Technology
Top 10 Apps for University Students in China
Essentials for the digital era.
Having spent the past six years studying in Shanghai, China, I’ve come to realize how much my life has revolved around smartphone apps. Don’t get me wrong, I’m neither addicted nor dependent on them, it’s just that having them around has made my stay in China exceedingly convenient. Except for a few must-haves — which I find essential to my survival.
Without further ado, here are the top 10 apps you should be downloading before coming to China in order to have that smooth transition experience:
1. To breach ‘The Great Firewall of China’: NordVPN 🌐🔥
China is infamous for its strict internet censorship policy. For years, they’ve had an impenetrable firewall, where you won’t be able to access basic search engines of the web from within the country, like Google & Wikipedia, and neither would you be able to share pics of that stinky tofu you were coaxed into devouring on Instagram and Facebook, nor would you be able to tweet about it on Twitter!
Thankfully, a handy tool known as VPN, allows you to bypass that firewall. VPN is short for Virtual Private Network. It connects your laptop, smartphone or tablet to a server in another country so that you can browse the web anonymously via that country’s internet connection. It’s as if you are from another country, and could assess websites you normally wouldn’t be able to due to internet censorship. Besides that, a VPN keeps your data secure from less trusty public Wi-Fi hotspots when you surf the web at your local coffee shop.
Having experimented with both free and paid VPN services over the past 5 years, and often grunting in frustration at the slow connection speed free VPNs had offered, I finally settled on the most reliable and great value for money VPN service: NordVPN!
I’ve been using this VPN for years now, and have never encountered any problems, unlike a couple of other paid services I’ve used in the past where slow or choppy connections discouraged me to continue using them. NordVPN has a practical interface and it allows you to connect up to six devices, which is a pretty good deal to share with family and friends who want to keep their data private and / or stream Netflix from different countries.
By the way, it’s NordVPN’s birthday and they’re offering a whooping 68% discount for their 2-year package!🎉 Can you believe that?
Please note that it’s an affiliate link, so you’ll be doing me a favor if you purchase it here. ❤️
To dearest readers based in China, the above links might not work. Please scroll down to the bottom of this post to get your special NordVPN link.❤️
2. Social Media: WeChat 📱💬
Imagine the popular Whatsapp, now combine it with Facebook’s media and status sharing features, and top it up with a money transfer function akin to Paypal. There you have it: WeChat (微信).
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do” — when in China, make sure you have WeChat. As an undergrad, be prepared to have class announcements and documents delivered via WeChat. If you don’t have it installed, you’ll miss out a lot of things, including the fun stuffs like virtual red packet snatching during the lunar new year in group chats and sending customizable stickers / emojis.
3. To get around: Gao De Di Tu🚶🚍
I’m not sure why but I’ve never used Google Maps to navigate my way around Shanghai before, though my friends have used them and it was pretty accurate. I can only assume that a local app would be more reliable, so I stuck with Gao De Di Tu (高德地图). And boy was it good.
I would bike around Shanghai with an earpiece to listen directions from the app. Aside from my clumsy navigation skills and the lack of chill when I needed to make a turn (where all of a sudden, I developed two left hands, or better yet: two left hemispheres), this app always got me to where I wanted to go via the shortest paths. As a bonus feature, it also calculates the amount of calories burnt (if you’re walking or cycling) and would share random facts once you’ve traveled a certain distance. I vividly remember biking back to the dorms from the Pediatrics hospital, which was an hour by subway; half-way through my journey, the app happily shared that I’ve rode 3 times around the Tian’anmen Square (which is a monument, and also a national symbol, in Beijing, China’s capital city).
That was my most unforgettable experience with Gao De Di Tu. Please note that this app’s interface is displayed in Mandarin.
4. Dictionary: Wang Yi You Dao Ci Dian, Pleco, Google translate 📖
For aspiring medics wanting to study MBBS in China, Wang Yi You Dao Ci Dian (网易有道词典) will be your best friend (especially during internship) as, at least 90% of the time, it correctly translates drug names into their proper English versions. Not some quirky mistranslation that’ll send you hurling with laughter. This dictionary app also includes multiple languages such as German, French, Japanese and Korean, and has other unique features like my favorite scan-and-translate, and real-time voice translations. What makes Wang Yi You Dao Ci Dian unique is its customizability — when you first download it, you get to choose what you’ll be using this app for according to your needs — i.e., are you a middle schooler, undergraduate, postgraduate, etc. Please note that the app’s interface is in Mandarin.
