Students are destined to be busy balancing several classes, outside activities, friends, and home life, which can be hard to manage. However, some organizational and helpful online tools can help high schoolers this academic season. Here is a rating of five apps that I believe will help you in the second semester. You can find these on your device’s app store.

Flora

     When you hear the word fun, studying isn’t always what comes to mind. However, Flora did an excellent job of making studying less tedious by replacing it with a game to minimize the use of your phone while doing your homework. The goal of this app is to try and get you to focus on studying rather than your phone. 

At the start of every study session, you set a timer for how long you would like to study. At the beginning of the session, the app plants a “seed.”Afterward, if you complete the session, you will have a plant, flower, tree, and more added to your garden. Your garden will grow after every study session, adding a new plant. Although you can turn your phone off, if you leave the app or go into another app, flora will give a notification that allows you thirty seconds to go back into the app, or else your plant will die.

 I give it four out of five stars for the creativity, game-like presentation, and how it promotes staying off your phone while studying. However, it is straightforward to exit the app and just let your plant die: especially if you procrastinate.

Egenda Homework Manager

     As someone who needs to be organized, this truly is helpful. You can write down all of your assignments, group projects, and more by color-coordinating different subjects. Not only can you write notes, assignment details, and jobs, but you also will get a daily/calendar view and notifications on when the assignment is due. This app definitely helped me get all of my work in on time with an organized schedule. If it’s possible to make a homework list colorful and pretty, this app does it.

 I give this app a three and a half out of five stars for its clear, easy-to-manage view and schedule. However, the notifications can get to be a bit much, but it will definitely keep you on top of things!

Quizlet

     Quizlet is a classic study tool that I find to be extremely useful. The app allows you to write down terms, vocabulary, and other questions and turn them into study guides or flashcards. It provides multiple different games as well as flashcards, practice tests, and written practice. 

My favorite feature of the app is the matching game. Following the classic game idea, the point is to match the flashcard with a term or question to its corresponding definition or answer. But- there’s a twist; you have to do so as fast as you can. Motivated to beat my best score, I ended up studying for longer than I intended to and was actually having fun with it. Not only can you make your own, but you can also use other students’ and teachers’ sets for your own practice.

 I use Quizlet every time I need to study for a quiz, essay, or exam. It’s the perfect way to study on the go. I give this app five stars for its easy-to-use setup creative spin on studying.

Duolingo

    Duolingo is an app that is perfect for language students. It provides games, quizzes, and practice tools for your chosen language. For example, if you’re taking Spanish, you would select Spanish as the language you wish to practice. It is great for beginners as it starts with simple, basic terms. It is also great for reviewing and continuing to practice your language. I recommend using it for the language you are taking in school, but you can also learn many other languages on the app. I give it three out of five stars for its understandable yet straightforward setup and the clever study games. However, it can be a bit pushy with notifications, and it can be very broad, but if you could use the extra practice, this app is for you. 

Khan Academy

     If you’re like me and sometimes need extra help out of the classroom, Khan Academy is a great choice. The app has multiple lessons, explanatory and educational videos, and articles from different teachers. It allows you to learn many other subjects, review the unit you are studying, and it can help review past units. 

I can recall using Khan Academy multiple times last year when I took geometry; I can attest that it does help. I give this app a four and a half star rating because it is not only helpful but understandably teaches the material, and it is easy to grasp. The only downfall is that it provides a wide variety of different lessons that can be overwhelming, but overall it is functional.

  I encourage you to look into all of the apps mentioned. Each app has its unique purposes, and I hope this helps you in your studies this semester.