With social media taking over, it’s crucial to be educated on all the best applications for your smartphone. Which apps are free, and which ones are worth your money?

Vine: Create your own 6-second motion video that can be looped in creative fun ways to be shared, on your own profile, with friends and family. Ariel Shilitz (’15) said, “My favorite app is Vine. It’s extremely entertaining, and I could be on it for hours at a time”

Afterlight: Listed as number 8 on the top paid apps , Afterlight is Kate Kelly’s (’15) favorite app. “I love using Afterlight because there are so many ways to edit pictures and make them look really nice and artsy. It’s definitely worth the money,” she said.  This application lets you edit images fast and simply. The design of the app is easy to use and not too overwhelming with just the right amount of choices.

Pinterest: “Pinterest is an awesome app to get new ideas and share your own,” said junior Sarah Hayek. This unique app allows you to share and put together things that you love on an organized profile. This app is a great way to shop for a family member or friend, with items that can be purchased through a website when saved on your own page.

Time Hop: Do you want to see what you did a year ago on social media sites? The Time Hop app brings back your photos and updates from the past. Junior, Kate Chapman, voices her opinion of her favorite app by stating, “ Time hop is the best because it brings back all the memories from years ago and brings a smile to your face.”

Facebook: Ranked as number 11 on the top free apps, the Facebook application is a “must have.” By posting pictures, statuses, videos, and many other things, the Facebook app lets you share your life and interests with the world. Stay connected with people by “friending” them to see what they post. “I love Facebook. I can’t get enough of that News feed. I love getting those tweets on my newsfeed about what Kesha is doing. Booyah,” said junior, Timmy Mountain.

Pet Rescue: Prevent your pet from being grabbed by snatchers by completing intense levels filled with exciting obstacles to save your animal. Once you start playing, it’s hard to put down. “Pet Rescue is my favorite because it’s addictive and fun!” sophomore Meg Trentham said.

Twitter: Use this free app to get filled in with all the latest gossip from friends to celebrities. Express yourself through your own tweets and discover what going on in the world by looking up hash tags and seeing what people post about their lives.  Junior student Caroline Mancuso said, “ I love twitter because you can directly contact your favorite celebrities who can possibly see what you tweet about them.”

Sound Cloud: “I like Sound Cloud because I can share my mixes with everyone through a simple to use app and get my name out there in the music world,” said junior student Jordan Wilker. Many varieties of music can be discovered on Sound Cloud, with over ten hours of audio and music posted every minute. It’s a great way to express yourself through music.