Five Best Apps for Dorms and Off Campus Life

If you're a student heading back to college this school year, or if you're a freshman heading there for the first time, you're going to want a few useful apps installed on your mobile device to help you get a good handle on all the adventures that come with living through college life – especially if you're living on campus in a dorm or close by in student housing.

You might already know about some of the extremely popular apps that could help you out, like Dropbox, Any.DO or even Facebook, but did you know there are all sorts of other great apps out there that exclusively cater to college students?

From checking out the latest events on campus, to ordering food from a nearby restaurant for a study session with a group of friends, these apps will help you get the most out of your time pursuing all your academic requirements and personal interests while at school.

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Party In My Dorm

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Originally called Wigo, this app first launched as a college-only social tool for helping students find and get involved in interesting events at their schools. The wildly successful app has since expanded to include events in nearby cities for everyone – not just college students. Use the app to see what's going on locally, and add friends to track their events too. It has a built-in chat tool for planning purposes, and you can see in real-time exactly who's going where.

Download Wigo Summer: iPhone | Android |

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StudETree

If there's anything that college students hate the most, it's got to be paying hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars for textbooks they'll only need for one semester. StudETree is a great app to have on hand if you're looking for a bargain – or even if you're looking to sell your old books from last semester. Sellers can scan the barcodes through the app to easily fill out all the information, snap a photo and set a price to list it. Buyers can drill down their searches by title or by the name of their college.

Download StudETree: iPhone | Android |

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Tapingo

Tapingo is a college campus-focused food ordering and delivery service. It gives you direct access to menus from all sorts of nearby places both on and off campus, with the ability to customize your preferences according to the places and food you like. Once you place your order through the app, you have the option to pick it up or have it delivered. The app also offers discounts and promotions from time to time, which is a nice perk for cash-strapped students!

Download Tapingo: iPhone | Android |

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PocketPoints

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Looking for an app that can help you save some money? PocketPoints might be it... if you'd be willing to put your phone down for a bit! The app is designed to reward students with points for not using their phones during class. All you have to do is open the app, lock your phone, and leave it as long as you want in order to gain points. You can then use those points to get deals and discounts at places around campus. Not only will you save money at your favorite restaurants and local businesses nearby, but you'll minimize distraction while in class.

Download PocketPoints: iPhone |

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OOHLALA

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Staying organized isn't always easy when you're trying to balance classes, study time, school events, social gatherings and possibly even working part-time while attending college. OOHLALA is a social task organizer app built with the college student's schedule in mind. Not only can you build your own timetable to stay on top of everything you've got going on, but you can also see friends' timetables too. Get access to your very own Campus Guide, connect with other students using the app and join the community through groups and chats.

Download OOHLALA: iPhone | Android |