Top Five: "Must Have" iPhone Apps For a NYC Intern

After interning in NYC the past few months, I have come across some must-have iPhone apps. Whether you're lost, hungry or just plain bored, one of these apps will be sure to help you out!

1. HopStop is a necessity for anyone who need a little extra help getting around the city. I know a few subway lines very well, but if you asked me to take the F-line, I would be completely lost. Here is where HopStop comes in. You simply type in where you're coming from and going to and it tells you what train to take, what stops to pass, when to get off, and how to continue on to get to your destination. HopStop is especially useful if you are in a hurry or if you have multiple transfers. (Two other apps that go along with HopStop nicely are NYSubView to view a complete subway map or individual lines and Google Maps to get walking or driving directions anywhere.)

2. Yelp is great for finding just about anything you may need in the city. They have listings of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, banks, gas stations, drugstores, and more. This can be very helpful if you are in an unfamiliar area and need to find something quickly. There are also tons of reviews listed about each business to help you make the best decisions about where to go. Another great factor about this app is the "Yelp Deals." You can search for nearby deals at places such as restaurants and spas on your phone that are instantly redeemable.

3. Pulsd is one of my absolute favorite apps. Right now, this app is only available in NYC or San Francisco but it is totally necessary if you live in either of those cities! Pulsd keeps you updated on tons of awesome events that happen every day. The best part is that most of these events are free (which is a favorite vocabulary word for an unpaid intern!) They list just about everything there is to do such as free concerts, store sales, restaurant and drink deals, museum discounts, salon discounts, and even sports ticket deals.

4. FourSquare...and Twitter and Facebook. OK, so I know I cheated and listed three, but all of these social media apps are great when you're bored and have some time to kill. FourSquare is great, especially in New York City because it allows you to "check in" to a venue. Once you do that, you are able to see who else is there and read reviews from past visitors. Some places will even offer you special deals when you check in! You can link your FourSquare account to your Twitter and Facebook as well.

5. Instagram is great because New York City is so beautiful. I know I'm always taking pictures of things I see in the city on a daily basis and Instagram makes my pictures look infinitely cooler. The app offers a variety of filters that you can apply to a picture to change the look such as "Inkwell" for black and white, "1977" for a 70s look, and more. One of my favorite parts of Instagram is how it reformats the pictures into a square shape which reminds me of the old fashioned Polaroids. After you choose a filter, you can share it with friends through sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

I love so many iPhone apps that it's hard to choose just five! Some runners up are Urbanspoon, Lustr, LIRR onTime, and TimeOut New York.

Do you love any of these apps as well? Are there any other NYC-related apps that I should try?