Pushing through the university year after mid- semester break can be a struggle, as assignment deadlines and exams start to ramp up. But don’t fret, your mobile device is here to help you boost your productivity.

Habitica

Sometimes the only way to make real life more exciting is to treat it like a game. Using Habitica, you can level up and improve your character by completing challenges, much like an RPG. The main difference – you have to set the challenges for yourself! These tasks could be as simple as brushing your teeth twice a day, or doing two hours of study for your upcoming maths exam.

Focus Keeper

This app takes advantage of the ‘Pomodoro method’ of study, which splits your focus time into 25-minute sections, broken up by short breaks. This makes completing a longer amount of study more achievable, and the Focus Keeper app will help you stay disciplined. Focus Keeper allows you to set goals and time your study, tracking your progression. The simple interface even allows you to customise your timer, if that’s your jam!

Forest

Do you get distracted by the various social media apps on your phone while trying to study? Forest is designed to beat your phone addiction by providing an incentive to stay focused. Using the app, you simply plant a seed, and the seed will begin to grow into a beautiful tree the longer you stay on the app. The minute you leave the app to open another one, it will stop growing and start to wither away – so stay focused! The harder you work, the lusher your forest will become.

iStudiez Pro

Plan out your studies to the max with this comprehensive app that allows you to track everything from classes, to homework, and even grades for each subject. iStudiez Pro works easily across different devices, so you can take it wherever you go. The real strength is its interface, which can switch between to-do list and calendar modes so that you can see when everything’s due.

Exam Countdown

If all you need in life is a constant reminder that your exams are fast approaching, Exam Countdown will keep you motivated to study hard and prioritise which subjects you should focus on. The app does exactly what it says – it counts down the days and minutes until your next exam so they’ll never creep up on you. It’s a simple but effective way to keep motivated.

Wunderlist

This is the app for all your list needs – whether it’s shopping, homework, exam prep, or a work project. Get rid of your paper trail and keep all your to-dos in one place. You can set reminders, and even collaborate with other people using Wunderlist (particularly handy for group assignments!)

Paprika

For those students that live out of home, you’ll know that meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking can take out a big chunk of your day. Paprika is here to simplify your food prep, allowing you to download hundreds of your favourite recipes from different websites at the tap of a button. With the calendar view, you can plan out your week, and the app keeps shopping lists, recipes and nutritional information all in the one place.