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Top 5 free apps students find useful in Melbourne

Trinity College Foundation Studies

Wed Nov 26 2014

useful-phone-apps

FOR international students, getting the most out of their living experience in a new city is just as important as their studies. Trinity College Foundation Studies students, Lyena Fi and Hennessy Fu talked to classmates and fellow students to find which apps students found most useful to maximise their living experience in Melbourne.

While apps that help students study, become more productive or improve self-motivation are certainly useful, truthfully they’d much rather engage with the city they’re living in and maximise their personal time outside of school.

Sure, you might be thinking that FitStar personal trainer app will help improve your motivation and health but let’s be honest; it’ll probably collect dust and will hardly be used. Why worry about how you look when you could be enjoying your free time instead of working up a sweat!

With that said, we spoke to some students from Trinity College to get their opinion on the most popular and useful apps students relied on when enjoying their free time in Melbourne.

Urbanspoon

Based on our survey of students, as well as our own experience, the most concerning part of our everyday student routine is ….drum roll … FOOD!

Deciding on the perfect location to have a Sunday brunch or a toothsome steak for dinner can take ages and be an exhausting experience. That can all change however with the incredibly useful Urbanspoon app!

Regarded as the best free restaurant and food guide, the app not only helps you find the best cheap eats in your area but will also show other popular eateries around town as well. Urbanspoon classifies restaurants and cafes by price range, cuisines, distance and popularity.

If you want a truly informed opinion about a certain eatery, some locations will even include photos of the venue, a look at their menu and reviews from critics and clients! Other details such as the venue’s address, directions on how to get there, contact information, hours of operation and reservation details are also included.

Unidays

Students are ever the fashionable bunch but with prices so high (particularly considering Melbourne’s cost of living), where does one look to for cheap clothing?

Unidays is a great service that offers students access to discounts for online and in-store shopping.

With stores and fashion brands like ASOS, Topshop, The Iconic, Forever New and more, you can not only save money in high street fashion stores but also discover a range of new and promising stores for clothes, technology or stationary! Buy more and spend less!

Songkick

Photo: NRK P3 via Flickr

Photo: NRK P3 via Flickr

Music is a great way for students to unwind and live outside of reality and in the magical atmosphere of their favourite music acts.

With Songkick, students will be able to know exactly which acts are coming to town and never miss out on a show. This cool apps compiles a list of all upcoming concerts in your city and bases its suggestions of shows on your phone’s playlist and your own music preferences.

In addition to telling you where the show is located, Songkick also tells you how much each concert is as well.

While we only found that one student had this app, we can only imagine how many more may have downloaded it immediately after the survey!

Monny

With so much new food options to discover, new clothes to buy and wear or concerts to see and enjoy, you’ll sooner or later realise that you’ve spent quite a fair bit of money. And we don’t want mum or dad angrily calling you about it and limiting your budget!

In order to be more money-literate, consider downloading the personal financier app, Monny. With Monny, you can easily track your expenses, get an analytical report of your spendings and never have to worry about getting that dreaded call from mum and dad. Spend your money wisely!

Groupon

Nevertheless, students will still want to try new restaurants, travel, get a ticket to the hottest event or have a relaxing massage, regardless of what their parents may said.

If you do have a limited budget but still want to get the most out of your living experience, check out the Groupon app.

Groupon delivers unbeatable deals on a variety of products and services. With 50 – 80 per cent off concerts, technology or sports activities, students are encouraged to experience new things at affordable prices.

Moreover, you can share your coupons with your family and friends or just present these coupons as a gift.

This story was produced by media and communication students at Trinity College Foundation Studies as part of Meld’s community newsroom collab. Education institutions, student clubs/societies and community groups interested in being involved can get in touch us via meld@meldmagazine.com.au. 

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