Notebooks vs Binders

<p>I use binders. I switched for a semester to notebooks, and it was a total disaster. I'd grab one from my car not realizing it was the wrong notebook for that class, take the notes anyway, and never wind up getting them back into the proper order in the notebook intended for that class. It was such a hassle trying to study for exams having to flip through three notebooks.</p>

<p>That said, professors don't really give out too many "handouts" in the h.s. sense, but I've been given out tons of primary source readings and articles for my classes and prefer to keep them in my binder with the other class materials so I don't forget them when we have a discussion. </p>

<p>If you use the 1 inch binders, they don't take up that much room in a backpack, I've never had a problem carrying things to class. Also, you can reuse them for the next semester - can't say the same for notebooks.</p>

<p>I think binders win for me. Stuff like physics/math, I'd like to be able to keep my homework behind my notes, but I never do my homework the day it's assigned (it's either not collected or it's collected at a later point usually) so I think binders would make it easier to keep homework behind notes, rearrange notes if we skip sections then come back, and I can insert in my own book notes right behind the class notes whenever I want. And, I'll never have too much or too little paper.</p>

<p>For some classes I still might stick to a notebook, and I probably will still carry around a 1-subject for some dumb reason, but binders it is for the majority.</p>

<p>Binders. You can stick the syllabus and whatever else you may need right in there, you can print off class notes and put them in there, you can rearrange things, they're just better all around.</p>

<p>throughout highschool i usually had a spiral notebook and folder for each class. i took notes in the spiral notebook, and kept any handouts in the folder.</p>

<p>i'm still deciding what i'm going to do in college. i'm thinking they don't really handout that many handouts in college, in which case it'd be easier to use spiral notebooks. but then it's easier to organize a 3-ring binder, i just hate how much room they take up. but maybe since i have time between classes to go back to my room, i wouldn't really have to carry them all around at once.</p>

<p>i say binders, with lots and lots of paper, and dividers, and a little pouch in each one for pens/pencils/paperclips.</p>

<p>then you can add paper, powerpoint printouts, handouts, etc. also, just write each class name on the binder and put them on your desk or whatever and never worry about having everything you need. pens, pencils, papers whatever. it seems to make the most sense. and if you reallllly like notebooks, you can put the notebook in the binder right? win-win situation.</p>

<p>and you can even carry a hole puncher in the binder for any handouts you do happen to get.</p>

<p>Okay, I wasn't going to post but I can't believe I'm the only one who's figured out the middle ground between notebooks and binders. I don't like the fact that you can't organize or add to notebooks. I'm always taking notes in the wrong book and tearing pages out. Then I end up with shreds of paper hanging out and a half sized notebook, etc. I don't like binders either. While they're great for organizing they take up way too much space.</p>

<p>I personally use the two pocket folders with three hole bindings inside. You get the benefits of a binder (plus pockets) without them being oversized. They only cost $.10, and at the end of the semester (or any time in the middle that's appropriate) you can transfer important papers like the syllabus into a binder that remains at home so you have them on file. For me it's been the perfect solution.</p>