Hello, everyone!
This episode on my 2017 Back-to-School series
will be all about notebooks, binders, filing systems,
and the overall best organization method to store all of your notes, documents, and assignments.
This video applies to people who are going the non-digital way this year.
If you want to see video of how I organize documents and files in my computer
just tell me down in the comments below, and I will be sure to film it for you.
For school advice and tips follow me on Instagram and Tumblr where I post every day.
Also, don't forget to subscribe and click the bell button to get notified for all my back to school videos coming up this summer.
I will post twice a week until the mid of September so you can kick start your school year fully prepared.
For a full schedule just check the description box below in case you are curious about a specific topic.
Notebooks vs. binders- one of the most common comparisons and decisions the student makes before starting a new school year.
Both have their pros and cons and they are tailored to fit specific types of users.
There are tons of notebooks to choose from:
for light packers stitched or sewn and perfect bowl notebooks are great since they are compact
Fit almost all backpacks and can be easily interchangeable.
That means that you can have multiple notebooks per class;
organize them by chapter, topic, or overall subjects and only carry around those you need; saving a lot of back pain in the process.
That's what makes the classical composition notebooks a favorite among students.
Moleskine make great quality notebooks of this kind,
they usually sell three per pack. You can also find really cheap solutions at your local Target or Staple store.
Spiral coil Notebooks are also a classic,
they can carry tons of paper,
but the coil can be a hassle since multiple coil notebooks in a backpack may stick together and get ruined in the process.
What makes the coil notebook a great option is the fact that they are more customizable:
you can rip out pages without ruining the overall layout, make your own diy dividers
Tons of brands offer these coiled notebooks with different patterned pages,
colorful margins, plastic dividers, pockets, and so on.
They are more resistant than a composition notebook overall, and there are tons of options with plastic covers.
A usual favorite is the Five-star brand in the USA.
Notebooks, though, have never been an option for me: for someone who likes to rewrite notes, move things around
Insert a table of contents or add articles and other information to previously written notes.
Notebooks aren't flexible enough for me to organize.
They are fantastic for the user who can completely plan out how they are going to write their notes, or for the simplistic note-taker.
They are pretty practical but not very customizable.
Binders have always been my choice.
Yes, they are bulky and never as neat looking as a notebook,
but the flexibility they offer makes it completely worthwhile (at least in my opinion).
The fact that you can move things around, add written notes, printed notes, diagrams and images, articles, dividers, pockets,
change subjects , and reuse them in the next semester is a big pro in my opinion- and that makes notebooks a poor choice.
For college I think it's also a sensible option since in most cases students are used to study for multiple sources of information
and being able to print everything and keep it in one location is
a huge bonus when you are reviewing for an exam.
Although you have those large filing binders that are great to archive notes,
on-the-go I recommend smaller 1in or 1.5in binder
They are easier to carry on your arm or in the backpack.
For an even lighter alternative,
one really practical thing to do is keeping a bunch of loose paper in an elastic folder
Carry that with you to class, take your notes there, and archive them in your binder when you get home.
It doesn't get any lighter than that.
If you have both systems and still can't decide between notebooks and binders,
I suggest a new hybrid alternative: a notebook and a binder all-in-one by Five Star.
Although I was never able to get my hands in one of these since they aren't available in Europe,
I think it's an amazing idea to keep a compact notebook that still has all the functionalities and flexibilities a binder can offer.
They also have plastic flexible rings that make storing much easier.
You can buy them in multiple colors, and they are available through Amazon, Target, and a ton of other stores.
Other way to organize notes is using a filing system.
This is the most uncommon method of organization among students,
but I still think it's a great option for people who hate carrying stuff all the time.
Just like I suggested with a binder previously, a great way to save weight when you commute
is bringing only plain or rolled paper with you, and organize your notes at home.
A filing system like an expandable file lets you organize all of your papers and notes with no need for hole punch ing your paper.
You can buy one of these expendable files per class or subject, and use the dividers to separate class notes for chapter or topic.
The bad thing about this system is that, when you want to actively study your notes, all of the paper is loose,
and you can't flip through the notes as you would with a binder or a notebook.
Other way to use the filing system is keeping separate elastic files per class, and carrying them with you
Since they are very thin and lightweight, they are great to carry to class and store all of your notes and assignments.
On the other hand, you also lose the flip through functionality, just like the expandable file
so for most OCD students both filing systems may not be the best of choices.
So, these are all the organization options I have for you today.
Tell me in the comments below what you usually use to organize your notes and documents, and I will see you next week.
Bye!