Our phones can do some pretty amazing things. You can take stunning photos, hunt for Pokemon, send ugly selfies to friends; the possibilities are endless. You can also use your phone to make your life a whole lot easier, and that only becomes more apparent on a college campus. Download these apps to really the get the most out of your phone and your campus.

CU Buses

Trying to get around Chambana? CU Buses is the way to go. It lets you know upon loading which bus stops are nearest you, and can give you a complete schedule of buses for each stop as well as how many minutes until they arrive. You can also mark your most frequent bus stops and access them with one tap. Trying to get specific directions from one place to another? No problem, CU Buses lets you plan between any two points in town and gives you an itinerary of your stops and times.

Compass 2g

Through logging in to Compass 2g, Blackboard Mobile lets you stay up to date with professor announcements, assignments and your grades. From within the app, you can also submit to discussions, attach files from your phone and also read any content posted by your instructor. It’s a pretty good way to keep track of your classes at all times. Plus, being able to see that you aced an exam while you’re out on a Friday night is a pretty nice feeling.

UIUC Dining

Food is important. But so is your time. This is where UIUC Dining app comes in. It shows you the hours of each dining hall as well as a complete menu of what they’re serving, so deciding where/when/if to go becomes a breeze. With an expansive set of data for each menu item, you’ll be able to ease any allergy or nutritional concerns. It also lets you check your balance of Illini Cash and meals remaining, preventing you from the heartbreaking realization of having no swipes left on soul food day.

Order-Up/Envoy Now

Sometimes timing doesn’t match up. For instance, maybe you spent all night studying and realized the dining halls closed an hour ago. No problem, Order-Up has you covered. It lets you know which restaurants on campus are open and also hooks you up with some sweet, sweet deals. Just looking for something not dining food to eat in the day? Order-Up updates itself all day with deals, all meals covered. Envoy Now is a lesser known food deal app option, and designates itself as “The Official Sponsor of College Munchies.” It also promises lesser delivery fees and even promises to come right to your door or study spot in less than 30 minutes. The future is here!

Venmo

You’re going to owe your friends money throughout college. Whether it’s for t-shirts for your club, drinks for you on a night out or because you accidentally put a hole in their apartment wall, it will happen. Venmo is perfect for these transactions, as it effortlessly lets you transfer money straight from your bank account to theirs. No paper, no problem.

Aaron is a sophomore in Media.
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