So you’ve just moved to a new place for school. You’re culture-shocked, scared and have no idea what the future holds. Not to worry though, it’s not the 15th century. Everything is easier when you have the Internet.
Below is the Dialog’s guide to apps that can help you acclimatize to student life in Toronto.
- Transit apps: When you are a student in this city, public transit will be your best friend. Affordable and easily accessible, make sure you never miss a bus with these apps.
Google Maps – Out of all the apps available for transit (City Mapper, Apple Maps, and Transit), my personal favourite is Google Maps. Google Maps is handy as you can check when the next bus arrives and the most efficient route to take to where you need to go. You can also plan ahead of time by pulling up transit schedules days in advance of your trip.. The accuracy of Google Maps is unmatched.
Presto – To travel on public transit, whether by subway, RT, streetcars or the GO trains, you will need a Presto card. This is a reloadable travel pass that you can purchase from Shoppers Drug Mart and certain subway stations. To easily load funds onto to your card and check your balance, download this app.
- Search for Jobs: Working part-time is inevitable for many students. Certain apps can make the whole process of job hunting easier on you.
Indeed – Indeed is great for finding all kinds of job postings. Upload your resume, update your skills, receive notifications from employers and customize your feed to see relevant jobs open for applications.
LinkedIn – LinkedIn provides you with real-time connections to professionals in your field, which can be highly lucrative for long-term career options. However, it is crucial to update your profile with your recent achievements. It is possible that professionals might also offer you jobs based on your profile.
- Food and Groceries: Craving something specific? Want to discover new cuisines? Or just need to get some groceries while you’re hibernating at home in this cold weather? Try out these apps!
DoorDash – DoorDash is a food delivery app with thousands of options to choose from. With different cuisines ranging from Caribbean to Indian, you will never run out of new things to try. Vegan and vegetarian options are available too. Some similar apps are Uber Eats and SkipTheDishes
Walmart – Walmart has a delivery-to-your-door option that can be accessed through their app. Now you don’t have to worry about dragging huge bags of groceries home when it’s -15 degrees outside.
- Events and Exploration: No student experience is complete without exploring all the nooks and crannies of your home city with your friends. George Brown College also has many events planned throughout the year which are hard to miss. To keep on top of all these events, consider downloading these apps.
Eventbrite – Eventbrite lists all the events lined up for the near-future in the city, including events the college has planned. You can purchase tickets easily and securely on this app.
BlogTo – You heard that right! BlogTo has an official app where you can hear about all the coolest places to check out around Toronto, from cafes to pubs, clubs, libraries and more. Choose your destination, pack your bags and plan a road-trip with your friends!
- Productivity: No matter how much you explore, in the end you’re still a student. There’s no way to escape your assignments or the dread of final exams. With online learning, it is even more crucial for you to understand the virtual realm and the apps your college is using.
Blackboard – George Brown College uses Blackboard as its main hosting platform for classes and assigning assessments (although many professors use Microsoft Teams and Zoom as well – can’t hurt to download those either).
Socratic – Have you ever struggled with a question you just can’t figure out, while your deadline looms closer every minute? You are not alone. Download Socratic, an app by Google that allows you to ask post-secondary level questions and receive AI-generated answers. The app can help you with mathematics, biology and, well, almost anything academic.
