 Websites to Make College Life Easier in 2015

As a student, the Internet can be your best friend. It can also be your best enemy, because it can be a terrific distraction from what you are supposed to be doing. As long as you are not wasting a lot of time playing games or social networking online, and actually using sites that are going to help you get ahead, stay organized, etc., you can get a lot out of the Internet. Here are 10 websites and apps that are free to use, and that can help you throughout your college career.

1. Pocket – How many times have you found an article you would like to read later, only to forget where you found it when later arrives? Pocket will bookmark articles that you want to read or use for research, and you can find them all in one convenient location.

2. EggTimer – This is a simple site, and it can help you to get back on schedule. It will measure how long it takes you do to everyday tasks, and there are fun features too, such as pomodoro. This is a study method where you have a 25-minute study session, then take a break for a morning exercise.

3. Amazon & Jumia – You need treat yourself once in a while, and you can find great deals online shopping websites like Amazon and Jumia. These websites are the top online retailers in the world, with the lowest prices available on everything from fashions to electronics. You will be able to treat yourself and stay on budget at the same time.

4. IFTTT – This stands for “If this, then that”, and it is a virtual assistant. You can create “recipes” for smartphones, or set things up so different apps and tasks are combined. Customize this app to keep your life organized.

5. Evernote – This is going to make note-taking easier than ever. You can type notes on your keyboard, take photos, record audio, and more, and then keep it all organized in files. Sync files with all of the devices you use, so you have your notes with you everywhere you go and you can refer to them any time you need them.

6. Mint – This is a budgeting app that connects with your bank account. You can set up a personal finance plan and a budget in less than 20 minutes. Mint will help you stick to your budget, and let you know when you are at risk of going over it. You can get this app for a variety of platforms.

7. Any.DO – This app helps you create to-do lists to help you better manage your time. You can review your lists, set up reminders, and more. There is even a geolocation function, which will send you reminders when you are at certain locations. For example, if you need to get a certain reference book and you are in the library, you will be notified.

8. Google Docs – Share documents with other students, and get information that is going to help you greatly with your education, from study guides to peer-editing of your papers and more. You can use this service on mobile devices, so you don’t need to be sitting in front of a computer.

9. Buzzsumo – You can use Buzzsumo to find articles on any subject, and even see how many social media shares the articles have. You can customize it so it will show specific types of content, and have a time frame of one week to six months of old articles.

10. Wikipedia – While most professors recommend that you don’t use Wikipedia because anyone can write entries, you can use it if you use it right. Before looking at any information, go to the bottom of the page to the “References” section to find out where the writers got their information.

Byline:

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot.