<p>What do you all find works better at college for organizing your papers for classes? Binders or folders or spirals? Or none of the above? Does it depend on the class? I mean, do teachers give out a lot of hand outs or not so much? Also did you all by these materials before you went to college or once you got there?</p>
<p>I use Spiral notebooks to need notes for a class together, taking notes on separate sheets of paper is asking for them to get lost. I place lose papers (mainly homework) in folders(blinder are too bulky if you have a lot of work you need to carry around). Handouts depends on the course, professor, and your major.</p>
<p>I got a cheap file box and a cheap pack of filing folders that hook to the inside. My plan is to keep all old papers, assignments, etc. in the filing folders once I’m done with them so I can keep track of everything (and have them easily located for tests/midterms/etc.)</p>
<p>For stuff I need actively for each class, I’ve got regular colored folders to keep loose papers in and just spiral notebooks for notes I can’t take on the computer.</p>
<p>Simple and organized. That’s the way to go, in my opinion.</p>
<p>I got all my stuff beforehand because I knew I’d only have 4 or 5 classes, so I bought enough supplies for that many. </p>
<p>As for binders, I’ve never liked them. The papers always rip out, the clips always break. They get beaten up easily. And they’re bulky. I wouldn’t go with binders, especially if you have a bunch of classes in one day in a row. Lugging a bunch of binders around sucks.</p>
<p>Folders work great for organizing papers. Although for taking notes, I prefer my laptop because firstly, its so convenient to just carry it to class unlike three spirals in your backpack. Secondly, a lot of lectures require you to look-up some info on the internet quick. Thirdly, if the topic is dead boring, you can just start facebooking. :p</p>
<p>There are some really nice applications that make is so much easier taking notes in class like Microsoft OneNote. You can sort out all your courses separately in just one place.</p>
<p>Yeah, if I were taking a course where the professor lectures alot like for example a history or psychology course I would use a laptop, but for a mathematical oriented course I would stick with a spiral notebook.</p>
<p>I don’t take my laptop to class because I get too distracted…and even if it’s a boring class, I’m still paying money to be there.</p>
<p>Generally I have a spiral-bound notebook for each class, and then a binder to keep any and all syllabi, old exams/assignments, handouts etc.</p>
<p>Depends on how the professor is teaching. If there are powerpoints I will print them out and put them in a binder before class each day. Otherwise I use my laptop for class.
At the end of each exam/quiz the notes are removed from the binder, stapled, and placed into folders along with notecards I wrote for the exam. All my notes taken on my laptop are also printed ( I hate studying off of screens) and placed into folders. I usually have one binder for T/TH and one for M/W/F.</p>
<p>Most of the people I went to school with used spirals. You’ll rarely be asked to do assignments in class that you have to turn in, so that cuts down on the “What do I do about ripping paper out” of the notebook issue (plus most spirals have perforated edge paper now anyway). Buy the spirals that have the pockets in front, so you can store your syllabus close to your notes. </p>
<p>It’s a good idea to get either one of those expanding folios or else a folder for each class where you can keep papers that the professor hands out (lists of terms or something like that) just in case.</p>