studysophical:

It’s been a while since I last posted anything similar to this on my blog, but today I hope to share some of the apps I’ve lately been using to organise and enhance my (study) life. Some are more obvious than others, but in any case they’re in some way or another related to staying organised during school or university. All the apps that are mentioned are available for free on Android and iPhone, but some can additionally also be downloaded from the Windows Store or App Store so that you can sync the apps with your PC/Mac and increase productivity. Enjoy!

1. My Study Life

A free and simple app you can use to plan in your homework, assignments, exams and other school/university-related activities. It’s very easy to use and nicely designed as well! It definitely helps you get a better overview of what you need to do per day or per week and can notify you whenever you need to finish something in particular. Everything that you put in there will automatically be synced to your other devices and can be used/viewed offline as well.

2. Wunderlist

Probably some people are using this already, but Wunderlist truly is one of my most-used apps because it works practically the same as a bullet journal, and as the name suggests, helps you create lists. I like to create daily lists for myself and then add sub-tasks to a task I should do (e.g. my task would be ‘Finish maths revision’ and my sub-task would be ‘Practice question x’). Also, if there just is something that you need to remind yourself of but doesn’t have to be finished at any particular date, you can just put it in there and view it on all of your devices.

3. Google Keep

A very simple app made by Google that just helps you jot down quick things or make lists very easily. I usually use this when I am reading a textbook and need to very quickly store my thoughts on some place on my phone or computer, allowing me to go back at it later. You can also set reminders for particular notes or lists, in case you need to use it at some point.

4. Forest

Forest is probably my favourite app to use for when I need to revise and truly focus on a particular task, without getting distracted. The app will allow you to set a timer for ten minutes up to two hours, and when you’re done revising without having left/closed the app, you’ll have grown your own tree in your very own forest! This does mean however that if you close or leave, the tree will not grow and you end up with a dead tree in your forest. The concept is quite silly but very effective, and for some reason, it works and makes it one of the best apps to increase productivity.

5. Quizlet

Quizlet is by far the best app I’ve used for creating my very own digital study sets, allowing me to study through the flashcard technique, computer-generated tests, and even games. It will allow you to make study sets with a ‘term’ and a ‘definition’ so that it can be used for memorising definitions or concepts. The app helps you to create your own folders as well, so that your sets can stay organised per subject area. 

6. OneNote

To be honest, I’m still getting used to using OneNote, but the possibilities are endless. OneNote is a Microsoft-programme that usually comes with every Microsoft Office licence that you buy, so most likely you’ll already have it, but in any case, a more ‘compact’ version can be downloaded for free on your computer and phone. OneNote is truly great for jotting down notes when you’re in class or have lectures, but it also includes numerous other ways to enhance your notes and study experience. You can record audio, video, add images, tables, diagrams and numerous other things. You can use the tags to highlight definitions, things you need to watch/listen to for your revision, and courses you still need course. In addition, OneNote works with ‘notebooks’ in which you can add a tab per subject area or module (e.g. a notebook for ‘History’ and a tab for ‘The Cold War’). Even within these tabs, you also have the opportunity to create a ‘page’ for very specific notes on very specific issues. OneNote even allows you to share your notebook with your friends who don’t necessarily need to have a OneNote licence. It’s truly amazing to use it!

7. Calm

Studying will always be a very demanding thing to do, so sometimes it’s understandable that you feel stressed out or unmotivated. Luckily I found an app to help you breathe for a second. Calm is a really nicely designed app that you can use to relax. It offers you various meditation schemes, long and short, for various situations (they have ones for ‘calming anxiety’, ‘focus’, and ‘unlocking your creativity’). In addition, you can change scenes you can view on your phone that have relaxing background sounds. Even though I used to think meditation would be a very guru-like thing to do, the way that this app allows you to supposedly ‘meditate’ is different to what you might expect. There is something for everyone.

Hopefully some of the apps in here will be of big help to some of you! If you have any questions about them, you can always send me an ask. 

(via studystreak-deactivated20170313)