<p>What note taking method works best for you in college? I'm curious because I want to know what school supplies to buy. </p>
<p>To be honest, when I was in high school I only took notes in classes I cared about aka math/science. I realize that in college i will have to take very organized notes in all of my classes. My method was I used three ring binders and loose leaf paper. That way I could put handouts in the notebook in the same section of relevant notes. Then at the end of each section i would put any graded work i was handed back. It just helped me study and stay organized. However, I realize that this can get bulky when trying to carry around all these notebooks. </p>
<p>I've read on here that some people use accordion folders for handouts. Would it be more efficient to just have a spiral notebook for each class to take notes in and some accordion folders for handouts/papers? I've been thinking this would be an easier and cheaper option. However, I still have LOTS of leftover loose leaf paper from high school. </p>
<p>So what do you think? I do not plan on using a computer for notes. It's just not for me and I learn much better when I write things out by hand. </p>
<p>Sorry for the long post lol. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I do what I always do… looseleaf paper in a simple paper folder. Everything’s still organised, I can keep handouts, and I don’t have to hassle with a binder’s rings</p>
<p>Composition notebooks are the best for me, mainly because I’m left-handed and I hate the spirals getting in the way all of the time. Also, it is harder for pages to come loose from a composition notebook. </p>
<p>Personally, I take notes outline-style. If you write in pen, try to use at least two colours. This way you can use one colour for really important things and headers. It will also makes your notes easier to read because they’re not in one dull colour.</p>
<p>I would strongly encourage you to take handwritten notes. When you write things down, you’re thinking about what you’re writing more than if you were typing them on your laptop. A lot of my classes don’t even allow laptops and encourage handwritten notes because of this.</p>
<ul>
<li>I can type faster than I write.
-Words that are typed are generally neater than words hand written.
-I can easily save, organize and outline my notes.</li>
</ul>
<p>Hand writing notes can be tiring, slow and illegible. If a computer is allowed in the class I do not see many reasons was to why you should not type, as long as you do not SLAM the keys down for every letter.</p>
<p>Handwriting definitely is more effective in learning/memorizing than mere typing. But there’s no reason you can’t take notes on your laptop in class (especially if you type faster than you write), then copy them down by hand later when you’re not crunched for time. I’m not in college yet, but I imagine that’s exactly what I’d do if I really needed to be sure I had the content down solid.</p>
<p>I usually write down the basics in a notebook and go over the slides again when I get home if I feel that I miss something. I rarely bring my computer to class, as I’m always stumbling on it and it becomes a distraction.</p>
<p>I keep everything in an accordion style folder that I got at walmart for $10. I have a section for each class which I put handouts and graded work and in that section I keep a manilla folder with all my notes.</p>
<p>I write everything out on a large spiral notebook. But since I’m a terrible note-taker because I’ve never learned how to successfully take notes, I tend to either copy down the entire Powerpoint lecture or if there’s no Powerpoint lecture, attempt to write down nearly every single word my professors say (but usually failing because I can’t write fast without making my writing illegible and my hand cramping).</p>
<p>You should probably keep doing what you’re doing. It’s what you’re used to, it will be difficult to break the habits you’ve already created. If you’re afraid it’ll be too bulky, you can just carry some looseleaf paper in a separate pocket folder and insert it into the binder afterwards. I personally have different note taking styles for different classes…it often depends on how the professor teachers the class.</p>
<p>Another question: do you find in college that you keep your notes year to year or just throw them out? Cuz if I want to keep them I’ll probably use a three ring binder but if not I might just use a spiral notebook.</p>
<p>It depends on your major. In my major (EE) I stopped bothering with notes. 99% of the time everything the prof says is available more accurately and better organized in the textbook, and I almost never was consulting my lecture notes anyways when studying (instead just reading the textbook and taking notes from that).</p>
<p>So my note taking strategy is to show up to lectures and only write down stuff that I know the textbook doesn’t have.</p>
<p>I usually don’t take notes. I find it easier to think about what the lecturer is saying when I don’t have to worry about writing down everything that is on the board. </p>
<p>If you are going to be studying engineering, you really don’t have to take notes most of the time. If you know what’s going on in the courses, you’ll realize that in most of your math, physics, and engineering courses, you only cover a few main concepts and most of the time you are just hammering out details. What’s important is that you understand the big concepts, and no amount of notes that you write down can help with that. The details most of the time can be found in course notes or the textbook.</p>