One of the things that separates mankind from the other animals, is tools.
But I'm not talking about sharpened rocks and sticks here. The modern tool is far more advanced than any of that.
Apps, whether they're on the web or on a mobile device, are the tools that everyone should be using.
Students are one particular group of people that have benefited greatly from the widespread use of apps. Just as technology has made education accessible to millions of people, study apps have made it easier than ever to succeed in learning environments.
Below, I've listed seven amazing applications to help you study more effectively.
One of the my favourite methods of studying has always been using a thick deck of flashcards wrapped with a rubber band and stuffed in my backpack for easy reading later on.
However, while effective at helping you squeeze in extra study sessions while riding the bus, this study habit is outdated.
It's the twenty-first century and there's no need for lugging around whole decks of cards for different courses when you can just have them all tucked away in your smartphone, via Flashcards+.
Out of all study apps, this one definitely stands out.
Keeping with the theme of index cards as study tools; one of the best ways to outline a research paper is on index cards.
You might be familiar with the method of sorting out your research material onto lined notecards labeled and organized by source. Again, this method works well but it too has been improved on with an app.
Cardflow allows you to have multiple projects saved and you can use a stylus to write on the cards like you would with a pen in the real world so you can draw diagrams and underline important words with ease.
Something I would do before every scheduled test in college was create a study guide.
What I loved about creating them in Google Docs was that I could type them up on my computer and access them from my phone or tablet while walking from class to class.
I could even edit or highlight the main ideas to easily look over later on. Sometimes, I would do things like change the text-color to red on material I knew I was struggling with, and that would automatically sync across all my connected devices.
Almost every student will have to deal with research in one form or another, even if you aren't studying a writing intensive subject.
Finding relevant sources is hard enough, but organizing them all is even harder. My school for instance had a limit on the amount of printing you were allowed each semester – but if I didn't print what I found online, I would struggle to remember where I found them on the world wide web.
Pocket solved this problem for me in a huge way. Not only did the app allow me to save articles from anywhere with the click of a Google Chrome extension button, but it allowed me to tag each article with the name of whatever project it was relevant.
The Pomodoro Technique utilizes a timer to help you break up your work into twenty-five minute intervals.
By taking these frequent breaks, you can ward off burnout and make yourself more productive in the process. It goes a long way to keeping you from feeling drained.
ClearFocus is just one of many Pomodoro Technique timer apps that can be downloaded on your smartphone, but it has a user interface which I find most appealing.
Confession: I'm bad at math. I hate it in all of it's many terrible forms. There have been times when I've thought I wouldn't even make it out of high school because of my nightmarish math classes.
I don't remember who introduced me to Kahn Academy – but if they hadn't I surely would've dropped out of school.
Kahn Academy is a personalized learning resource for all ages. This means that no matter what level you're at in your education you can find video breakdowns on how to work out every kind of problem you might run across in your textbook.
I'm still not very good at math, but Kahn Academy helped me bring my F's up to C's and B's. I can't recommend their app or website enough.
Streamline Your Studies
The bottom line is, studying can be a very draining activity – but by using the right study apps, you can make it far less of a burden.
Which study apps do you use to help you succeed as a student? Which of these apps did you not know about before? Please leave a comment below.
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