Apps to aid the student grind: Android edition

Apps+to+aid+the+student+grind%3A+Android+edition

Courtney Green, News Editor

There’s an app for that.

No. Seriously, there’s probably an app for that. There’s probably app with a soundboard that can tell you “there’s an app for that” whenever you have even the hint of a moment of doubt that there might not be an app for that.

The student grind challenges us all, especially at the peak of the semester when it’s all downhill from here. Here are four apps (Android only) for four different areas of your life that could help keep you sane.

[Full disclaimer: We have either tried these apps or know someone who has. These apps are free, outside of in-app purchases. We cannot fully endorse these as every individual is unique and some apps might not work for everyone.]

Studying – Khan Academy is a free education app where you can brush up on the basics (usually the very basics) of a topic. While some might argue Khan Academy is aimed at middle school and high school students, it does have preparation guides for the SAT, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, and many other major tests relevant to college students. And say, for instance, that you somehow missed the part in a high school history class where your teacher talked about the Great Depression and its impacts on the United States — Khan Academy can provide a quick crash course (with video!) to help you at least ground your understanding before discussing it in your American history course. 

Sleep – Night Owl is a screen dimmer to protect your eyes when you’re lying awake at night, unable to doze off into sweet darkness, and that show you’re watching on Netflix is calling. It’s free, and it’s customizable for filtering out different types of light — like the cursed blue light in our screens which have been shown the cause headaches.

Diet & exercise – Calorie Counter – MyFitnessPal is an app where you can scan food in (assuming they have a barcode on the packaging) or look them up in the database in order to keep track of how much you are eating. If you don’t like Samsung Health (S Health), this has a bit of a different look and feel to it where the macro tracking is more obvious. The app will also starting giving you insights about your diet the longer you track it, and the insights are generally broad but effective if listened to. You can also log exercises and track steps.

Mental health – MindShift CBT is a free, scientific-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy app. It’s great for anxiety, as it has quick breathing exercises built in to help you calm down when needed, as well as reality checks for when you get overwhelmed. This app is for students who suffer from constant worry, perfectionism, social anxiety, and phobias and are in need of quick relief. One of the more unique features of this app that other anxiety apps don’t have is the “coping cards” feature, which have coping statements to help you reframe your state of mind. Even if you don’t need this kind of help often, it might be worthwhile to check it out ahead of finals week. It’s incredibly easy to use and is featured on the UNF Counseling Center’s page for helpful apps.

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