<p>What do you guys recommend buying for college? Should I get a large notebook for each class or just loose leaf paper in a binder? Does everyone just take notes on their laptop instead? What about pens vs. pencils? What's the best way to organize for each class? Thanks guys!</p>
<p>It’s really up to you. All of your suggestions are common and no one cares how you take notes.</p>
<p>I prefer a 5-subject notebook along with a binder for handouts or graded homework or exams. When I used only a binder, I got lazy organizing my notes and a lot of stuff got lost. When I had a separate notebook for each class, I often found myself in situations where I wished that I had brought a notebook that I left in my room because I didn’t have that class that day.</p>
<p>I prefer pens over pencils because pencil notes tend to smear over the course of the semester.</p>
<p>Eh take notes on the laptop if you can (obviously its not really possible for math classes or science classes with a lot of math-ish work like physics and maybe chem). If you’re one of those people who remember the stuff better by handwriting, then maybe do that, but you might not be able to write down everything the professor says. You could take notes on the laptop and then handwrite them later to study better. </p>
<p>Also, if you’re gonna get a notebook, then get a 4-5 subject notebook. They have dividers, so you can divvy your notes up.</p>
<p>"I prefer pens over pencils because pencil notes tend to smear over the course of the semester. "</p>
<p>Wait, wouldn’t pens smear more?</p>
<p>Pens don’t smear once they are dry. Pencils slowly smear over the course of weeks and months as the pages rub against each other.</p>
<p>Do you guys use the 5 subject nb for 5 different classes? Or like 2?</p>
<p>I’m planning on using separate notebooks (the thin ones that have about 75 pages) for each subject, as I’m only taking 4 classes (that are 4 credits each). They don’t take up much space and are pretty cheap too. I’ve stocked up on pens as I tend to lose them pretty often. And I’ll most likely have folders for each class too.</p>
<p>I got by with a one 5 subject notebook for each quarter, pencils, and a trapper keeper for my extra papers.</p>
<p>I’m like OpenYourPresent,</p>
<p>I use spiral notebooks. Corresponding folders for each class too, for hand outs that the professor gives out. I buy several cheap pens that are pretty good quality to use because I also tend to lose my pens. I also buy a very nice, slightly more expensive pen just because I’m weird with pens and using it gets me excited to take notes. I don’t like using pencils because as someone said before, they fade very easily with time and my legibility also somewhat improves with pen.</p>
<p>Using loose paper gets a bit messy for me, and I hate it when my paper gets bent or something.</p>
<p>I got two five subject notebooks for the whole semester. Each divided section was for a class. One notebook was for in-class notes, the other notebook was for notes I rewrote when I was studying. I preferred pen, but I like gel pens and they’d always bleed through, so I used pencil most of the time. I wish I could use one notebook for each class, but I’m soooo unorganized. In high school I kept papers for 7 classes in one folder.</p>
<p>In high school, I like to handwrite my notes, and I keep a notebook at home to store older notes (loose leaf) after a while when they’re old and I only need them when I study. </p>
<p>I guess this is what I’ll be doing in college</p>
<p>I’d also recommend a stapler, whether it’s one of those large desk ones or a mini-one. Many professors won’t even take papers if they’re not stapled.</p>
<p>Thanks guys! I was having flashbacks from Legally Blonde so that’s why I wasn’t sure what the norm is on notetaking. I think I’ll get a 3-5 subject notebook per class and I like the idea of having a folder for handouts.</p>
<p>So guys, a 5 subject notebook is good enough for 5 courses? You sure (generally speaking) we won’t need like 5 175 page notebooks? Aren’t a lot of notes assigned?</p>
<p>Stratusfaction, it really depends on the course and the professor.</p>
<p>I see. And I think it may be enough. You know what? I’m still living in the world of HS and thinking that a 5 course noteboo means for the entire year. You guys buy 2 5 course notebooks? (One for fall and one for spring)</p>
<p>A five-subject notebook usually gets me through an entire semester. With 40 sheets per subject, I would need to take an average of 3 pages of notes per class meeting to run out of space before the end of the semester. That has only happened in one or two classes, and then I used the section for another class in which I took less notes.</p>
<p>You really don’t need a lot of school supplies for college but here are some things I recommend. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Loose leaf paper for things like pop quizzes, in class assignments and sharing with other students who forgot their notebooks. Some people use solely loose leaf paper for things like note taking but a student runs the risk of loosing precious notes if they are not careful. To prevent this from happening, I highly suggest stapling the papers together immediately after you take the notes.</p></li>
<li><p>I use single subject note books because they are cheaper and most of the time, I can carry what I need instead of a huge notebook. </p></li>
<li><p>A flash drive is my most important supply because I can carry all of my homework on this thing. However, I back it up on a computer so in case its lost or damaged, all of my homework isn’t lost. </p></li>
<li><p>My mechanical pencil is what I use to take notes with. I avoid pens because I write with my left hand and it smears when I write. Mechanical pencils do not smear as much as regular pencils and they erase perfectly. The one I bought was a little expensive (about $3 for one pencil) but it was worth the splurge. </p></li>
<li><p>A planner is necessary for you to keep up with all of the assignments in your classes and extracurricular activities. </p></li>
<li><p>A campus map for the first few days and printout of your class schedule. The schedule should include the building location, the professor’s name and classroom number. Check the day before you attend class to make sure your classroom number hasn’t changed.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I take my notes on a laptop. I have one single subject notebook for the occasion that I don’t feel like bringing my laptop. I keep a three ring binder in my room for each class and I keep all notes and reading assignments in them in chronological order and with dividers for different types of information. It makes studying for finals and writing papers much more efficient but can be a pain to keep up with. I also use post it notes for dense reading, I summarize sections onto post it notes and stick the note right over that section of the book to help me synthesize the information and to make it easier to go back. You should do whatever works best for you. </p>
<p>The school supplies I bring to school are as follows:</p>
<p>3 ring binders
single subject notebooks
pens and pencils
post it notes
3 hole punch
stapler
staple remover
tape
highlighters
dividers
printer paper (I have not used loose leaf paper since junior high. This is the first year that I will not purchase it anyway.)
scissors</p>
<p>I think that’s it.</p>
<p>What’s the consensus on the small items (i.e. tape, gluesticks, scissors, index cards, paper clips, etc)? I am repelled by these oddly sized/shaped things as they tend to clutter up my spaces. So, are they really necessary to bring with you to college?</p>