﻿Unlike in high school, your college professors won’t slow down for you
or teach you how to succeed in class.
To help you get the most out of your college lectures,
we've rounded up some note-taking tips that’ll power you through the school year.
Be sure to like and subscribe if you find this video useful.
It’s important to remember that not every note-taking method will work for you.
Before class, decide how you want to take your notes.
Do you want to organize by chapter and lesson, or strictly by lecture dates?
What sheet style is best for the class you’re taking?
Maybe you’re more of a visual learner and prefer drawing diagrams to connect ideas.
Figure out how you want to section out your paper.
You don’t want a notebook that’s crammed with tiny notes that all look the same,
because when it’s time to study, it’ll be difficult to know where to start.
If you’re not sure what sheet style to get, we recommend dot grid.
The dots give you a guideline for dividing sections on the sheet and aren’t as restrictive as graph or ruled paper.
If you like ruled sheets better, try Kokuyo Campus Dotted Rule Notebooks!
Depending on the course, you can keep room for diagrams or illustrations, questions, main points,
or even a summary section when you go back to review.
When writing bullet points, don’t write full sentences.
This can slow you down during a lecture.
Focus on important themes and topics so they’ll be easier to reference later.
If there’s something you’re unsure about, leave space to mark it. Even a few question marks will work!
You can follow up either in class or during office hours with your professor–
you’ll get more clarification on the topic than just from the lecture itself.
Try writing main points larger than the rest of your notes, or color-code and highlight for visual cues.
Multi pens like the Pilot Juice Up hold 3-4 colors in one body,
so they’re great for switching colors quickly.
For highlighting, we like the Zebra Justfit Mojini Line because it’s formulated not to smear water-based ink.
If your professor provides the slides before class, take advantage of this resource!
It helps you group notes with their relevant topics.
For easy referencing, use index tabs to represent main topics, chapters, or themes.
We like using Beverly Cocosasu Page Markers since they mark the exact spot you want to remember.
Just stick one at the location you want to point out, then tear the long part off and use it as a page flag.
When you flip back later, the triangle shape will let you immediately locate the information you need.
While it’s tempting to take only digital notes for the sake of convenience,
we recommend using a blend of analog and digital tools.
You can type up longer-form notes on a laptop and keep a notebook out for drawing diagrams or explaining concepts visually.
We recommend a Kokuyo Campus Half Size Notebook as it fits neatly in front of your laptop
so you don't have to compromise on space.
You don’t want your notes to smear with an overly juicy pen.
(Dramatic sound effect!) 😱
A smooth ballpoint pen like the Zebra bLen is a good choice.
Plus it’s designed to reduce rattling and vibrations so you can concentrate better!
If you prefer gel pens, consider the Uni Ball One.
Its ink is extra vibrant and pops off the page, improving information recall.
It also dries immediately.
If you’re sitting closer to the professor, you’ll be less likely to whip out your phone or scroll social media on your laptop.
You might think you can multitask on your device while absorbing your professor’s words,
but every glance away from your notes breaks your focus.
Try to review as soon as possible after class, and with a classmate if possible!
Notes taken on the fly aren’t the best quality, and you’ll want to revise while you can still remember the lecture.
Having a second person’s input can help you fill in any info you missed.
If you have a friend who’s taking the same course but at a different time, message them to arrange a review session.
To summarize lessons, use memo sheets.
They can serve as a quick refresher before each class to remind yourself what happened the last class.
They’re also a good way to study for a midterm!
You can look through each memo note and decide which chapters you need to focus on.
What other tips do you have for note-taking?
You can find more ideas and school supplies at JetPens.com, the place for pen and stationery lovers.
Products are linked in the description below. Thanks for watching!
Don't copy down notes word for word...
You can. But should you? This would be a great time to learn shorthand.
Everyone, quickly! Become a stenographer before you go to college!
Stick to pens that won't smear. I mean. (Sarcasm) No, only use pens that will smear.
(Continued sarcasm) I wanna just lift my hand from the page and just wipe it all over my face.
Plus, it's designed to reduce rattling and vibrations so you can concentrate better.
I think the rattling and the vibrations is the least of your worries. (Laughs)
[Your biggest worry:] It's the internet.
Put your phone on Focus Mode. Do it right now.
Don't throw your phone away! You need that to call your parents! (Laughs)
--think you can mul-- (stumbling) multi-- you-- (Saying the actual scripted line very quickly)
Thanks, Auntie.
You might think you can multitask. But you /cannot/. And you shouldn't.
Listen to Auntie. Listen to what Auntie is telling you.
Thanks for watching!