Congratulations, you made it! You’re matriculating through a course of study at one of this country’s many hallowed institutions of higher learning. And I’m pretty sure you’ve already been bombarded with all kinds of tips, tricks, and tools to help you get organized, take notes, study, and be an all-around model student. But what about everything else? You do still have a life to live outside the classroom, and fortunately technology has you covered with a couple of apps to help you get through your first experience as a new co-ed.
If you don’t do anything else, please try to do your best to avoid the dreaded freshman 15 (or 20, 30, or more). With the sometimes unsavory options being offered at the cafeteria coupled with the abundance of fattening choices readily available at the touch of a smartphone, it is way too easy to pack on the pounds in your first semester. And with 8 am classes and 11 pm parties, there may not seem to be much time to exercise. But if you have about ten minutes, you can get in a decent workout in the comfort of your dorm room. There are few different versions of the 7-minute workout, but they all have the same premise: exercise your entire body in the most intense way possible in the shortest amount of time. You perform twelve different exercises for 30 seconds each, resting for ten seconds between each exercise. A chair is the only equipment needed, as exercises are designed to utilize your body weight and not much else. So now you truly have no excuse to get at least some exercise in every day which, along with adequate sleep, is critical for a student with a seemingly 24-hour schedule and a diet that might be more junk food than salad. You can find different free versions of the workout with apps for iPhone and Android.
Even if you do manage to keep the pounds off, every student will have to deal with the extra weight of managing their finances. GoBank wants to keep it simple with a bank account that is completely mobile. From paying bills to depositing checks to ordering debit cards, everything gets done from your smartphone. There are no minimum balance or overdraft fees, and even the monthly service fee is “pay what you wish” – you choose what you think the service is worth, from $0-9 dollars per month. The app has a ‘Build a Budget’ feature to help manage money, and an ‘Ask the Fortune Teller’ feature that will tell you if you can afford a particular expenditure based on your current expenses. I also like the ‘Send Money’ feature that allows you to instantly send money to anyone and notify them via email. GoBank is FDIC insured and offers a lot of great features and convenience to a busy college student, without a lot of the traditional fees that can add up quickly when you’re just learning how to manage your money.
College can and should be one of the best times of your life. But remember it’s about more than just step-shows and frat parties, and more than just making the Dean’s List as well. You’ll have a variety of new responsibilities and managing your health and your finances are two of the most important. Hopefully these two apps can get you started on the right path – Good Luck!
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