Forest
If you find yourself constantly distracted by your phone, try Forest. The sole purpose of this app is to help you stay focused. You plant a virtual tree whenever you want to focus on your work, and that tree will grow over the span of 30 minutes. If you leave the app, the tree will die.
Forest is free for iOS, Andriod, and Windows devices. You can also download a Chrome or Firefox extension.
Coffitivity
I don't know about you guys, but I find that I am extremely productive when I'm working in a coffeeshop. I don't understand it and I probably never will, but for some reason or another the sound of the shops boosts my productivity. Unfortunately I am not always able to shack up in a Starbucks to study, and I don't live on campus so I'm not always able to sit in the little coffeeshop there either. Fortunately, there's Coffitivity.
Coffitivity is a website that simulates coffeeshop noises. I don't know how else to explain it. It allows you to choose what kind of coffeeshop you want to listen have as your setting. I've used it a few times, and it makes me feel like I'm really sitting in a shop.
And. There's an app. The app is free of iOS and Android devices.
Calm
Not one for the sounds of a coffeeshop? Prefer the sounds of rain or the beach? Calm is an app that provides you with a variety of scenes with accomodating background sounds. I've used this app a bit more than I've used Coffitivity, and I love it. The only downfall to this app is that you have to keep your device on in order to keep the sounds going. But I have no other complaints about it.
The app is free for iOS and Android devices.
IFTTT
If This Then That (IFTTT) allows you to create chains of conditional statements that are triggered to complete actions based on changes made to other web services. This website is great for helping you keep all the little details of your life in order. You have the ability to make recipes for things that are as simple as "If I get to work/school, then silence my phone." or "If I post a photo on Instagram, then save it to my photos."
The app (IF by IFTTT) is free for iOS devices, and it is free to sighn up for an online account.
Evernote
An app that lets you create virtual notebooks, Evernote gives you access to your notes on the go (provided that you don't take your notes via pen and paper only). The app syncs everything - text, photos, audio, and video - to all your devices with the app AND it syncs everything to an online account.
The app is free for iOS and Android devices, and creating the online account is also free. A premium version is available for $5/month or $45/year. This version
- Gives you more storage space each month (10 GB)
- Allows you to annotate attached PDFs
- Allows you to access your notes when you're offline
- Allows you to turn your notes into presentations
- Allows you to save your e-mails into Evernote.
MyHomework
I know not every student is like me and prefers to carry around a planner or bullet journal to keep their assignments (and their lives!) in order. Luckily, there are apps that are designed for that. And MyHomework is one of them.
MyHomework is a digital version of those old-school homework books/planners you had in elementary and middle school (unless it was just my school district that had those!). The app syncs across devices so that you can easily access your classes, assignments, and daily tasks anywhere at anytime.
The app is available for iOS and Android devices, and there are two price packages. For free, you can sign up for a MyHomework account; it allows you to do that basics - track assignments, tests, classes, projects, etc. and you are able to sync your devices. For $4.99/year, you can have the MyHomework premium package. This gives users a few more features such as the ability to attach files and no ads.
Pomodoro Time - Focus Timer & Goad Tracker
If you have trouble managing your time, the Pomodoro technique is worth looking into. And while you can pay money and buy an official timer, you can also get the Pomodoro Time app. This app is simple to use. It gives you a 25 minute timer, and it gives you the ability to manage your tasks with a to-do list section.
The app is free for iOS and Andriod devices.
Unfortunately, this app doesn't have a website. But I did find a website that serves the same purpose (if for some reason you can't access the app). Just click on the icon and it will take you there!
EasyBib
The need to cite sources for a paper can be tedious, and trying to memorize the formats for all the different styles can be a real pain in the ass. EasyBib is a website that has been saving student's time and energy for years. And now there's an app!
EasyBib generates citations in MLA, APA, and Chicago style - all you need to use the app is the book! Enter the title of the book or scan the book's barcode and EasyBib will give you a citation. The app also lets you e-mail or export your citations - and if you're like me, that will really come in handy!
The app is free for iOS and Android devices, and the web service is also free to use.
Wolfram Alpha
Have you ever been working on a paper and find that you need a specific statistic? You don't always have time to search through hundreds of websites to find that one number. Luckily, there's an app for that. From baseball stats to a complete list of Shakespeare's works, Wolfram Alpha is a reference app that quickly generates answers to all your research questions by canvassing thousands of domains.
The app is available for iOS and Android devices for $2.99