Next in line is my daily go-to: Pleco — partially because I’ve just gotten so used to using it, but mainly for its simple user interface, and that I can check the words’ pronunciation and their usage in sample sentences. Besides, you don’t need an active internet connection to access it.
Google translate also works offline as long as you download the language pack. As it has significantly improved over the years, and even incorporated AR technology (i.e., translating words real-time through your phone’s camera lenses), I do highly recommend it.
5. Join in the Online Shopping Cult(ure): Taobao, Jing Dong 💻📦
China has seriously given the word, ‘convenience’, a massive upgrade.
I was initially skeptical at the launch of Taobao (淘宝) near the end of my 2nd year of uni, as the app was fairly new then; plus, I was not convinced of the quality that comes with cheap prices. To my surprise, friends around me shared what I was missing out: apparently there were tons of good quality products (if you know where and how to look), and a number of companies opened their virtual shops on Taobao, such as Uniqlo, Hotwind, H&M, Decathlon, etc.
During the annual singles day (11th November), numerous shops would offer tempting sales and massive discounts! I kid you not: I actually shopped a year’s worth of supplies on Taobao during singles day. For items that weren’t to my liking (i.e., poorly fit shoes and clothes), the app offers free pick-up refund services where the delivery guy collects the items right at my doorstep! It’s really not an exaggeration when I say that you don’t need to leave your house to shop in China.
You can find almost everything on Taobao: clothes, books, cleaning supplies, electrical appliances, tour packages, and even food and snacks! Note that electrical devices like laptops and hard drives are best bought on Jing Dong (京东), abbreviated as JD, as it is known to be more reliable. I bought my laptop from JD in 2019 and have been using it since without any problems — I even got a promotional offer that upgraded my disk space for free!
6. Food Delivery: Eleme, Meituan 🍜🍕🍛
This has to be the highlight of living in China: the food delivery culture.
When I crave for some variation outside of cafeteria food, I’d whip out the ‘OG’ Eleme (饿了么) app and order munchies ranging from the snow city up North, Harbin’s famous classic savory wrap, Chun Bing, to a simple box of Korean fried chicken drizzled with honey mustard sauce or my all-time favorite, Domino’s potato bacon pizza (yes, that’s a thing in China, and it’s absolutely scrumptious). As these shops were within range, they would take no more than 30 minutes to arrive at the dorms. However, if the delivery guy has not been to campus before, I had to describe in Mandarin how he can get here, which more often than not ended in him asking passers-by and security guards for directions. I’ve also bought groceries from Carrefour and Aldi on Eleme.
If I couldn’t find food stalls with free delivery, I’d switch to the Meituan (美团外卖) app, and vice-versa.
Note that both interfaces are in Mandarin.
7. For the Foodie at Heart — Review app: Da Zhong Dian Ping ☕️
Whenever my buddies and I are planning a surprise birthday dinner, or just want to visit some place new over the weekends, Da Zhong Dian Ping (大众点评) is our go-to app for the occasion.
Here, we find reviews full of photos and videos of restaurants, bars, pet cafes, museums, KTV (karaoke bars, where you sing till you lose your voice) and even amusement parks, which often comes with pictures of their menus / pricing, an online booking option and discount coupons.
Similar to the previous apps mentioned, Da Zhong Dian Ping also operates in Mandarin.
8. Cashless is the New Cash: Alipay 💳📲
I can’t remember when or how exactly ‘cashless’ became a thing; I probably downloaded Alipay (支付宝) when the nearest Family Mart (an ubiquitous mini mart) offered discounts if I purchased my favorite coffee via the Alipay app. Then it pretty much snowballed from there.
When you download Alipay, it’ll be linked to your China debit card (or an overseas bank card of your choice), which would also be linked to your China phone number and passport details. On the app, an option is provided to either top-up money into Alipay to make payments, or have the amount directly deducted from your bank card every time the cashier scans a QR code generated from the app.
