Our phones have become an appendage of our natural, beautiful human bodies. They are practically an extension of our hands. Honestly, I just pictured shaking someone’s hand while still holding a phone and it made me wildly uncomfortable, but it wasn’t too far-fetched of an idea in my mind. People are struck by cars as they cross the street because they just can’t look up from their phones to monitor oncoming traffic. Reports of bacterial infections and brain tumors and even hand deformations are the result of supposed phone overuse. Phones are taking over our lives.

Maybe because I’m an ignorant millennial who can’t go five minutes without checking if I have a text (I don’t, I promise you, I am irrelevant to most people everywhere), but I don’t think this is such a bad thing. Yes, there are a lot of negative consequences of our overuse of cell phones. They’re killing off bees and we are no longer capable of genuine, face-to-face interaction. But as I try my best to not be a negative person, I’ve decided to highlight the good they bring to our lives.

Technology has become an integral part of today’s society, and more and more people are devoting their time and money and education to learn how to make apps that streamline our lives and make everyday a little bit easier. These millions of apps add a considerable amount of value to these bricks that weigh down our phones and existence. With so many apps out there, I’ve decided to highlight six apps that I really think make a difference in the lives of twenty-somethings everywhere.

Clue Period Tracker

If you, like I, am a horrifyingly busy individual whose mind is constantly swarmed with thoughts of exams and papers and work schedules and cute boys and life, the last thing on your mind is when Aunt Flo is going to pay you a visit. But when she visits, she wreaks a lot of havoc, and it’s best to be prepared. Clue is an app you can use to track your menstrual cycle and, my God, does it make a difference. You can set reminders for a number of things, from when to take your birth control to when you’re ovulating and should maybe a pay a little more mind to your nighttime escapades (PSA: you always should but we aren’t all perfect). On a day-to-day basis, you can enter data about cramps, temperature, and even the amount of sleep you got so Clue can better estimate when your next period will arrive. Girls, trust me—it’s better to be clued in.

https://www.helloclue.com/

Waze

I constantly overestimate my directional abilities and end up getting lost deep in the depths of San Jose on a regular basis. There are a lot of GPS apps out there, but Waze is calibrated so that it gets you from Point A to Point B as fast as humanly possible. Sure, sometimes you’ll find yourself navigating terrifying side streets lined with abandoned houses and alight with eerie silence, but you’ll avoid virtually any all traffic. It even lets you know when there are cops on the road ahead in case you’re a bit of a lead foot and aren’t trying to land yourself a huge speeding ticket. Life is hard enough to navigate; make it that much easier by downloading Waze.

https://www.waze.com/

Tilt

The world is a social place, and that social atmosphere requires us spending a lot of money. It’s hard enough to keep track of your own expenses, and when your friends ask you to spot them for that breakfast burrito or movie ticket, it’s annoying to have to nag them to the pay you back. Save yourself from a considerable amount of financial strife by using Tilt next time your squad is planning something big. Hosting an Easter brunch for you and all your gal pals? By Tilting it, everyone can contribute some money until you have enough dough to cover the cost of the scones and the mimosas, and then that cash is easily deposited into your bank account for fast reimbursement. Long gone are the days are nagging your friends about paying you back. Just Tilt it!

https://www.tilt.com/

Spotify

Everyone knows that music makes the scene. With a killer playlist, you can turn an ordinary, boring pregame into the pregame of the century. Spotify makes it that much easier to slay the music game. You can access the millions of songs it has available for free without a membership, or you can pay $4.99 a month to expand even further the possibilities of Spotify. You can make an unlimited amount of playlists for any number of scenarios, find some new bangers using the “Discover” feature, or throw it back a few decades with Spotify’s impressive collection of Beatles’ classics. No matter what your mood, Spotify will help provide the perfect soundtrack to your life.

https://www.spotify.com/us/

Tote

I am a shopaholic. Receiving packages of new clothing elicits the same amount of excitement from me as Christmas morning. The only issue with this lifestyle is that my bank balance and my wish list aren’t quite conducive with one another. Tote is an app that helps me tighten my purse strings while still indulging on those must-have booties or season staple suede skirt. Tote allows you to see what clothing items are on sale at all your favorite stores, like J. Crew and Urban Outfitters. You can even create a profile and follow your friends for inspiration (and so you don’t have to suffer from outfit envy any more).

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tote-shop-latest-t...

Mobile banking

Managing your finances is hard enough, but mobile banking apps make it easy to keep track of your money and avoid that awkward moment when the cashier tells you your card has been declined. Every branch from Bank of America to USAA has an app available to transfer money between accounts, check your available bank balance, and even deposit checks. These apps make it millions of times easier to manage your funds, however meager they may be. It’s an easy way to organize your life and stress about one less thing in your already chaotic life. Cross that bank visit off your to-do list, because with mobile banking, it’s all conveniently located right at your fingertips.