Back to School - BlackBerry Style!

Guess what’s just around the corner? Lunch boxes polished, stationary warmed up, backpacks adjusted - it’s almost time for school! Some anticipate the ring of the school bell, others dread it. I chuckle every time I see a Staples commercial playing ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year.’ We’re not there yet, but in a couple of years, our little guy will be joining the ranks. Whether you want to admit it or not, there’s always a sense of excitement around the issue, even in the smallest amount. Be it a new year, new school or a new level of education, your mind races with new possibilities, as well as new worries.

Besides the standard school supply purchases, perhaps a BlackBerry Smartphone has found its way to you. If you haven’t heard already, there are a vast number of applications available to you. After gathering some well thought out opinions, I’ve come up with the main concerns students may face, especially those new to College or University. Based on that, I’ve also picked some applications and solutions that will help you deal with said concerns. Make sure you take notes; who knows if there will be a test on this.

Please Take Your Seats

These are listed in no particular order. They seem to be the most common concerns out of those who have been surveyed.

Nutrition

Despite some opinions, I still don’t think you can live on Mac n’ Cheese alone. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to sport a lovely orange tan, do you pumpkin head? To tantalize your taste buds, you could have a look at Appetite. This application will not only aid with recipe creation and discoveries, but it will also help you manage your grocery lists. You can easily recreate delicious (well hopefully delicious) homemade meals with easy to follow instructions. So not only will your mind and body be adequately fueled, but your mom may worry less about you getting all of your vitamins and minerals. At $9.99, this application is worth skipping a Happy Meal or two.

Managing Finances

One of the biggest reality checks to experience; money actually doesn’t grow on trees. The last thing you want to do is call home asking for money. That being said, a lot of the financial applications cost quite a bit of money. In most cases, it takes money to manage money. I was able to uncover a free financial solution by the name of JabpLite. With this, you won’t sacrifice functionality for saving a few dollars. You can look after various actions, including managing multiple accounts, transactions and view future balances.

Class Schedule

The last thing you want to do is give in to the stress of a new school. It is understandable that you may be lost in the confusion for the first little while. But why not eliminate the issue altogether and start the year on a good note? StudentDocket is a powerful organizer designed to help you worry about one thing – your education. StudentDocket helps you manage information which includes; classes, schedules, assignments, teacher information and due dates. It’s better than saying that your dog ate your homework, especially when the dorm doesn’t allow pets. This application rings up at $9.99, much cheaper than some of the actual physical organizers out there.

Freshman 15

It’s a well known that fact that lads and lasses will likely increase in weight within the first year of post secondary education. Before you have to use some sort of lubricant to squeeze into your desk, head on over to Gymtechnik. This solution will give you control over your workout routine and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Being able to track exercise results, routines and progress charts will help you focus on your education, instead of your waistline. Gymtechnik offers a free basic account to get you started.

New in Town

For those who leave home to further their education, a new city may be both exciting and scary. The worst part is that you don’t know where anything is! I’m pretty sure you don’t want your parents to, embarrassingly, drive around asking for directions for you. Might I suggest downloading the free application Poynt. With Poynt, you can look up practically anything, from accessing the YellowPages to searching for Movies (theatres, showtimes and trailers) and Restaurants. Make sure to enable the map to keep you from getting lost.

Social Life

Even though you are supposed to be acquiring a higher education, you need to have a life as well. All work and no play makes you a dull boy or girl, but your BlackBerry smartphone is still cool either way. Buzzd is a free location-based social network and city guide. Keep in touch to what’s happening by knowing where to find the best restaurants, bars, events and more. You can also meet people with similar interests; connect with friends, colleagues and maybe that special someone. Just make sure your grades aren’t affected.

Studying

Oh yeah, I guess you should fit that in at some point as well. Cram will help you stay on top of your game and ahead of the class. Improve your study habits and test results by studying on the go. Cram allows you to create and manage different study tools including; flash card and multiple choice learning techniques. The application also helps you keep track of your results, so you can see what you need to work on. Cram can be picked up for $9.99 - much cheaper than buying copies of the next test.

Keep in Touch

Feeling homesick? Want to share details about the new chapter in your life? Your BlackBerry makes using your favourite social network apps much easier. If your flavour is Facebook, grab the Facebook for BlackBerry application for free. It makes it even easier to share and view photos right from your BlackBerry, as well as creating tags and comments. Keep up on your friends and relatives and see how their lives are going. It’s your favourite Facebook functionality found on your BlackBerry. If Twitter is more your style, try out the free TwitterBerry to give you nearly all of the functionality Twitter has to offer. Keep up with your tweets, while reading, retweeting and responding to what others have to say.

Before the Bell Rings

Well there you have it folks, the Back to School Stress Solutions available for you and your BlackBerry. Hopefully by incorporating them into your life, you find yourself in a better state of mind. You’ll focus less on the negative and focus more upon getting the most education out of your dollar. Now, it’s time for a class discussion. If you are using an application that works for you, share it with everyone in the comments section. You can check out most of these apps and more at the CrackBerry App Store.