If you're heading to or already in college in 2015, you most likely own a smartphone. And when you're in college, you'll want to be as productive as possible.
Whether you're looking to keep up with the news, manage your finances or recreate a night out, these apps have got your back. Here are the seven of the best apps we found to download for college:
Whether you're repaying someone for a sandwich from the local cafe or splitting your monthly electricity bill with your roommates, Venmo is a great way to handle money in real time. The money flowing through the app is linked to your bank account and your financial information stored and encrypted on secure servers, so your money is safe.
Venmo is also a social platform, where you can see what your friends are paying each other back for and "like" your friends' payments.
The app is available on both Android and iOS devices. You can also manage your account on the app's website.
In college, you're bound to have group chats with your freshman floormates, group project members, high school friends -- anyone you could possibly think of. GroupMe is like group text messaging, but cleaner and even more social. Users can "like" each other's messages, share photos and videos and even create photo memes. What's not to love?
GroupMe works on Android, iOS and Microsoft devices, as well on their desktop website.
With four out of five college students reporting that they drink alcohol and half of college students reporting that they do so through binge drinking, per a 2015 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study, it pays to know how to stay safe or look out for your friends. While there are plenty of things to do besides drink, an app we found called DrunkMode can help you drink responsibly if you do decide to go out.
The GPS-based app allows you to keep an eye out on your or your friends' whereabouts (granted you have their permission to follow them), and find safe rides home or nearby food outlets at the end of the night.
Drunk Mode is available on both Android and iOS devices.
Whether you're out late at night, off-campus -- or just don't feel like walking or taking public transport -- rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft have got your back.
To use the service, simply input your location and drivers will come pick you up and take you wherever you want -- it's that easy. The app is connected to your phone number and credit card, so you don't have to worry about carrying cash around. You can also split fares with your friends.
If your college town doesn't have Uber or Lyft in the vicinity, don't worry -- some college towns have their own car services, like Aloha Taxi in San Marcos, Texas, and Nawlins Cab in New Orleans, Louisiana, to transport college students.
Uber and Lyft are both available on Android and iOS phones.
In college, you want to do things as quickly as possible, as soon as possible. Unless you're a college athlete, you probably won't want to spend hours at the gym when you could be exploring the nooks and crannies of your college town or going out with your friends.
The app provides quick, seven-minute-long workouts ranging from ab crunches to good old jumping jacks. And for the best news: a few minutes of high-intensity muscle training a day may produce the same results as several hours of running or bike riding, according to scientists at McMaster University.
7 Minute Workout is available on Android and iOS phones.
This app lets you access and edit all of your documents stored on Google's free cloud system on your phone -- which means, yes, you could take notes on your phone in class if you wanted and your professor allowed. Most college email servers are also linked to Google accounts now, allowing you to access your work and email even more seamlessly.
You could also download Evernote, which serves the same purpose as Google Drive but without the ability to link to Google accounts.
The app is available both on Android and iOS devices.
Yik Yak is an anonymous forum in which people can upvote and downvote messages. These can come in the form of disses against rival schools, tips to pass certain classes -- seriously, anything. It's a great way for your college community to bond over common interests.
The app is available on Android and iOS devices.