I’ve to admit: it is pretty handy, and quite similar to the contactless payment system in UK, except you don’t need to pull out a card, just your phone. Let’s be real, that device is practically an extension of your body. WeChat pay is the payment system on the WeChat app, which works in a similar manner.
Both of these apps allow you to top-up your phone credits too! How convenient is that?
I almost forgot to mention that you can even purchase movie tickets (as well as train and flight tickets) on Alipay. They usually come with discounts and popcorn coupons!
9. Cabbing / Taxi apps: DiDi, Di Da Chu Xing 🚕🚗
Sometimes, cabbing / getting a taxi is cheaper than taking the subway, especially when you’re traveling in groups of four. In the west, Uber is a very popular option in America, but in China, DiDi takes the trophy.
The DiDi app is available in both Mandarin and English. From personal experience, DiDi drivers are more common than Uber drivers, although some drivers have both apps. Imagine my surprise when a DiDi driver cancelled on me, only to re-appear on my friend’s Uber app instead! On average, I wait around 5 minutes to be picked up, though the waiting time may stretch up to 20 minutes on a rainy day.
If you have to travel long distances via cab / taxi, I highly recommend the local carpooling app, Di Da Chu Xing (嘀嗒出行). I’ve used it many times ever since I was first introduced to it to get to the airport. Di Da Chu Xing was at least 3 times cheaper than DiDi! It has saved me a lot of money! Besides, it was a safe app, and I was never late to the airport, despite the driver picking up and dropping off passengers while I was on board. I particularly liked the booking function, where I can contact the driver a day before departure to discuss my itinerary and the number of baggages I’d be bringing.
Do note that DiDi also has a booking function! And, heads-up: Di Da Chu Xing operates in Mandarin.
10. Shared Bikes: Ofo, Mobike, etc. 🚲
When the army of little yellow bicycles first flooded the streets of Shanghai, I was beyond relief, as my bicycle was stolen at the end of first year in university, and I was extremely hesitant to get myself another one.
Ofo was the original bike sharing company to first hit the streets of China. Just download the app, register with your ID (i.e., passport or student card), wait for a couple of hours to have your identity verified, and you should be good to go! If I’m not mistaken, only students were not required to pay a deposit during registration at that time. When you need to unlock a shared bicycle, simply open the app to scan the QR code on it. Back then, a 4-digit code would appear for us to manually punch in the key pad. Nowadays, the app switches on your phone’s Bluetooth to unlock the bicycle automatically. Real smart huh?
I recall when Ofo started out: numerous bicycles were stolen and vandalized. As stricter rules were imposed, the numbers of bicycles dwindled. There was even an article reporting that Ofo was on the brink of bankruptcy, though I can’t say for certain if that had happened. Update: Ofo is no longer a bike sharing company; it is now a shopping app.
As time passed, more bicycle sharing companies emerged. A personal favorite of mine is Mobike (摩拜), mainly for its sleek design and durability. I honestly found the orange Mobike bicycles more comfortable and easier to bike on as well as the ease in adjusting the saddle’s height, in comparison to rusty ol’ Ofo bicycles with their frequent broken chains and dented frames. Mobike operates slightly differently: no deposit was required during registration, but a small fee is charged every time you use a shared bicycle, which would be around 1 to 2 RMB (equivalent to 0.15 to 0.31 USD).
During my last year of uni, I’ve noticed that the digital payment app, Alipay, and the food delivery app, Meituan, launched their line of shared bicycles too. Looking back, it’s quite a cheeky move, as consumers don’t need to download new apps to use these bicycles if they already have the pre-existing Alipay and Meituan apps downloaded, which I’m fairly confident that most of them do.
There you have it: my top list of apps for you to download (and familiarize with) before setting foot in the ‘Middle Kingdom’. If these are too much for you, at least download the three essentials: NordVPN, WeChat and Eleme.
Oh, did I mention that Whatsapp is blocked in China? Make sure to download NordVPN here before you go!
Once again, this is an affiliate link — you’ll be doing me a huge favor if you purchase it here.😊
As always, I hope this has been a helpful read. See you around! ❤️
Love, Alice
P.S.: To all my dear readers based in China who need to download NordVPN, I got your back! 😉 Here’s a special link for you:
