Calming and Useful Apps for University Students (and Others)
Graphics/Elín Edda Þorsteinsdóttir
Translation: Katrín le Roux Viðarsdóttir
Forest
(costs $2.47 US = around 300 kr.)
Are you always looking at your phone? The mobile phone is an amazing device, but we tend to forget ourselves and spend more time on our phones than in real life. Assignments and relaxation easily give way to texts and distracting social media. Do you want to change that? Then Forest is the app for you! You enter a time limit and plant a seed. The tree grows while you work, but if you exit the app, your tree dies. For each tree you collect, you get virtual money in the app. When you have a certain amount of virtual money, you can buy a tree that will be planted in the real world. Study and save the world, one tree at a time.
Headspace
(free)
The meditation app everyone’s talking about! The app offers a free course that teaches users the basics of meditation, but as with most other apps, you can buy a subscription for more content. You can access different meditations that focus on anxiety, stress, phobias, sleep, and exercise. For those who never have time to relax, there are 2- to 3-minute meditations available.
Calm
(free)
Calm is another popular meditation app. Like the name says, the app is designed to be calming. In the app you can find 3- to 25-minute exercises for beginners and experts. You’ll find exercises that focus on different areas, like happiness, thankfulness, self-confidence, and stress relief. Calm takes you away from the stress of your busy day and into relaxing breathing exercises with a pleasing background.
Happ App
(free)
Happ App is an Icelandic meditation app where users can choose from daily exercises, write down three good things that happened that day, take a wellness test, and get tools for self-work. The app is more minimalistic than Headspace or Calm, but the exercises are in Icelandic. The app is the brainchild of Helga Arnardóttir, who became interested in positive psychology while working at Kleppsspítali psychiatric hospital.
Libby
(free if you have a library card)
Libby is ideal for anyone who reads ebooks and listens to audiobooks. If you have a library card you can get the app, sign in to the elibrary, and get access to all kinds of amazing books. A library subscription costs 2500 kr. per year and grants access to all Reykjavík City Library locations as well as the elibrary. Storytell and Audible are also great audiobook apps. Storytell costs 2790 kr. per month and has a great selection of English and Icelandic books. Audible costs around 1800 kr. per month but does not have Icelandic books.
Icelandic Coupons
(free)
Icelandic Coupons is probably marketed to tourists who come to the country for a short visit, but there’s nothing stopping everyone else from using it. We all know it can be expensive to dine out, shop, and meet for drinks. Most of the coupons in the app are around 20% off, and the app is free. Bon appétit, dear friends. (There are also a lot of coupons for whale watching for those who might be interested.)
Even with all the beautiful, clever, and useful apps, we have at our fingertips, we shouldn’t forget to look up from our devices every once in a while. I recommend checking out The Student Paper’s Self-Care Calendar. Even though you don’t have time, have a thousand obligations and a million assignments, don’t forget to give yourself some “me time” and don’t be ashamed to look out for your mental health.