Columnist Sophie Kruse highlights four apps that are useful for college students.
A lot of times, I use this column to spotlight fun things to do with your phone that only serve a purpose to entertain you (I mean, my column is called "Gamer Girl" after all). However, lately I’ve been using a number of apps that serve a very distinct purpose. And though they may not be entertaining, they’re incredibly useful and you might have a little fun while using them, too.
Here are a few of my random apps you should be using.
For seniors that might be researching where to live in their post-grad life, I recommend Realtor.com. Though I haven’t played around with many housing apps, Realtor allows you to easily search for apartments or homes in a specific region. You have a number of different ways to search or view your results, and you’re able to filter them by price. It’s a little more user-friendly than web versions of the sites.
Have you ever actually used your iPhone's Health app? After I moved it to my home screen, I found myself checking it frequently throughout the day. It’s useful as a reminder to get yourself moving and is also a little fun to see where your daily activities rank compared to other days. It also counts the flights of stairs you’ve climbed each day. I’ve since upgraded to using a Fitbit, which is much more accurate. However, you can still get a general idea of how you’re moving with a pedometer-based app. I’ve found I generally have to add 2,000 steps to the total to find the accurate total for the day.
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Another fitness-based app I’ve been enjoying is MyFitnessPal. It is not a new app by any means, but recently I’ve been using it every day to hold myself a bit more accountable. It’s a way to log the food you eat and keep track of what you’re consuming. If you’re looking to shed a few pounds, you can input your goal weight and the app will make a “plan” for you of how many calories you should be consuming per day. It also takes into account the step count and adjusts your intake accordingly.
There are a number of different “survey” apps that allow you to complete surveys for a small sum. The one I have downloaded is On the Go Surveys. Every few days, a survey will become available. Some are about my habits, while others are about shopping experiences I’ve had at the grocery store or Wal-Mart. For completing a survey, I’ve made anywhere from 50 cents to $5. The app converts your earnings to Paypal or Amazon, so when you want to cash out, you’ve made a few extra bucks. Don’t expect it to be a big earner, but it’s a quick way to pass the time and get paid for it.
Sophie Kruse is a senior studying journalism. Do you use any of these apps? Email Sophie at sk139011@ohio.edu or tweet her @kruseco.
