Best productivity apps for Students
These Apps will be of tremendous help during your studies and in your personal life.
Some months ago, I did an article on some applications that will help you increase your productivity on your Mac. Now, after studying for about two weeks and using a lot of apps in my day to day life outside university, I can say with confidence that the apps on the list are game-changers.
Alfred 4
Yes, I know. This app was in my previous list and about every other list about productivity apps for the Mac. But doesn’t that tells you how good Alfred 4 is
But doesn’t that tells you how good Alfred 4 is?
In short, Alfred 4 is a spotlight function on steroids. It finds documents, shows folders, functions as a google search, and much more.
The first time I presented Alfred, I was already amazed at the time savings it provides and the neat integration into MacOS. However, now some months after first picking it up, it has proven to be an even more important asset. Slowly but steadily, the amount of documents and lecture slides is increasing on my MacBook Pro.
Even though I think I have a well-organized system, Alfred makes finding the right documents easier. Instead of clicking through the folders, I just type in the name of the folder or the document’s actual name, and it either shows it or opens it (depending on my input).
For me, Alfred 4 is a no-brainer, and if you only get one application from this list, it should be Alfred 4.
Notion
Every student needs a good note-taking app. My go-to is Notion.
At first, I was skeptical. It seemed like Notion could prove to be too tricky for quick note-taking. However, my skepticism was inappropriate, Notion is a superb note-taking app. While I don’t know half of the features, the ones I need and want to use, I know by heart, and it is as easy as it gets to use them.
Personally, I am a massive fan of the Cornell note template and the templates provided by other students. They are a great addition to my notes and help me structure everything neatly.
Not only do the templates make Notion great, but there are two features that make Notion really stand out for me. The toggle things and the ability to turn everything into a page.
First, the toggle things: Notion provides a layout feature called toggle. These little toggles can be “toggled” and the note hidden in it appears. This is especially useful for two things.
On the one hand, you can compress your notes, so they don’t look like everything is crammed in them but rather like well-organized notes. On the other hand, toggle things are perfect for active recall.
Active recall is a method of studying and learning things, and evidence shows that it is far better than plain note-taking. The basic premise is that instead of packing things into your brain, you use the mind to recall the items you want to learn.
So instead of writing the keyword of the note as the title of the toggle, I write a question. Hence, I use active recall, and if I want to see the solution, I toggle the thing and see the answer.
Second, the ability to turn everything into a page. We all have been there, a page in one note that seems to never end, pieces of information all over the place, right left and center, and you lose your overview.
Notion allows you to create subpages everywhere and does not limit you in the way most other note-taking apps do. For example, OneNote allows you to have a “Book”, “Chapters” and “Pages”. In Notion you aren’t restricted in that way, but you can maintain a neat system.
Magnet
A thing I really miss in MacOS is window snapping from windows. In windows 10, I could easily arrange four windows across the whole screen with simple keyboard shortcuts. Standard MacOS only lets you use two windows side by side, and there isn’t a shortcut.
That’s where magnet comes in. The app allows you to structure and arrange the windows on your home screen as you want. There are tons of options on placing them, one in every quarter, vertical thirds, one window taking up one-third of the screen, and the other two thirds. The possibilities are there. Also, the app has keyboard shortcuts, which makes snapping the windows to their location quick and easy, and soon you’ll be able to do it by muscle memory.
While magnet isn’t an application you see working in the foreground continuously, it is tremendously useful, and I won’t ever go back to MacOS’ regular window snapping.
Bartender
In the same category of apps that aren’t visible all the time, yet enormously useful falls bartender. It is an application that organizes your menubar. When you install a lot of apps, your menubar will become quite full.
OneDrive, Google Drive, Siri, and many more icons will soon populate the strip atop your screen. So instead of deciding for each app individually, if you want to see it, use bartender.
It organizes the menubar and allows you to hide specific icons. With a simple click on the three dots of the application, they’ll appear, and you can interact with them.
Like a magnet, it is a relatively simple application but saves you a lot of time and improves your desktop aesthetic.
Additional tips
As a student, I find myself frequently exchanging files and documents with my peers. When your mate has an Apple device as well, be sure to make use of AirDrop. You don’t lose out on quality in images or videos. It is lightning fast and easy to use.
Another fantastic app for students is amphetamine. It keeps your Mac awake, even when you close the display. This is useful when you’re downloading stuff or just want to keep listening to music.
The final tip is to keep an eye on your battery. If you see your battery is going down fast, you can click on the icon in the menubar, and the computer will show you what apps are using significant energy.
I can only recommend all the applications on this list and personally use all of them daily. They make my study life a lot easier, especially during the countless zoom calls and online lectures. The best thing about all the applications is that they are free or are available for student-friendly prices.
Stay safe
Raffael
