By Kayla Valera | Staff Writer

Almost every college student carries one as a commonplace commodity, but that little cellular device can be used for much more than just social media updates or game distractions in between classes. Your phone can actually be a virtual backpack if housed with these 5 essential apps that can make college all the more bearable.

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Quizlet
Since using this app it’s hard to think of going back to the monotony of reading class notes over and over again until the content eventually clicks in time for the next test. The beauty behind Quizlet is that it utilizes the archaic memorization method of flashcards that can be customized with any picture/writing content to better suit any test subject. Besides being able to flip through the virtual double-sided cards, tools on the app effectively quizzes your knowledge on the material. Another feature that’s worth noting are the tests that can be automatically generated from the information provided on the cards- rendering all excuses of not being prepared for that upcoming exam pointless.

easybib

Easybib
There’s no avoiding the responsibility of writing a bibliography for a research paper, even after English 100. Citing your work correctly is something that’s just expected of you , because copyright is a thing, and also, very anal teachers. Though one way of easing the headache that is manually transcribing a credible source and also ensuring that it has authority is by running the source through EasyBib, cutting out the hassle of hunting down the copyright, year of publication, number of the volume, and all that fun stuff. (***Disclaimer, don’t solely trust the final product of the citation since the format may need updating to stay up to date with the ever changing ‘Modern Language Association’).

mint

Mint
For the college student who has a tendency to spend their money a bit too frivolously a little too frequently, the Mint app may mitigate that feeling of being next in line at Starbucks and not knowing if you can run the risk using card if it turns out you don’t have enough Star Points to redeem that free drink…. Essentially the app allows the user to view multiple bank/credit union accounts all in one place. Though other than  being able to check account balances, any type of FAFSA financial aid/student loans that has been taken out can also be viewed through the app so that it’s easier to set up a budget that’s easy to work with; making the goal of paying off any debt seem realistic and manageable.

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myHomework
Managing a hectic class schedule is something that doesn’t really bode well with Freshman college students. Especially those that have been plucked from a structured schedule and thrust into a world where you could probably go through half of your week without having to subject your brain to course lessons that it’ll probably forgo throughout the weekend- it happens. To remedy this problem, the myHomework app lets you input an entire class schedule so that it can notify you on any upcoming classes and if any homework are due soon. An additional perk, if brave enough to confront a teacher about it, is that he/she can create a special class account that allows them to upload any files or class announcements directly to the app.

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Google Docs
Although many may be familiar with this Google app often featured in actual class assignments, (group projects….’nuff said) most don’t know about the advantage of using the app version on your phone. While the function of saving every edit from a document instantaneously doesn’t seem uber cool when on a desktop, it’s quite a different story when away from the computer. This is because, as is the case with most people, it’s hard to get in the mood of writing while staring at the desktop screen. The flow of ideas are often found beyond the traditional work space behind a desk. Sometimes it just so happens that while in public, a surge of inspiration can spring up on you. In this case you’d whip your phone out and pull up the document to add any additional information, and, upon returning to the desktop version, pick up where the last edit left off.

To read all of Kayla’s stories click here. Kayla can be reached at kvalera@hawaii.edu.