Now that the Spring Term is back in full swing, it is time to renew our focus to course work, term papers, and the very foundation of school – note taking. Moreover, since everyone wants to thrive at the start of the New Year and new semester, I have devised a few note taking and studying tips to help aid in making this semester the best it can be.
My first bit of advice is to actually take notes. In the words of guitar legend Joe Satriani, “Students have to be completely honest with themselves about what they don’t know.” For instance, if your teacher says something vastly important and you think to yourself – “oh, I’ll remember that,” write it down any way. You never know what you might forget.
Secondly – If your notes did not seem to aid you in your studying last semester, then maybe it is time to try a new style. For instance, many teachers and students recommend the Cornell note taking style in which you draw a line down the paper and put main ideas or key words on the left side of the paper and the actual notes on the other side of the line. Some people also believe that it is helpful to include a brief summary of the notes at the bottom of the page.
I use a similar technique for my note taking. However, instead of drawing a line down the paper, I came up with a series of symbols that I put in the margin of my notes. These symbols allow me to quickly glance over the page and pick out which words are main ideas, small points, vocabulary words, or extremely important details.
Thirdly – If a teacher repeats something a lot or writes it on the board, then you should write it down. Honing in on a teacher’s tone of voice can sometimes give hints about what is important and what may appear on a test later. In addition, if the teacher has a test review day, then you should highlight or star the things they talk about on that day in your notes.
Penultimately – Sometimes it helps to write with colorful (or at least contrasting) pens to help break away from the monotony of gray pencil lead on stark white paper. Using different colors for different subjects is also a good idea.
Finally – The best advice that anyone can ever give you about note taking, studying, or school in general is that when you feel like giving up, don’t. Maybe take a break and reward yourself with ice cream every once in a while but definitely don’t give up.
