Moving to College? 10 Mobile Apps to Help Ease the Transition

Moving out of your parent’s home and into a college dorm isn’t always an easy transition. With tough classes, exhausting all-nighters and an endless number of social events, adjusting to college life can be downright stressful. Fortunately, in this day and age there are plenty of easy-to-use mobile apps to help new students adjust to college life. Before the big college move in day begins, I recommend downloading these 10 smartphone apps first.

Brainscape

Gone are the days of tediously making flashcards. Now, students can take advantage of Brainscape, a mobile flashcard app designed to help students study and learn. According to the app, Brainscape “applies decades of cognitive science research to make studying as efficient as humanly possible.” The mobile flashcard app’s algorithm is based on the user’s own judgment of confidence, or “Confidence-Based Repetition.” Brainscape claims that this specific method of sorting flashcards will optimize a learner’s study time. Using the app, students can create their own cards or use ready-made flashcards. They can also corroborate with other classmates. Brainscape is available for iPhone and Android.

CampusBooks

Everyone knows college textbooks don’t come cheap. To find the best deals on pricey – yet required – textbooks, college students should download the CampusBooks mobile app. This app allows students to search for books and find the best deals online, as well as in nearby libraries and bookstores. Search results include new, used, rental, digital and international copies. The textbook marketplace also allows college students to sell their books to a wider pool of buyers. CampusBooks is available for iPhone and Android.

Circle of 6

When moving to a college campus, students should make safety a top priority. One of the best ways to do so is by downloading the popular Circle of 6 app on their mobile devices. This app is designed to prevent violence before it happens by helping students look out for one another and keep in touch via their smartphones. How it works: Students choose six people from their contact list to join the circle. If they find themselves in an uncomfortable or unsafe position, they can send a text to those in the circle asking for help. This text will also include the person’s GPS coordinates. Using the app, students can discreetly ask someone in the circle to pick them up, call them or text them. Circle of 6 is available for iPhone and Android.

EasyBib

Anyone who’s ever had to put together a bibliography for a professor knows how time consuming (not to mention – boring) the process can be. Thankfully, there’s now a mobile app that can save college students time spent on this tedious, yet necessary task. The EasyBib mobile app automatically generates all of a college student’s citations for them in any format (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc) that they wish. All the user has to do is enter the name of the publication, website, video, or other source, and EasyBib will produce the correct citation in one second. EasyBib is available for iPhone and Android.

Evernote

Taking notes is just a part of college life. Fortunately, there’s a mobile app to help students do it more efficiently. Evernote, a smartphone app that allows college students to collect all of their class notes in one place, makes it easier than ever to stay organized during the college years. The mobile app enables students to add links, checklists, tables, attachments and audio recordings to notes, as well as share notes with other classmates. Evernote is available for iPhone and Android.

Headspace

From endless studying to social pressures, college can be a particularly stressful time of life – especially come final exams. For overwhelmed college students, I recommend downloading the Headspace mobile app. This meditation app teaches its listeners “life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness in just a few minutes a day,” according to the app. If you’re a meditation beginner, you can start out with the app’s free Basics pack, a 10-day beginner’s course that guides the listener through the meditation process and steps. According to the mobile app, this pack will give listeners a solid foundation for their future meditation practices. Headspace is available for iPhone and Android.

Mint

Those heading to college will need to learn how to budget their finances. Enter Mint, a mobile app that helps budget-challenged people stay on top of bills, credit cards, bank accounts and more. Using Mint, college students can categorize their average spending habits. This way, students can create a customized budget based on their own spending patterns. By using this handy finance management tool, users can also see the areas in which they may be able to save money. For college students looking to build credit, Mint will also allow them look at their credit score whenever they wish. Mint is available for iPhone and Android.

Sleep Cycle

Forget those all-nighters! Good sleep is absolutely crucial to succeeding in school. To make your sleep count, I recommend that college students download the Sleep Cycle mobile app. According to the app, Sleep Cycle “ uses sound analysis to identify sleep states by tracking movements in bed.” The app also uses a “wake up phase” to gently wake up the student at their desired alarm time. Over time, this app will help students achieve a better sleep cycle and schedule. Sleep Cycle is available for iPhone and Android.

Todoist

Say “goodbye” to cramming for exams and “hello” to the Todoist mobile app. This app is designed to assist with task management and is, essentially, your online to-do list. Students can use the app to organize tasks for different school projects, keep track of due dates and deadlines, and prioritize which tasks are the most important. With Todoist students can also break down larger tasks into smaller ones by creating “sub-tasks.” The app will also send its users reminders to start and finish tasks on their to-do list. Todoist is available for iPhone and Android.

Venmo

Worried about never getting paid back for the meals, tabs and other items you’ve picked up for other people lately? For college students, this concern is real. After all, students don’t carry around a big wad of cash anymore. Fortunately, the Venmo mobile app offers a solution to this long-seated problem. The app makes it easy to send and receive money, while also adding a fun social component to the process. All students have to do is link the app to their bank account or debit card. Once it’s linked, they can request money that’s owed to them and/or send money that they owe. The app automatically links to the user’s contact list as well. Venmo is available for iPhone and Android.

Ready for the move?

For many students, a parent’s mini-van simply won’t cut it. If you’re planning to move a heck of a lot of belongings into your college dorm, you’ll need to rent a moving truck or trailer to assist you with the upcoming college move. Fortunately, there are plenty of quality moving truck rental companies to choose from. To find the one that best fits your moving day budget and needs, check out Moving.com’s truck rental center. Within our truck rental center, you’ll find information and discounts on various rental truck companies.

If you’re looking to hire extra moving labor, Moving.com has you covered. Check out our extensive network of reputable and reliable movers. All relocation companies in our network are licensed and insured, so you can rest assured that your move will be in good hands. Good luck and happy moving!