School is so stressful and classes can be super hard. Whether you’re a biology major who has a full schedule filled with chemistry, bio lab, and math classes, or an art major with countless genres of art to memorize, every student experiences difficulty studying at one point or another. Sometimes you have to miss class because you’re sick or because you’ve just had an extremely stressful week, your car broke down, and to top it all off, your best friend’s cousin’s neighbor’s fish died and because of this, you have to skip class. However, being in class on a regular basis and being there to take notes is extremely beneficial for feeling proactive and prepared. Successful notetaking is definitely a very important educational skill and when you learn how to properly take notes, your life can become a whole lot easier.
If you’re someone who loves organization and visual appeal, consider investing in a set of colorful pens and highlighters. These utensils are super helpful when taking a lot of notes because you can color coat EVERYTHING. And yes, your friends may judge you for it, but really they are probably just jealous that their note taking skills aren’t as fabulous. Another writing tool tip would be to invest in a fluid pen that you love. Some brands of pens just write so nicely on a page. When the ink of a good pen comes out so nicely, it can encourage you to take more notes.
However, if you are more on the lazy note taker side, maybe make a deal with a friend. You can listen very actively in the class while your friend takes notes. Often times, you can miss some important information when you are multitasking and therefore listening and note-taking at the same time. This deal with your friend could offer a great solution. They takes notes of the important things the teacher says, and you can go over with them and explain all of the concepts because while they were taking notes, you were only focused on what the teacher was saying. This solution is especially perfect if you have a close friend in the class who just happens to enjoy taking notes.
Again, school is hard. Tests are hard. But in order to successfully get good grades, you have to do well in school and on tests. Note Taking and note preparation are honestly key when being well prepared for a test.