Note-taking in college isn’t just important – it’s essential. It doesn’t matter if you’re a math whiz or a humanities guru – note-taking is your ticket to academic success.
So if you’re a college student looking to take your note-taking skills to the next level, then these note-taking tips for college students are just the thing you need!
The Bright Student’s Guide to Note-Taking: The Best Tips for College Success
Taking notes in college is all about recognizing which topics, concepts and ideas are most important to remember.
Good note-taking will help you stay organized, review important material more easily, and get the most out of your classes. In other words, it’s a necessary evil (well, maybe not *evil*) that all college students should take advantage of!
Keep reading and get ready to master note-taking like a boss!
Related: Maximizing College Learning: How to take Notes from Textbooks the Right Way!
1. Know Your Learning Style
OR ELSE you could be stuck with a scribbled mess of notes at the end of class, with no recollection of anything you learned!
Figuring out your learning style is the first step to becoming a pro at note-taking in college. Different techniques for different folks, after all!
If you’re a visual learner, brush up on your doodling skills and learn to draw diagrams with flair; but if you’re an auditory learner, listen intently and record your professor’s lessons.
Later, play back the recording in your dorm or library, then use it to make notes.
Related: “Why Didn’t I Know This Sooner?!”: 25 Awesome Study Techniques
This way you’ll know the lecture at a glance and be able to easily identify what’s important. Writing down notes is the same as studying–boom! You’ll feel like a superhero when exam time arrives
By recognizing how you take in information, you can tweak your note-taking approach for better understanding and better grades.
Who doesn’t want that? Don’t be scared to try out different techniques until alchemy strikes and you find the perfect blend!
Related: The A+ Method: Proven Strategies for Amazing College Grades
2. Come prepared to the class: Note Taking tips for students
If you’re serious about nailing those notes in class, it’s important to come prepared!
Make sure you have the materials you need — pens and paper, a laptop for digital note-taking, a cup of coffee — anything that can help you stay focused and alert.
And don’t forget to get some rest the night before — you don’t want to be yawning away during your lectures and missing out on important information! Trust me, I’ve been there.
If you need extra motivation to take better notes, just think of all the future studying (and coffee) you’ll save by being more attentive in class. Now that’s something worth staying up for!
Related: College Binder 101: How to Setup & Organize to keep it together!
3. Sitting in the front is NOT so bad!
As the girl who sits front and center in every lecture hall, I’m here to tell you that it’s worth it! There’s something about sitting in the ‘hot seat’ that makes sure you’re paying attention and remembering all of the important stuff.
So if you’re looking for a way to take better notes and ace those exams, here’s what I suggest: Plant yourself in the front row!
And it’s a surefire way to impress your professor – they’ll know you’re serious about their class. Plus, if you ever need help during class, it’s much easier to ask from the front row.
Related: How to Ace Exams Like a Boss: 11 Exam Tips for College Students!
4. Write down everything the professor says
It might be boring to write down every single word the professor says during a lecture, but it’s the most effective way to make sure you don’t miss anything.
If you think your professor is going on a tangent, chances are that it’s still important. Think of their lectures like show tunes—even the chorus has to be heard in order for the song to make sense.
Speaking of show tunes, if you’re more of an auditory learner, try recordings the lecture on your phone or laptop! This way even if you get distracted from time to time, you can rewind and catch up without having to worry about taking notes.
P.S.: Remember to ask the professor beforehand if they’re okay with being recorded!
5. Hone your doodling skills🧐
Drawing diagrams and charts is one of my favorite ways to help me understand and remember key concepts.
For example, when I was studying for my Engineering drawing exam, I would draw images of the shapes we were learning and make little cartoons in the margins of my notes. It wasn’t the most beautiful artwork but it definitely helped me recall information when test time came around!
Another great strategy is creating bubble maps and web diagrams with keywords or phrases.
Related: “Why Didn’t I Know This Sooner?!”: 25 Awesome Study Techniques
6. Review your notes right away: Note Taking tips for students
Live and learn, right? That’s what I did when I took that notoriously difficult chemistry class freshman year. Even though I thought I had taken decent notes all semester long, it wasn’t until the day before the test that I realized…my notes were a crazy jumbled mess!
It was like my hand had written something entirely different than what my brain had heard in class. I spent hours trying to organize my notes, and you know what? It was all for naught!
So heed my warning: if you don’t take the time to review your notes soon after taking them, you may as well have not taken them at all.
Taking a few minutes to review and re-write your notes within 24 hours will save you from a lot of headaches down the road. So be sure to review your notes to make sure everything is fresh in your mind and organized!
7. Organizing your notes is Super Important!
Post-class Notes organization is critical to success, I would honestly say it’s even more important than taking good notes during the class!
It can be hard to find value in this until you’re sitting at your desk and realize that what you have are a bunch of incoherent thoughts and chicken scratch. Use these tips to make post-class notes organization easier:
1. Use a binder or folder to keep your notes in one place so you don’t have loose paper all over the place. That way, when you need to review material, it will be easy to find!
2. Color code your notes using highlighters and sticky notes. This will allow you to better organize different types of information and concepts for future reference.
3. Rewrite your notes soon after you take them. This can help reinforce what you’ve learned and make sure the notes are actually legible! Plus, a bit of extra work now saves time later when studying for exams or completing projects.
4. Create a filing system for your notes. This makes it easier to keep track of different topics or classes and allows you to easily reference old material when needed.
5. Use summaries or flashcards for important information like dates or terms that need to be memorized.
Organizing your notes after class is a great way to ensure that all that hard work you put into taking them gets properly utilized! So take some time to get organized and make sure you’re getting the most out of your study sessions. 🤗
Related: College Binder 101: How to Setup & Organize to keep it together!
8. Start being Friendly to your Classmates
Making friends in class isn’t just a great way to stave off boredom – it can also be the key to success! Having someone to compare notes with can be a great way to ensure you have the full picture.
For example, if you’re having an off day and can’t focus on taking notes, your friend can help fill in the blanks. Similarly, if you have to miss class for any reason, you know you have a solid set of notes to fall back on. Talk about a win-win!
So make sure to grab that desk next to your friend and get ready to take some serious notes – because a great GPA is just a few good friends away!
Related: Skipping Classes in College? When It’s Okay (And Not Okay!)
With the right preparation and these simple Note Taking tips for college students, exams are going to be a breeze. Who knows, you might even find yourself looking forward to taking notes (although admittedly that’s a stretch😜).
Now go forth and take some awesome notes, and reap the rewards of all the future studying (and coffee) you’ll save by being more attentive in class and taking notes.
“College is like a marathon; notes are your water break!” (Stay tuned for more corny quotations 😋)
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