This article has been syndicated from Hey It's Camille Grey, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.
Hello, fellow college students! Whether you are about to enter your first year of college or returning for another year, you will be most likely be taking notes in your classes. Getting into your own personal routine of taking notes can be difficult at first. College note taking is quite different to high school notes. You may be taking online classes, be in huge lecture halls, or in labs — no matter the class structure, taking notes in college is absolutely key. Here are my favorite ways to note-take that have helped me achieve the grades I want.
Write it out
For all of my classes, regardless if they are online or a lecture, I like to write out my notes. While a majority of your classes will be fine with taking notes with a laptop, I find it very distracting. I am a health science major, which means a lot of my notes are drawings. That’s almost impossible to do with most laptops, so I love paper for notes that are drawings. When it comes to taking physical notes, every single person has their own personal way of doing it. Using bright colors and having my notes being super organized really helped me study.
Make a table of contents
This may seem a bit odd, but trust me: it’s a lifesaver. I leave the first couple pages blank in any notebook I’m using to create a table of contents. This also means that I number my pages on each notebook. Depending on the type of class, I’ll usually divide up the contents into chapters or sections. Some chapters may only be a few pages long, while others are hundreds with smaller sections in it. I'll then write out which pages are on that chapter. This makes it really easy to find what I’m looking for once I start writing tons of notes. Sometimes I am just looking for “section on heart disease,” so instead of flipping through notes, I can just scan the table of contents.
Use colored pens and markers
I absolutely love colored pens — I own them in almost every single color. Writing notes in a variety of colors is such a fun way to enjoy a long class. I like to title each page in one color, subheadings in another color, definitions in a third...you get the point. It helps break up the page and I’m able to find exactly what I’m looking for when I’m studying. For the colored markers, I use them more for when I am drawing diagrams or figures. I like to color each part of my drawing in different colors, so it’s easier to see each section. For instance, during my biology class, I would color the veins and arteries in different colors from the heart. It made it so much easier to understand than if everything was done with a black pen.
Rewrite your notes
If your class is extra vigorous, I would recommend rewriting your notes. I try to aim for later that day or the following day. Whether it’s on a computer or another notebook, it is so beneficial! Rewriting something for a second (or third) time can help you go over the material and learn it more in depth. For my second rewrite, I like to reorganize any information. Maybe I drew a drawing too small and the writing was crammed. I would draw it again and add any extra information that I missed. This is also when I add in information from the textbook into the lecture notes. For example, if the professor mentioned a word I wasn’t 100% sure on, I would include the definition of it and examples.
Make flashcards
After I am finished rewriting my second round of notes, I write EVERYTHING on flashcards, making it at least my third time writing the information down. I really enjoy making flashcards — whenever I have a spare moment, I can go over the information and quiz myself. Don’t forget to keep your flashcards for the final exam too. I make the flashcards immediately after rewriting my notes.
*Star* any confusing information
Whenever I am taking notes and the professor says something that doesn’t make sense to me, I star it. I physically draw a big star in a bright colored pen, so when I am rewriting my notes, I know to get more information on that topic. You may want to circle the information or highlight it in a certain color. Whatever your tactic is, find a way to remind yourself to go over information. You can see in my notes below that I made a big pink star in the bottom left. I wrote what I was confused about right above it, so I knew that when I went over my notes, to really go over that part.
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