5 Helpful Apps for College Students & My Favorite Samsung Galaxy S8 Feature

Disclosure: I’m a compensated member of the U.S. Cellular Blogger Brigade, but all thoughts and attempts at humor are my own.

Just like that it’s Fall. Can you believe it? I know I can’t, especially since summer is my favorite season and I’ll miss it a whole bunch. Two of the surest signs of fall are school buses on the roads and college students settling into their dorm rooms. Some for the first time and some for their last. Either way, it’s a time for excitement over what the new semester has to offer or maybe a little uneasiness about being away from home. We live in a city with two college campuses and I drive by both of them pretty regularly often thinking about the students and where they might be in their journey. It’s corny, but I also hope they all have at least one friend they can count on or at least a good way to communicate with their family and friends if ever they’re feeling homesick. College is a really cool and amazing time for a young person, but it’s also a transition that doesn’t come as easily for some as it does for others.

Why Every College Student Needs a Smartphone

If there’s one thing that’s way different now than way back, ahem, in the early 90s when I attended college it’s the technology. I think this is a really wonderful thing, especially for those kids who want to stay connected with their loved ones pretty much any time of the day. I also think it’s probably safe to assume that most, if not all, college students carry a smartphone. It they’re really lucky they carry one as snazzy as my Samsung Galaxy S8, but the most important thing is a powerful and reliable network whenever they need it to either call when they just need to hear a familiar voice or to send an SOS text to mom when they need help with washing their first load of laundry. Another reason college students can benefit from having a smartphone is the fact they can replace so many other devices. Between built-in capabilities and powerful apps, a smartphone is pretty much a must in today’s world, especially for a hard-working college kid. Let’s face it, dorm rooms aren’t exactly all that spacious, so it’s important to bring only the essentials when heading off to college. This is why having a reliable smartphone should be a priority, as well as a portable charger, to take with you everywhere you go on (and off) campus.

The Best Alarm Clock for a College Student

I’m not currently a college student, but I have a feeling we use our smartphones for some of the same things. As a matter of fact I’m pretty certain of it, but I also have a feeling that being hundreds (or maybe thousands) of miles away from home would make a person appreciate their smartphone even more. While there are many apps and tasks that are specific to the needs of a college student, there are also a lot of everyday uses for smartphones that many of us probably couldn’t live without. Here are some at the top of my list:

1. Reading – One of my favorite ways to read a good book is on my tablet, which is also a great device for a college student. They can either download a book by their favorite author or class textbooks and take them with them where ever they go without much extra weight in their backpack. Seriously, do you know how much some of those books weigh?!?!
2. Listening to Music – Seriously, what college kid (or any kid for that matter) do you know who doesn’t love to listen to music throughout the day? I have a teenager and I’m pretty certain a lot of the space on his smartphone is taken up by an extensive music library, but he also enjoys using the Spotify app to create playlists and organize his songs.
3. Watching Your Favorite Television Show – While I’m not so thrilled my husband often lays in bed at night watching TV shows on his phone, I can appreciate how much a tablet or smartphone could come in handy for this purpose if you’re a college student. Between having either Netflix or Hulu (or both) downloaded on their iPad or iPhone 7 they’ll be all set for an entire semester to view their favorite shows and movies.
4. Daily Tasks – Some of my favorite ways to use my smartphone are for those everyday tasks that used to require a separate device or gadget. I’m thinking a busy college student could benefit from the same features while also saving a little space in their dorm room. The built-in app I use the most has to be the clock. Not only is it great for setting timers, but it’s also an important one if you have an early morning class and need to set an alarm. If you’re like my teenager you might need to set alarms for a few different times to be certain you won’t be late because let’s face it, walking into class late is probably one of the most embarrassing things in the whole wide world.

Fess us. What is the one feature or app on your smartphone that you simply could NOT live without? I promise not to judge if your answer is the camera in selfie mode.