Must-have Computer Apps for Today's College Student

It is important to make your newest investment worthwhile, because it has to last you at least four years (and then some, depending on graduate school!)

I have found that some of the programs I downloaded over the years have made using my laptop a more enjoyable experience. While this list may not be entirely comprehensive, these are the strongest programs I use at least on a weekly — if not daily — basis.

We all know it's important to have word processing programs and the like, but these suggestions go above and beyond the basic laptop ownership tips.

I'm running OS X 10.7 (Lion) on my MacBook Pro. The following programs have helped my life less stressful, more productive, fun, and given me the opportunity to get the most out of my laptop:

• BetterTouchTool
  • Did you recently upgrade to OS X 10.7 (Lion) and find that all of your favorite trackpad gestures disappeared? I was devastated, since I had customized my trackpad to open or close certain programs with the flick of my fingers. BetterTouchTool allows you to re-program your trackpad with your favorite gestures.

• Backup
  • While this is not exactly a program per se, I do suggest you look into backing up all of your files on a weekly basis. If you're working on a large project, backup nightly. Mac has a built-in backup program called "Time Machine" that works with external hard drives. If you do not want to make that big of an investment, you should check out Mozy. I am able to get 2GB of secure, online storage for free.
  • Do you have a smartphone? You should backup your contacts, texts, and other important files at least once a week. Your phone should have specific backup instructions or desktop software included in its original packaging. When I needed three consecutive BlackBerry replacements, I was fortunate to have a backup of all my pertinent information. Software errors and plain bad luck show no mercy.

• Spotify
  • New to American soil, this program has become commonplace in Europe for years. Have you ever wanted to play any song free of charge? The masterminds behind Spotify have figured out how users can legally listen to music through an iTunes-like platform. Get ready to improve your party (...and study) playlists tenfold.

• Twitter for Mac
  • If you're a social media addict like myself, this app is a miracle. I am able to monitor my personal Twitter account as well as the others that I manage for work-related purposes. Notifier lights let me know when I receive new tweets, @ messages, direct messages, and more. The news timeline is streamlined and prevents me from opening my browser and getting further distracted. When I check my news in the morning, I immediately open this app. You can download Twitter for Mac in the Mac App Store (available for OS X 10.6 and 10.7 users only).

• Self Control
  • I saved the best for last. If I did not have this app, I would still be sitting at my desk in my freshman year dorm, writing a 25-page investigative report. Out of desperation, I typed "BLOCK FACEBOOK" in all-caps into Google. Self Control appeared as a result. 

My life was forever changed.

Essentially, users have a few options when it comes to blocking exposure to distracting content for a determined amount of time. Blacklists allow you block Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or whatever websites tend to keep you distracted. Whitelists allow you to block all web content except for your approved websites. Setting the timer allows you to block content for a matter of minutes, to a matter of hours.

Not to brag, but my friends loved this app and thanked me profusely for this miracle of a program.

The best part about technology is that new programs are always being created to help others. Who knows what lies ahead?