There is no doubt that many of us have felt tense and isolated from our usual activities during this unprecedented period of time. With the COVID pandemic creating a prominent shift in our world, students are trapped in this foreign learning environment where they are deprived of the traditional learning opportunities they had a year ago.
In order to adapt and prosper in this new setting, it is important that students take advantage of all the resources they can utilize to make virtual learning easier. With that being said, here is a list of apps that every student can use to make this spontaneous transition in their academic lives easier.
1. ThinkUp: Positive Affirmations
Rating: 4.8 stars
Price: Free with in-app purchases
It is not easy to start off the day by turning your computer on and staring into a screen for an hour. Aside from academics and learning, it is essential that students start off their days in the best way possible, and one of the most simple ways to do so is by downloading an app dedicated to providing positivity. Being one of the leading apps for positivity and motivation, ThinkUp enables you to relieve your anxiety and stress through positive affirmations and self-talk.
In addition to being recommended by several health professionals and being ranked as the #1 app on Healthline, ThinkUp provides a vibrant user interface with many options for you to help yourself destress and relax. The app allows you to choose areas of interest you would like to focus on—such as habits, mindset, mental health, self-esteem, spirit, and general health—and record related affirmations with your own voice to radiate positive energy from within. You can also add other affirmations from a wide variety of topics to your list.
2. Google Calendar
Rating: 4.6 stars
Price: Free
With many students studying from the comfort of their own homes, it is easy to lose track of assignments and tasks throughout the day. Being ranked as #14 in Productivity on the app store and boasting over 100,000 reviews, Google Calendar is one of the most popular apps for students who are in need of an easy way to create schedules and abstain from procrastinating on assignments.
The app allows you to easily switch between days, weeks, and months to help keep short- and long-term tasks in one view. In addition, you can add a variety of reminders to help you stay on top of deadlines and important dates, and you can change the frequency of the alarms to prevent procrastination and forgetfulness. Many people who tried the app applauded the exceptional layout and design of the app, as well as the fact that the app has significantly boosted their productivity and organization.
For those who are looking to keep track of their physical workouts and routines, Google Calendar is integrated with Apple Health to keep track of goals and specific exercises, making the app suitable for virtually anyone.
3. Forest
Rating: 4.8 stars
Price: $1.99 with In-App Purchases
Being ranked #2 in Productivity on the app store and having over 28,000 ratings, Forest is without a doubt one of the best apps that students should consider installing if they want to incentivize staying off their devices. The app allows you to plant a seed, and it grows into a tree over time. However, if you leave the app at any point, the tree will begin to decay.
The app also provides detailed statistics and analytics of your progress, as well as a way to track daily phone usage and overall screen time. On top of that, the app consists of a very vibrant and beautiful user interface that provides you with an appealing design, even allowing you to plant real trees on Earth with the awards you earn in the game. Overall, Forest is a must-have when it comes to galvanizing productivity and motivation.
4. TED Talks
Rating: 4.5 stars (iPhone)
Price: Free
Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) is an app that compiles some of the most motivational and insightful presentations. Following the slogan "Ideas Worth Spreading," TED offers a number of valuable videos that can truly help students channel their inner creativity and come up with many new ideas and inspirations.
Many people who have reviewed the app have emphasized the fact that listening to TED Talks when eating, exercising, or simply looking for motivation is a great way to stay attentive to social issues and develop new insights on daily life. Overall, if you are a student who is looking to develop some more creativity and inspiration, TED is a great app to consider downloading.
5. Photomath
Rating: 4.8 stars
Price: Free with in-app purchases
During virtual learning, communication with teachers is certainly not as feasible as it was during in-person instruction. When studying subjects such as math, it is likely that students will find themselves bewildered when solving certain problems and understanding different concepts. Even with the many resources available online such as Youtube videos, it still may be difficult to have a complete understanding of how to go about solving certain problems.
Having over 437,000 ratings, Photomath has successfully provided a solution for this dilemma. When using the app, students simply take a picture of the problem they are trying to solve, and Photomath will instantly give the solution and an organized list of steps that were used to calculate the solution.
When I was studying Calculus AB last semester, I found it difficult to reach out to my teacher for help on certain problems, and with my friends being in the same boat as me, I desperately searched for the problem and the steps that were used to solve it. After coming across Photomath, it was significantly easier for me to solve the homework problems that I did not understand as the app gave basic and straightforward steps that were easy to understand. I highly recommend this app to students who are studying any level of math.
As strange as these times may be for many students, there is no reason why you should let yourself be held back by the academic obstacles of the pandemic. With the many resources available to us online, it is important that we utilize them to truly thrive during this unprecedented school year. So make sure to download these apps and get to work!
