Studying can be tough. Whether you get distracted easily, have a poor memory, or tend to fall asleep on your notes, having a good study routine can be incredibly useful. A study routine can get your brain in focus mode, and make the most efficient use of study sessions. Productivity and study apps are a handy way to organize academics and establish a study routine, especially for the absentminded students like myself who tend to forget about important events and tasks. For students without a phone, the last two apps I listed are available as web-platforms, and they are all free, so you can use them on school computers or any other available technology.

Here are some great apps to improve your study sessions:

• Flora
Flora is a task-management app to limit phone usage while studying. When you want to study, you can select the amount of time you want to stay off your phone, and watch a tree grow on your screen while you focus on your task. Over time, you collect the trees that grow while you study, and you can even use it for group study sessions by using the “friends” feature. Flora is based on the Pomodoro technique, which is a strategy of time management created by Francesco Cirillo, where you focus for 25 minutes at a time, taking 5 minute breaks between each focus period. After four cycles of 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off, you can take a 15-20 minute break. A similar app that uses this strategy is Focus Keeper.

• Quizlet
Quizlet is a study materials app. You can make flashcards based off of your own notes, or use flashcards created by other students. Search by keyword, and find numerous resources based on your study topic. You can match terms to definitions, take practice quizzes, and type answers to study questions. There are upgrades if you want to download study sets to use without Wi-Fi or get bonus features like scanning and ad-free studying, but the flashcards and other resources are completely free with the app.

• My Study Life
My Study Life is a planning app that organizes your academic schedule. Keep track of class schedule, upcoming exams, tasks, and general calendar events. The app consolidates all the reminders and assignments of student life, so that you only need one app for your schedule. The clear, easy-to-use layout makes this app exceptional for even the busiest schedules.

Studying is a skill, and one that is up to the individual to personalize. You do not need to review notes if that does not work for you; there are a lot of online platforms dedicated to different study styles. Use flashcards, quizzes, even YouTube videos to curate a study routine that helps you understand course content. I highly recommend researching strategies like the Pomodoro Technique if you have trouble staying focused for long periods of time, or find that traditional studying is not effective. Keep in mind that studying is not about getting perfect marks on every test; it’s about exploration and learning new things. The apps above, and many more, can make learning effective and organized.