Navigating through 500,000 apps in the Apple App Store is hard. Being a student at Northwestern and constantly facing the probability of having your iPhone snatched at 2:30 in the afternoon is even harder. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of useful apps so you can spend less time browsing and more time passing out in the fraternity quads (…or whatever it is that you do).
Northwestern App
Undoubtedly the most essential app to have at Northwestern, the shuttle tracker feature lets you know where all of the shuttles are at all times (which comes in very handy when you are in an intoxicated state in the middle of the night with no SafeRide in sight). It also has other features such as Emergency Numbers, Athletics, and for the true bookworms out there: the library catalog.
Whole Foods
Want to impress your significant other with your non-existent cooking skills? Never fear, the Whole Foods app is here. Search recipes by ingredients, dietary preferences, or categories such as “No Cook”, and the app will come up with a list of things you can make. Decided on that Cherry Almond Smoothie? The app even generates a shopping list so you can keep track of exactly what you need to buy to make your dinner a little more special.
Foursquare
Other than having obvious bragging rights to being “Mayor” of CCI, this app also unlocks discounts and tips that could really come in handy when you’re on the go. Mayor of Norris gets free Norbucks? Annenberg has a secret study lounge? It’s practically a whole new university.
Wunderlist
Nicely designed with multiple lists and inboxes, this to-do list app makes you think you just might be able to finish that midterm essay a day ahead of time instead of the night before.
Evernote
As college students, we don’t always have time to read an interesting article the first time we see it, no matter how much we secretly love Gawker’s relentless NU coverage. However, with Evernote, you can now simply “clip” a article from any website and read it on your long stroll down Sheridan. Problem solved.
Flipboard
Gorgeously designed, this app collects contents of social networks and presents them to you so you can keep up to date on the topics you care about. Basically, you get a beautiful personalized magazine. Procrastination made easier. Who doesn’t want that?
Quickscan
Wishing you could get that textbook cheaper somewhere else? With Quickscan, you can. The app scans the barcode and immediately tells you what the lowest price is, as well as which website to buy it from. The whole process is so quick, you could probably place your order of (much cheaper) books before you even walk out of Beck’s.
Mixology
What do “A Kick In The Crotch” and an “X Boyfriend Shot” have in common? Well, Mixology has both recipes—along with around 8,000 others. You can also enter which liquors or mixers you have and see what cocktails show up, perfect for when you’re trying to make a quick decision at EV1 and don’t want to draw any extra attention to yourself. Go forth and fulfill your amateur bartending dreams.
TED
I’m sure at Northwestern, TED talks need no introducing. However, did you know TED finally has a half-decent app? Now you can narrow down exactly what type of talk you want to see. “Inspiring”? “Jaw-Dropping”? Take your pick and feel your IQ rise.
Dropbox
Dropbox is similar to Evernote, except it deals with whole folders and files. Have a project that you need to get done, but stuck listening to a guest speaker in class for another hour? Go ahead. Open up Dropbox and finish your essay while pretending to just be checking the weather.
Download the new WAY better shuttle app: nux.northwestern.edu. It’s built by students, and puts the old one to shame.
and the downtown evanston app.
The NUX app blows. It doesn’t tell you where the shuttle is, it just tells you the times printed on the sign (so at best it’s saving you a trip to the shuttle stop). First those times are pretty unreliable, second, half the time the app cant load the damn times anyway! How hard is it to get the same damn information to load everytime? It’s a good start, but there’s no reason to ditch the Northwestern app yet
For people with an ipad Notability is by far a superior note taking app over Evernote