In today’s society, it’s almost impossible to function without a working smartphone. Believe me… I know because my iPhone 6 just broke (thanks for the help with that, Apple). With as much information we rely on our phones to hold and provide us with, it’s important to utilize our technology to its full potential. From one Smick to another, here’s a list of ten of the best things to have on your phone to make college life just a bit easier.
1. Banking App
If you were to ask any of my friends or even my parents, they’d be the first to tell you I never know how much money I have or what my finances look like. Sorry, Mom and Dad! Downloading my bank’s mobile app is the smartest thing I’ve ever done and has ended up making checking my accounts much easier than logging in on the computer. I can check my bank account, slightly die internally, cry externally, and see how much money I have all in less than two minutes. It’s almost a win-win situation.
2. Mint
This online service actually tracks what your money goes to by linking to your bank accounts. Talk about terrifying. As scary as it is to see how much of your money you might be spending on Eddy Street or Uber fares, it’s better to see what you’re spending your money on so you can be aware and spend smarter the next time you’re out and about.
3. Transpo Schedules
Like many freshman, I have a driver’s license, but no car on campus. Therefore, Transpo is how I usually get from Saint Mary’s to Notre Dame, as half my activities are on the other side of the highway. Having the Transpo schedule bookmarked on Safari allows me to easily access the pick-up schedule on my iPhone and MacBook wherever I am.
4. Uber
This is another one of my transportation essentials. I use Uber almost every weekend, whether it be to get to Notre Dame because I’m too lazy to wait for Transpo (which isn’t financially responsible of me at all, I know) or to get groceries at Walmart and spend an extra $25 on unnecessary items at the nearby Dollar Tree on Portage. Before signing up, check for any new member deals you can find. Verizon Wireless, for example, offers a $25 credit for new users who in return cash in some of their Verizon Smart Rewards points.
5. Mobile Security
I personally use Trend Micro, as I also have it for Internet Security on my MacBook, but any well-reviewed and criticized company will do. With as much important and confidential information we keep on our phones, it’s crucial that you have some form of anti-virus protection on your phone. For those of you who decide to download a mobile banking app or take advantage of touchless pay options like Apple Pay or Android Pay, take this type of app into consideration.
6. Gmail or Apple Mail app
With as many emails as Saint Mary’s sends me on a daily basis, I’m constantly checking my email at least every 15 minutes (when I’m not in class, of course). I doubt I’m the only Smick who does this. Do yourself a favor and sync your Saint Mary’s email address with the Apple Mail app or download Gmail. Just do it.
7. Dropbox or Google Drive
Don’t question it, just download it. I personally prefer Dropbox, which I joined my junior year of high school and I’ve used it religiously since then. I save everything to Dropbox, as well as my flash drive and external hard drive, just in case my computer crashes someday (watch it happen now that I’ve said it). Saving your documents and projects to Dropbox or Drive makes them easily accessible, especially if you are working on multiple computers or just away from your usual workspace.
8. BelleMoible
This is not an app that I use very much, but it's definitely is a helpful one. I used it the first few weeks of classes to check my daily class schedule and help me find my buildings on the first day. It was a total lifesaver for me, because I’d only been to Saint Mary’s once before I decided to go here.
9. Spotify or Pandora
I still use both of these music services regularly, because both have their specific uses for me. I prefer Pandora for working out (especially 80’s Cardio Radio) and studying (Classical for Studying Radio) and Spotify for whenever I want to listen to my own playlists.
10. SMC Security’s Phone Number
PUT THIS IN YOUR FAVORITES. I repeat… PUT THIS NUMBER IN YOUR FAVORITES. Whether you just need to know when Blinkie is going to show up somewhere or if you need an actual security guard to help you, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Let’s help keep Saint Mary’s and our fellow Belles safe. Their phone number is 574-284-5000.
