Coming to Penn State you’re probably thinking about all of the materials you will need. What type of computer should I get (not a mac), what kind of backpack do I want, how many pencils do students even use anymore? This particular blog will not be the place to find that information. In this blog I’m going to discuss what you haven’t thought about, what apps you will need. 

First off, and perhaps the most useful app you will use on the first week is Penn State Go. Penn State Go is the one stop shop for everything you will need related to Penn State. It has Lion-path, Canvas, your email, Athletics information, the Academic Calendar, where the buses are at, and even the dining hall menus for the rest of the week. And let me tell you, you will be using that map on the app so much during that first week of classes to navigate yourself around campus. You won’t look as much like a freshman now as you would’ve in the past for using a map. Before 2010 they’d have seen you with a map and been like, “That’s a Freshman.” Today, they just see a guy walking down the street on the phone and think oh just another social media addict. 

Up next is the Penn State Athletics app. This app is critical for you to access your student tickets to any sporting event. Make sure to put your tickets into your Apple Wallet (or Google wallet) before the day of the game. I promise it will simplify your life to a large degree. The Athletics app can also give you live updates on all of your favorite sports teams.

I know I said PSUGo was the most useful app, but the most important app is definitely Duo. Duo is your key to log into everything. Anytime you log into a Penn State account you will have to use Duo for dual-factor authentication. Not so fun fact: one time I was updating my phone to the new iOS, and I couldn’t do any work for the 40 minutes my phone was updating. Learn from my mistakes: log in before you update. 

Another key app to have is Adobe Scan. It is the number one way to submit any assignments you completed on an actual sheet of paper (opposed to on a computer screen). Adobe scan makes pdf documents out of pictures with your phone camera, and if you have the Canvas App (featured next) you can submit your assignments directly from Adobe scan. Huge time saver.

Finally the last app that is a major help is the Canvas app. It allows you to submit assignments directly from your phone, and it is the best way to receive your grades. However, this download does come with a risk. If you allow notifications, there is a chance nights are ruined by your physics test score popping up on your screen. This drawback can be reduced by not allowing notifications. Despite this one disadvantage, Canvas is still worth a download. 

These are some great apps that will save you time and improve your college experience!