Apps And Websites That Helped Me Survive College

Contributed by UC Irvine student writer Vivi Liu.

Google Calendar

Hands-down my most checked app during college. Trying to remember everything from classes, assignments, hangouts, club meetings, deadlines, and work can be overwhelming. This app ensures that I never double book my time slots and sends a reminder fifteen minutes before the start time of the next event. I usually prefer to plan out the coming week the weekend before so I can find a good balance for everything. You can also send an event invitation to your friends, which will then show up on theirs.

Pro-tip: Add your Canvas assignment due dates on your Google Calendar so you never miss one! For more instructions click here.

Notion

My entire brain is essentially on Notion. Notion is an all-in-one workplace where you can write, plan, collaborate and get organized. For me, I use it for taking notes, planning trips, making my academic plan, saving recipes I found online, tracking my job applications, journaling, and many more. You can add files, links, tables, lists, emojis, and embed other Notion pages. One main thing that stands out from other similar platforms is that the interface is clean and minimal, yet they have tools for you to design them aesthetically. There are also a lot of built-in free templates to choose from or you may also google and download other people’s templates!

Pro-tip: Learn as many shortcuts as you can, it will save you so much time! Here ya go.

Venmo

If you ever eat out with a group of friends in college, you’ll need Venmo. Do people survive without it? Yes. But each time the person paying would have to make an additional request on a separate app, which can be a little frustrating. And honestly, the user interface on Venmo is far better than Zelle, a common built-in digital payment between banks.

Pro-Tip: You can skip the math and use the calculator directly on the keyboard when requesting or paying.

Headspace

I find Headspace most helpful when I need to complete an assignment that’s close to the deadline or one that is hard to confront. With a lot going on, it can be hard to focus. Spending a few minutes on Headspace was always the way to calm me down. When I can’t fall asleep, I always go on the app and search for its sleeping sessions. My body was always able to "switch off" after ten minutes.

Pro-Tip: Using devices before bed may prolong the time it takes to fall asleep.

AntAlmanac

Whoever created AntAlmanac just saved you a tremendous amount of time. The platform combines all major class researching tools you’ll need. Websites such as Zotistics, Rate My Professor, Google Maps for class locations, and schedule of classes are all linked. By clicking the specific class you want on the right panel, it will be added to the schedule on the left so you can plan accordingly.

Zotistics

Wondering what the past grade distribution is? Check out Zotistics before enrolling in any class. The website allows you to choose a specific professor and filter different quarters or school years.

Rate My Professor

A good professor can change your life, and a bad one will just make you feel like a waste of time and money. There are a lot of great professors on campus who are passionate and invested in their students. On Rate My Professor, you can read reviews written by past students and gauge what the course load would be as well as their teaching style. Spending extra time to look for the right professors will be worth it!

 Pro tip: It is more likely for a student to update a negative review instead of a positive one on the website. Sometimes if there are only a few reviews, it might still be worth a try!

Grammarly Extension

Grammarly catches spelling errors, suggests concise wording, and flags common grammar mistakes. As I’m typing this article, I’ve had help multiple times from Grammarly!

Pro tip: You can also log into Grammarly’s website and paste your writings to get them checked!

Email Tracker Extension

Ever wonder if someone opened your email yet? When you install email tracker, you will be able to start tracking the emails you send out. It will show if they read it or not and the time that they opened it.

Pro Tip: Installing email tracker is beneficial during job hunting because it gives you a better idea on when to follow up!