RibbonMacBook setup for students
Most of what a student needs is free or already on the Mac: Notes, Pages, Keynote, Preview for PDFs, and iCloud. Add a reference manager, a flashcard app and a backup, change a few settings, and work out a layout that fits a lecture video, your notes and a source on a 13-inch screen.
1. Notes
- Apple Notes (built in): fast, syncs to iPhone and iPad, handles sketches and scanned documents.
- Obsidian (free): plain Markdown files with links between notes; good for building up a knowledge base over a degree.
- Notion (free plan available): notes, databases and shared pages for group projects.
- OneNote (free): if your institution uses Microsoft 365.
Pick one and stay with it; switching mid-term costs more than any feature gains.
2. References and reading
- Zotero (free): saves sources from the browser, stores PDFs, and inserts citations into Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice in any style.
- Preview (built in): highlights, notes and signatures on PDFs. Enough for most reading.
- Skim (free): a PDF reader built for academic reading, with notes you can export.
The PDF and notes side by side guide covers reading with notes open.
3. Flashcards and focus
- Anki (free on Mac): spaced-repetition flashcards, one of the best-tested ways to remember facts.
- Focus modes (Control Center → Focus): silence notifications while you study.
- Screen Time (System Settings → Screen Time): set limits on distracting sites and apps if you want them.
4. Office apps
Pages, Numbers and Keynote are free. Many institutions give students Microsoft 365 for free; check before paying. Google Docs works in any browser.
5. Backups
Losing a dissertation to a spilled drink is a classic. Two layers:
- iCloud Drive with Desktop & Documents Folders turned on (System Settings → your name → iCloud → iCloud Drive) keeps files synced. Free storage is 5 GB, so you may need a paid tier.
- Time Machine to an external drive (System Settings → General → Time Machine) keeps versions, so you can get back yesterday's draft.
6. Settings to change
- Trackpad: turn on Tap to click in System Settings → Trackpad if you prefer it.
- Hot corner for Quick Note (System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Hot Corners) jots something down without opening an app.
- Screenshots: ⌘⇧4 for an area, ⌘⇧5 for all options, including screen recording.
7. A study layout for a small screen
Studying usually means three windows: a lecture video or slides, your notes, and a source or assignment brief. On a 13-inch MacBook, three side by side are too narrow, and overlapping them means hunting with ⌘Tab.
Options:
- Picture in Picture for the lecture video, with notes full width underneath. Good for listening, too small for reading slides.
- Two halves (Fn⌃← / → on macOS 15 and later): notes and one source. Fine until you need the third window.
- A scrolling strip. Ribbon puts every window in its own column on a strip that's wider than the screen. Keep notes wide, the lecture in a narrower column beside it, and the source one swipe to the right. Three-finger swipe moves along the strip, and nothing overlaps. It needs an Apple silicon Mac (M1 or later) on macOS 13 or later.
You can try the strip in the live demo before deciding. Ribbon is $9.99 once; all sales are final, so the demo is the way to check it suits you.
FAQ
What apps should a student install on a new MacBook?
A notes app (Apple Notes, Obsidian or Notion), Zotero for references, Anki for flashcards, and Microsoft 365 if your institution provides it. Turn on iCloud Drive and set up Time Machine.
Is a MacBook Air enough for university?
For writing, research, notes and most coursework, yes. Check your course's software list: some engineering and statistics software is Windows-only.
How do I take notes while watching a lecture on a Mac?
Use Picture in Picture for the video, or put the video and your notes side by side. On a small screen, a scrolling window manager keeps both visible with room for a third window.