<p>In high school, I've always carried all my classes in one giant binder and it seemed to work for me. However as college work will be more intense, what would you guys suggest bringing to class? I was thinking of buying a notebook or binder for each class? Or should bring a laptop suffice better? </p>
<p>I'm a science major if that changes anything. Advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.</p>
<p>I studied at a State U for the past few years, and had undergone various methods of note taking. I took a lot of science and math classes, and I wasn't particularly good at LaTeXing stuff up. That said, I thought getting a notebook and just writing stuff in it was the most efficient way for me to take down notes. I never had to rewrite anything later on as study notes, and I never had the hassle of all those loose papers. I would not recommend using a laptop, because that could do one of two things:</p>
<p>1) Actually distract you from the lecture.</p>
<p>2) Give you ***** notes. I'm not a particular fan of reading stuff off of MS Word typesets.</p>
<p>Get a notebook with those pockets between the dividers, so just incase professors give you handouts, you can always just stuff them there. </p>
<p>Binders tend to be pretty chunky, whereas you're good to go with a notebook and pen (several pens if you're a great note taker). However, assess at the beginning of your classes whether your prof tends to give out a lot of handouts or write down stuff for students to copy down. If the former comes into play, then a binder is probably more appropriate.</p>
<p>I just read that you're going to be a science major. Yeah, I would avoid taking things down on a laptop. Laptops are for writing papers, research, multimedia, and facebook. They're not note taking machines, gosh.</p>
<p>should I bring those 1/2 inch notebooks or just a thick (1+ in) binder for each course?</p>
<p>I'd say if you were going to get a binder, make it small, and course specific (then again, we don't really have that much to take first quarter). Make sure the course is handout-heavy, otherwise there's really no point (I used to solely use binders when I was in "real" high school, but I find that highly inefficient in college). </p>
<p>Go for the really small notebooks - one for each class. Or you can get a bigger one with dividers in between for all your classes. The best ones come with the divider-pockets so that you can stuff the odd handout in them. If you run out of pages, just get a new one (btw, notebooks as in those ringed ones with the pages, not the thin Mead exercise books). You'll be walking around campus a lot, and it's extremely liberating to not have to lug around a big binder.</p>
<p>In high school, what I did was have a 1/2 inch binder for each class, but I kept those either in my locker or at home. It was mainly for storage and reference. All I carried around me to the classes were a folder and a notebook. It kept my load light, allowed a place for me to store any handouts or work, and allowed me to write notes in the notebook with ease.</p>
<p>You should try it.</p>
<p>Nobody uses binders in college. I have never seen anyone use one in class. </p>
<p>I can't speak for the hard sciences, but in humanities and social sciences courses about half the class will use a sturdy notebook with dividers and the other half will type up notes on a laptop. A couple people just use binder paper.</p>
<p>My method is to carry one slim folder to hold my syllabi, handouts, and readings (profs will often post readings online that you have to print out yourself). I also bring my laptop to class to take notes on -- I find that I can record much more information much more quickly on a laptop than on a piece of paper.</p>
<p>You can always buy notebooks at Topside or the Dartmouth Bookstore, or you can have your parents drive you to Staples when you get here. </p>
<p>Don't worry too much about bringing all your school supplies beforehand.</p>
<p>that kind right? </p>
<p>Any advice regarding backpacks? I doubt I'll need to carry a laptop everywhere I go?</p>
<p>Yeah, that's a pretty good one. If you're not going to type on a laptop, then you really don't need a backpack. It could be nice for a rainy day though.</p>
<p>My D is one who likes to take notes on her laptop - she is a very good/fast typist which makes a difference (don't know where she got it from - parents are hunt and peck typers). Be aware that not all teachers allow laptops. She also has one class that provides computers and she is not allowed to take her laptop but uses her flashdrive to save her work from that class and transfer it to her laptop.</p>
<p>She carries her laptop in her backpack but also got an additional protective sleeve for it to stop it from getting scratched.</p>
<p>The fivestar notebook is pretty popular.</p>
<p>You will definitely need a backpack, or a tote bag works too if you're a girl. I brought my plain ol' jansport from back home which served me well. Now I use tote bags though.</p>
<p>I think northface backpacks and other outdoor brands are popular for guys. </p>
<p>Even if you don't always bring your laptop to class, you will carry your laptop to and from the library or other study places a lot. If you buy a laptop from Dartmouth (which I highly recommend), you can buy a matching protective sleeve. I used to use mine until I got lazy and now I just stick my laptop in my bag.</p>
<p>Hey Jen,</p>
<p>Glad to hear you are having a great time at Sophomore summer. Did you get to take engin 3? Good luck on your finals!</p>
<p>regarding the lap top thing, with blitz being so popular, and the freedom of having a wireless campus, there are people like my kid who are joined at the hip to their laptop (the plus side of having a really light weight one because you can get some work done anywhere). Like Jen, she has a number of bags that she just slips it into (no backpack).</p>
<p>Hehe thanks Sybbie! Decided against taking Engs 3 or Astro but my TAS distrib isn't turning out to be much easier. </p>
<p>Is your daughter excited for senior year?</p>
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If you buy a laptop from Dartmouth (which I highly recommend), you can buy a matching protective sleeve
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<p>Do computers cost more if you buy them from dartmouth as compared to buying them from the manufacturer?</p>
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Do computers cost more if you buy them from dartmouth as compared to buying them from the manufacturer?
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<p>On initial inspection, the Dartmouth computers seem to cost more. But then I've come to the conclusion, that my fellow '11s can't read. The additional costs give you a warranty, and it turns out that the Apple MacBook Pro package from Dartmouth at least, is actually cheaper than the Apple.com package, when everything else is calculated in. It was actually funny watching a bunch of Asians over-analyze and try to game their purchases, when in fact, Dartmouth had the best deal all along (which goes into the stereotypes that Asians tend to over-analyze things in general, and that they're frugal).</p>
<p>Guys, if ya'll suspect even one bit that Dartmouth is going to screw you, then kick yourself in the nuts, and reevaluate your life goals.</p>
<p>Well I never thought Dartmouth was going to screw its students. Its just I tried to find the prices on Dartmouth's website and was unable to find anything.</p>