We live in an era where technology is so prevalent it is hard to imagine life without it. The advent of smartphones and the millions of accompanying software applications transformed daily life.
From grocery shopping to tracking bus routes, there is an app for every aspect of life. Here’s a list of the must-have apps every IU student should download:
IU Mobile
This app acts as a hub or gateway to several useful applications, including Canvas, Student Center, Bursar Bill, Zoom, Employee Center and IU Print. Through Canvas, students can access schedules, modules, assignments, lecture slides, grades and calendars for each of their courses. Another useful application is Student Center, which allows students to enroll in different courses and get more information about their academic progress. The Bursar Bill application acts as a portal to pay tuition fees and get any refunds.
DoubleMap
Being a new student, getting around Bloomington can prove to be tricky. Thanks to an app called DoubleMap, students can track different buses in real time. This app is popular amongst students given how intuitive its design is. It color codes different bus numbers and their respective routes.
Lyft/Uber
These are useful apps when it comes to looking for transportation options, as travelling by buses may not be a convenient method all the time — especially late at night. Because campus buses do not operate after 10:30 p.m. and some routes do not run at all on weekends, Lyft and Uber provide an easy and safe alternative. Users can input their current location and their destination into the app and wait for their driver to arrive. However, beware of costs as rides get more expensive during periods of high demand. One way to combat excessive costs are the app’s “reward points” programs, which may act like a payment option for future rides.
Google Maps
Given its sheer popularity and ease of use, this app comes installed by default on most modern smartphones. From locating the nearest restaurant to finding the closest bus stop, the uses of this app are manifold. It can help users determine the most direct route to a particular location, be it by foot, car or public transportation. The extra features, such as the inclusion of augmented reality, exclusive to Google Pixel smartphones, are just the icing on the cake.
Instacart
Grocery shopping can be quite a chore at times, especially considering the busy schedule of an IU student. Many students do not bring cars to campus, and it can be difficult to transport groceries on a bus. Instacart offers a solution to these issues. It functions as a virtual shop where the user can select a store, choose which items they want and get those items delivered.
IU Hoosiers
For sports enthusiasts, IU Hoosiers is an absolute must-have. This feature-rich application offers live scores, stats and play-by-play updates of IU athletic events. Users can also customize their notifications to get alerts on their favorite teams. Additionally, the app supports social streams, meaning users can view and post to curated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds from within the IU Hoosiers app.
