Whether you are affected by the travel ban, have to stay at your student home because your university reverted to online learning or have to keep yourself as distant as possible from social gatherings, you probably have a lot of extra time for yourself now. How could you make use of that? Simply search for ways to stay productive while keeping yourself safe from COVID-19. Mobile apps are your best friend throughout the tough times we are currently facing; you can use apps to study online, learn a new hobby, work out, connect with people or even follow the news. While studying at your student home, you can make use of the resources you have on the App Store or Google Play Store to satisfy most of your needs: Take a look at our top recommendations: 

Online Learning Apps for Students

As most universities have already switched their schedules to online learning, you probably already have an excellent learning resource through your university; however, that might not be enough for you. Now that you're saving time on commuting, dates with friends, and gatherings with your clubs and societies, you have a lot of time that you can make use of. Whether you are studying engineering, arts, science or any other major, there are online apps that can help you improve your knowledge in your field, some even offer verified certificates from top universities, like Edx. Our recommended list of online learning apps is as follows:

1. Edx

Edx is an online website with an excellent mobile app that allows you to learn from top universities around the world while at home. It has a simple interface where you can search using your major or a subject of your choice and check the available courses. Most classes are free without a certificate, and if you need a certification, you have to pay for it. Still, you are getting free information from top professors for free! Choose a self-paced course if you are not sure about your schedule or pick a course that will start within a week to organize your time and follow along with all the classes, discussions and tests.

2. Udemy

You have probably heard about Udemy be it from a friend at university, online advertisements or simply because you used it before. Udemy is a top-rated online courses platform with more than 45,000 courses in a wide variety of fields; you might have to pay for some of the courses. However, there are many free options you can access whenever you need. Unlike Edx, Udemy does not have a scheduled timeline for discussions, assignments, etc. It is more of an independent self-learning website than a team discussion one. If that's your cup of tea! There you have it. 

3. Skillshare

It is not the most well-known online learning platform; however, skillshare is an excellent online learning alternative to the rather expensive sites where you have to pay per course. Skillshare has a lot of short free courses where you can learn many skills and improve your knowledge in a field you like. Once you sign up, you get free access to all the courses for two months. The platform is easy to use, and you get to upload your projects and receive an assessment once you finish the course. It is an excellent place to learn a new hobby, like photography or drawing. 

Workout Apps

You probably cannot visit the gym and exercise with your friends right now. So, to stay fit during the social distancing period, you can use multiple workout apps while staying in your student room. Some of the top workout apps include:

1. Map My Fitness 

If you are missing social interactions as well as working out, this is the app for you. The app is free, and you get to interact with other members and share your exercise routine with them. You get to receive and give feedback to people who are similar to you. 

2. 7 Minute Workout

This app is a simple workout planning app through which you can design a training plan that lasts from 7 minutes to an hour to get in shape while at home. You get to choose the exercises you wish to follow throughout your daily routine and add the number of repetitions for each exercise. Once you add a workout to your list, you get to see a tiny graphic icon that illustrates how to nail that exercise, the correct posture and movement, etc. 

3. Freeletics

If you are a gym enthusiast, this is the best app to try. You will find quite a bit of free content to download in this massive app. Most of the content consists of popular routines that famous coaches recommend for you to tone your body. You can monitor your workouts and set goals for yourself using this fantastic app.

Chatting and Calling Apps

Studying abroad is not easy; you are most likely unable to contact your family as regularly as you want. However, it is even harder now as you cannot even connect with all your friends and meet up whenever you want. So what is a perfect solution to stay connected? You use a chatting app or a calling app to stay in contact with both your family and friends. The list of the best chatting apps is long, and some are connected to social media accounts like Facebook messenger and WhatsApp; however, if you'd like to contact your parents through a secure and easy-to-use app, here is a list of the apps we recommend: 

1. Zoom

Zoom is well-known as an app that allows you to hold a meeting whenever, wherever. It is mostly free for any number of participants; however, the meetings only last 40 minutes, so you have to keep that in mind while using it. Zoom is one of the few apps that you can use on your android phone and simply connect an earphone to talk to anyone. Its interface is easy-to-use as well, so even if your parents abroad are not technologically savvy, you can still teach them!

2. Line 

Pretty popular in Asia and one of the top applications where you can chat, call, send audio, and video files as well as hold conference calls with colleagues. Line has a slightly complicated interface compared to Zoom; however, it is relatively popular between students who can easily share sheets and assessments and help each other through it. It is available on all mobile phone types. There is even a version for your PC if you are not happy with the small screen of your mobile device. 

Overall, this list of apps will help you stay in contact with everyone you know, stay safe and enjoy your extra time. You will benefit from your time as much as possible while still chatting and engaging with your friends online.