Note: All following apps are free because student budgeting 😉

Organizational: Apps to keep you Organized

Ryerson Mobile

A lot of Ryerson students don’t know we have an app, but, hey, you do! This mobile app really comes in handy for first years because after signing in with your Ryerson login information, it will keep track of time tables, your calendar, grades, AND EVEN TTC updates for commuters! It also has a barcode scanner for books to check their availability in the library.

Rating: 4+
Availability: For iOS 4.3 or later on iPhones, iPads and Androids

Evernote

This baby is fairly new but it used to cost money. After the new iPhone update, Apple has made it free! I recently just downloaded this app and it’s taken me some getting used to. Nonetheless, after you finish organizing, you’ll feel like “What was I doing with my life before this??” Evernote is very professional for taking notes, importing PDFs and photos, making to-do lists, scheduling. You name it, EverNote can do it. It’s the feeling you get after your mom tells you to clean your room for the 15th time and you finally listen to her.

Rating: 4+
Availability: for iOS 7.0 for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

Google drive

If you’re a Ryerson student with a G-mail account (which is the 99.9% of us), get on this. All your shared files and documents to view, store, and edit are here. This is a Microsoft Word for you’re mobile device. Instead of pulling out your laptop to check group work, all you need is this app.

Rating: 4+
Availability: For iPhones and Androids

Informational: So you always know everything

RocketMan Transit App

As a being who spends 4 hours on the TTC a day, I don’t know how many countless times this app has saved me the last subway for late nights on campus. Since Ryerson is in the Downtown hub, navigating your way through these streets is essential. RocketMan Transit lets you check your stops through maps, schedules reminders for your bus arrival times, and searches addresses, locations and stop numbers. Coming from the GTA? No worries, this app supports Go transit, MiWay, YRT and other Canadian city transit systems. The only downside is that you need wi-fi or data…

Rating: 4+
Availability: Requires iOS 7.0 or on Android

Reddit (Alien Blue)

Reddit has been around for a while but I only recently found its app form. People publish all sorts of stuff from some bad humour to some really really bad humour (which we love even more?). Nonetheless, you’ll learn to navigate yourself quickly though the app and before you know it, you’re going to be waving bye to three hours of your life. There are student benefits to being on Reddit, too; and hey, RU Student Life is on Reddit ;).

Rating: 4+ ( 17+ due to mature content )
Availability: iPhones and Androids

TED

As we all know, TED has a giant affiliation with Ryerson and TRSM. TEDTalks is a great resource for education, technology, and business. This would be ideal when you need a specific subject for a research paper as one can easily browse though tags, themes and topics. Referencing a professional in the field is always better than Wikipedia (please, don’t ever use Wikipedia!). You can also download the videos for your offline time in the subways.

Rating: 12+ for the following: Infrequent/Mild Realistic Violence
Availability: requires iOS 6.1 or later. Also Available on Androids

Functional: Practical Apps

EasyBib

No one likes referencing. Don’t even try to lie to yourself, everyone hates it. So when there is a 2000 word essay which only requires “academic sources”, just scan the barcode of the book you grazed over and voila! You have the citing of your choosing (APA, MLA or Chicago). Do I need to say more? If you can get it done with a scan, why waste your time typing commas and brackets? (Editor’s note: always look over your references even from EasyBib; look for consistency and pay attention to citation rules).

Rating: 4+
Availability: Requires iOs 4.0 or later, available on Android.

Walkmeter GPS Pedometer

Track, graph and plan your workouts. Walkmeter GPS Pedometer is ideal for the rest days too when you still want to calculate your steps. This way you can keep records of your progress and look back at your weaker points of the week. The only down side to this app would be that its GPS drains your battery. Make sure you have a charger or turn it off after a workout.

Rating: 4+
Availability: iPhone and Androids

Studyblue

With midterms in full gear, Studyblue is a great way to keep, well, studying. This app lets you create flashcards to quiz yourself with options of formatting in images and audio. Standing in line at Tims before an exam starts? Instead of digging through your bag for the crushed up notebook, all your study notes will be in your pocket. There is also a collaborative feature in which you can share cards with your friends and vice versa.

Rating: 4+
Availability: requires iSO 6.0

No Category Needed…

Last but not least, drum roll please,

Tinder

There is a reason I listed this app last. If you use it in midst of your exam, I will guarantee you will fail. Some people have a very big problem with the aspect that Tinder is very shallow as you swipe left or right on a person strictly based on their looks. Okay I know it sounds bad but if you’re head deep in notes and feel you need a break, find your phone among all those papers and download it. It only connects you to people in your city so  you don’t have to worry about long distance friendships. If you both swipe right, it’s a match and you can skip small talk. It’s also a really fun thing to play with amongst your friends. But I have to warn you, it is in fact very addictive. So get brushing on your flirt game and who knows, you might find a distraction worth keeping around.

Rating: For 17+ only due to profanity, mature humour and sexual content (I still give it a solid 10/10).
Availability: requires iSO 7.0 and is available on Android.

*all ratings are based off App Store