9 smartphone apps to help FIU students thrive this semester


By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17

If you’re a student with another fall semester set to begin, chances are you’re rushing to stock up on supplies, raiding bookshelves for textbooks and stuffing your kitchen drawers with an unending supply of Ramen Noodles.

But before you rush to make it on time to your first class, you should visit the app store on your smartphone and get ready to download some apps that can help you not only survive the semester, but thrive in every area of college life.

fiu mobileFIU MOBILE

No FIU student should be without the FIU Mobile app. Students can check their grades and financial aid, access Blackboard, search for courses, look up parking and transit information and view maps of MMC and BBC, among a number of other essential features. It is a must-have resource for students, faculty and staff. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, what are you waiting for?

imagesEVERNOTE

With this app you can take class notes and share them with friends, plan group projects, snap photos and save them for later inspiration and more. Notes, web pages, audio recordings can all be uploaded and synced across computers, phones and tablets, making anything you save easily accessible at any time. For students looking to stay organized and keep all their notes in one place, Evernote is the way to go.

study blueSTUDYBLUE FLASHCARDS

StudyBlue uses text, pictures and audio to create digital flashcards that can help you study and memorize information for that exam you have coming up. Few apps can make studying as efficient and effective than this app, and you can also browse through flashcards made by others to help you as well.

EasyBibEASYBIB

You’ve done the research. You’ve written the paper. Now you have to do the bibliography… or do you? EasyBib makes bibliography writing easy by citing your sources for you. Whether your professor wants MLA, Chicago, or APA style, all you have to do is scan the title of the book your citing and the app will do it for you. Then you can email them to yourself and you’re done.

dropboxDROPBOX

No app helps you store all of your important files on the go better than Dropbox. With it, you can keep that term paper you’re working on to video projects and everything in between stored and available on your smartphone, tablet, computer and Dropbox’s website. The ability to edit documents, automatically add photos, and show off videos from virtually anywhere makes this app particularly useful for students.

dictionaryDICTIONARY.COM MOBILE

Need to find the definition of a word in a hurry? Look no further than the Dictionary.com app, which features more than two million definitions, synonyms and antonyms so you can figure out what in the world “dither” means. And as a bonus, its “Word of the Day” feature gives you a chance to expand your vocabulary.

MintMINT

Keeping track of your finances in college can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. With the Mint app, you can keep track of what you’re spending  by syncing your checking and savings accounts as well as credit cards, create budgets every month and set up financial goals in a matter of minutes. It also synchronizes across different devices for easy access.

tedTED

The TED Talks app can help give you the burst of inspiration, innovation and creativity you’ve been looking for. With more than 1,000 videos to view on topics ranging from education and science to poverty and culture, there is plenty of material to delve into. Who knows? You may even be inspired to give your own talk at TEDxFIU.

myfitnesspalMYFITNESSPAL

In between classes, jobs, homework and having fun, it can be hard to stay in shape during the semester. That’s where MyFitnessPal comes in. In addition to tracking how much you exercise, this app can help you track what you eat (and how much) with a searchable food database that has more than 1.3 million items and counting, making this a great app for those looking for ways to lose weight. FIU Student Health Services lists it as one its “Healthful Apps”.

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