All the apps you need as a Temple student

Everything your smartphone needs to help you succeed

Apps. We all use them, and we all love them. We love pictures that disappear. We love sharing our thoughts with the world 140 characters at a time. But, for every Snapchat and Twitter, there are millions of apps that are still yet to be discovered. So, what we decided to do is go through some of the lesser-known apps and find the ones that’ll help improve your quality of life here at Temple.

School

Might as well start off with some apps that’ll help with productivity, since, you know, we’re all here to get an education.

Blackboard:

 

First and foremost, you’re going to want to get the Blackboard app. Though we use the online version seemingly everyday for class, a lot of students still don’t know that this app exists. It takes all the coursework you’d normally see online and puts it in a color-coordinated layout. The app’s interface can get glitchy and frustrating at times, but it’s a necessary evil. You can see all of your assignments, syllabi, and even get notifications so that you never miss announcements from your professors.

TUMobile: This app is another one that quite a few people haven’t heard of, but is endlessly helpful for students. Ever need to know how many Diamond Dollars you have left? Forget where your classroom is during the first day of the semester? Just about any of your official Temple “stuff” can be accessed through this app in a moments notice.

Google Apps:

Just get ’em all. Everything you need to be a successful student has been made better by Google. They have the best app for working on group projects (Docs), the best e-mail app (Gmail), the best calendar/reminders/events app (Google Calendar), the best web browser (Chrome), the best navigation app (Maps), and they have Slides for presentations. If you’re a new student, then getting familiar with and utilizing these apps will go a long way here, or at any school.

Group chatting: While Google apps like Docs and Slides are great for working on group projects, you’re going to need a way to communicate with your group members to set up meeting times and allocate individual tasks. Apps like GroupMe, WhatsApp, or any other third-party group messaging service makes things a lot easier for everyone in the group (no worrying about people getting left out due to Android vs. iOS).

Dating

We all know the second biggest reason we’re here (hint: it’s not to get a good night’s sleep). These apps are guaranteed to help in that department.

Tinder:

 This one’s tried and true. The taboo that used to be associated with it is dwindling, and even those who used to have too much “dignity” for this app are now swiping away looking for that special Tinderella. In terms of sheer volume, this is the go-to app. But don’t let it’s hook-up reputation fool you, this app has got someone for everyone.

Bumble: 

Tinder’s biggest rival is a relatively new app that, while having less users, tries to improve on some of the shortcomings of the dating-app Goliath. Bumble takes the same swiping left/right concept, but once a match is made the ladies are forced to make the first move. This seems to dial back on a lot of the creepy first messages and awkward encounters; an improvement which has a lot of people preferring this to Tinder.

Food

The last (but certainly not least) category is dedicated to apps that help us break free from the monotony of dining halls.

Restaurant Specific apps: Temple’s got a slew of well-known chain restaurants on campus, and most of them have an app that improves upon their services. Most of these apps will let you order in advance, pay with your phone, find nutrition information, get additional deals, and sometimes even skip lines. Chipotle, Tropical Smoothie, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Dunkin Donuts, Subway, Blaze Pizza, and Potbelly are just a few of the places that offer their own, unique mobile apps.

Delivery Services: 

While apps for individual restaurants vary in terms of features and quality, there’s an even better way to get food on campus. Delivery services such as GoPuff, Postmates, and recently, UberEATS, do exactly what their name implies – they deliver. Pick whichever one you want to use, since the one you do end up choosing will seem like it was sent from heaven. Cramming for finals, waking up too hungover to walk, or just too damn lazy to walk across campus for Chipotle? Nobody’s got the energy to go out of their way to get food, so just say screw it, lay in bed, and have it delivered to your doorstep. You can usually expect food within 30-45 minutes, and sometimes you can even order things like snacks, drinks, and party supplies from the grocery store. I can’t stress enough just how essential it is to have one of these apps in college.

More
Temple University