Let’s face it: being a college student isn’t always easy. If we’re not staying up all night in front of a still life to meet an 8 a.m. deadline, we’re at work thirty hours a week, so we can pay our rent. So, it’s nice when we can catch a break here and there. That’s where smartphones come in. We have apps that help us and, let’s face it, sometimes distract us. The problem is there are so many out there today that it’s hard to know which ones are worth our time.
Here are five apps every college student should have at their fingertips:
1. Where, Free. Gas prices seem to be rising as quickly as Charlie Sheen’s insanity. With the help of Where, you’ll know which gas stations won’t completely empty your wallet. This app also finds restaurants, art galleries, and concerts in your area. And it’s partnered with Bump, an app that shows which interests you share with other people.
2. Scoutmob, Free. Scoutmob checks out local spots and gives amazing coupons (usually a 50% discount). Say you want a new haircut at Grow Salon. Simply go to Grow and click “Use the Deal.” Scoutmob will confirm that you’re there, and voila! You just saved some money. Score these great deals going on right now: Sublime Donuts, Fab’rik, and Spa Sentio.
3. Pricecheckah, $0.99. Plug in the ISBN code of that giant art history book, and up comes a list of prices from online stores. Your favorite discount store not there? You can add up to five retailers. You can also scan the barcode of a video game at GameStop or those Steve Madden shoes you’ve been lusting after, to find the best price.
4. AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner, Free. AllRecipe’s Dinner Spinner lets you pick any dish from breakfast meals to salad, choose your main ingredient, and how long you want to spend making it. Then scroll through the matches and find a recipe. You can also read through other people’s reviews to see if it’s really worth making.
5. Tiny Wings, $0.99. Tiny Wing’s game play is simple, but the fun graphics keep it fresh. The protagonist can’t fly, so help him gain some momentum by tapping when he goes downhill, then tapping again when he goes uphill. You’ll watch him soar and feel proud that you could help this little guy make his dreams come true.
Give yourself a much-needed break with these apps. Save some money, get a great deal, cook a tasty dish for your next date, and have a little fun on the way (and try not to get caught by your professor). All applications can be found at the iTunes App Store.
