How did you take notes, Steve?

[nvictor]

Hello all,

I'm a little bit curious. Since one of my goals is to speed up my college studies like Steve did, I wanted to know how he took notes. In which sort of notebooks? What sort of pens? Was it a single notebook with several sections? Have you used memory maps? etc...

Well the question goes to all of you also.

I've read a book on speed reading, they suggest many things to take note. Large notebooks, pens of differents colors...

Any opinion on the subject?

[Savage]

In school I just used a regular pen or pencil and a spiral notebook. I took notes in a very linear, left-brained manner. I wasn't into mind maps or colored pens. The right-brained creative work went on in my head, not in my notebook.

Sometimes when I was bored though, I'd write my notes using a runic alphabet. It made note-taking more interesting at the time of writing, but aside from that it was a fairly dumb idea because it made my notes harder to read. It did elicit a fun reaction though when a fellow student would ask to borrow my notes.

Normally I'd only use my notes for review, not for study or memorization. If anything needed to be memorized or learned, I'd do it in class when the material was first taught. This was especially critical in college when I was taking so many classes I simply could not afford to fall behind.

I used note-taking as a linear record of what I'd already learned. Before exams I'd review my notes as a refresher. So I didn't use note-taking as a learning tool but rather as a record-keeping tool. I learned through my eyes and ears, not my pen. During class my attention was focused on the material. In class my attitude was, "I am learning this right now."

[nvictor]

Thanks for the reply Steve. I've never taught of it this way "I'm learning right now". It can really work for everybody cause you don't have anything to lose. And you still have the notes in case it doesn't work

[ticktockclok]

How did you memorize the stuff right when it was being taught? This would be really useful for me to know...... if you can't answer, Steve, could someone else direct me to an article/entry telling about this?

[The David]

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

How did you memorize the stuff right when it was being taught? This would be really useful for me to know...... if you can't answer, Steve, could someone else direct me to an article/entry telling about this?

I think he talks about it in his 10 tips for colelge students article, but I don't remember.

[BlakeL50]

I'm currently going through college, and there are a few things you can do which will make a huge difference. That is to say you will have to learn a few skills if you really want to make college more interesting and fun.

Over a year ago I came across this book, completely at random, called "The Memory Book" by Harry Lorayn and Jerry Lucas. I used to be totally scatter brained, and over half my notes in class were doodles and un-related things. This book will make learning anything scorers easier then it probably currently is for you. Simply learn the concepts of the book and practice applying them, you have to really want to improve your memory if you want this book to make a difference. After a while you will find your self memorizing things for fun, and studying will become a way to improve your memory rather then to cram for some test.

You have to be in a college you are interested in, otherwise you will simply be unmotivated to learn in the first place.

And as far as notes go, I find script quick enough to gather most of what you need to take. Just pay attention in class, using memory techniques during class will help quite a lot at retaining info and being aware of what is going on in class.

Make sure you eat breakfast and avoid being hungry during class since it's totally distracting, and go to the gym three times a week to gain more energy. Try drinking caffeine when you are studying before an exam or when you go to class and see how much that will help you.

And finally, I know this might seem imposable, but if you can wake up at 6 in the morning you will get a whole lot more done then if you wake up at 1 in the afternoon. Trust me on this one, it will make a humongous difference. You may however prefer going out at night and having fun, which is totally reasonable. This is a tough cookie to crack, I've tried both and currently I take a nap during the day so that I can go out at night, but I find that makes things too unstable to maintain. I also tried polyphasic sleep, and hardly lasted 3 days.

Hope you find something valuable in here. If you do only one of these, buy a copy of the memory book and learn the techniques.

[ticktockclok]

Originally Posted by BlakeL50

I'm currently going through college, and there are a few things you can do which will make a huge difference. That is to say you will have to learn a few skills if you really want to make college more interesting and fun.

Over a year ago I came across this book, completely at random, called "The Memory Book" by Harry Lorayn and Jerry Lucas. I used to be totally scatter brained, and over half my notes in class were doodles and un-related things. This book will make learning anything scorers easier then it probably currently is for you. Simply learn the concepts of the book and practice applying them, you have to really want to improve your memory if you want this book to make a difference. After a while you will find your self memorizing things for fun, and studying will become a way to improve your memory rather then to cram for some test.

You have to be in a college you are interested in, otherwise you will simply be unmotivated to learn in the first place.

And as far as notes go, I find script quick enough to gather most of what you need to take. Just pay attention in class, using memory techniques during class will help quite a lot at retaining info and being aware of what is going on in class.

Make sure you eat breakfast and avoid being hungry during class since it's totally distracting, and go to the gym three times a week to gain more energy. Try drinking caffeine when you are studying before an exam or when you go to class and see how much that will help you.

And finally, I know this might seem imposable, but if you can wake up at 6 in the morning you will get a whole lot more done then if you wake up at 1 in the afternoon. Trust me on this one, it will make a humongous difference. You may however prefer going out at night and having fun, which is totally reasonable. This is a tough cookie to crack, I've tried both and currently I take a nap during the day so that I can go out at night, but I find that makes things too unstable to maintain. I also tried polyphasic sleep, and hardly lasted 3 days.

Hope you find something valuable in here. If you do only one of these, buy a copy of the memory book and learn the techniques.

Cool, I just picked up the Memory Book from the library. Looks great.

I don't think I'll ever try polyphasic sleep. It seems impractical for almost everyone. It would be difficult to maintain even if we lived in a "polyphasic world".

[Shaden]

Some good ways to improve your absorption of material taught include

- Getting a lot of sleep. Sleep improves cognition which improves both the organisation of material and the imprint it leaves in your head. Better organisation leads to a greater amount of links which has a nice booster effect on your overall memory.

- Reading your notes at the end of each day. I know Steve didn't do this, but it's an incredible boost to your memory. Just read over what you did that day before you go to sleep. Remember the key ideas from the lesson that day. This goes hand in hand with the sleep advice

- Exercise. Exercise, for some reason, improves cognition. I think this might actually have something to do with improved focus but I'm not entirely sure.

- Learn your style. Are you auditory? You'll like to listen in lessons and take notes after. Are you visual? You'll like to take notes in lesson and then reread those notes after. Are you kinetic? Mind-maps and abstract exercises are for you.

- Relax. If you're worried about not being able to memorise the material that is actually going to seriously hamper you're ability to memorise. Don't get too attached to successfully memorising everything. This is a useful life lesson by the way.

[nvictor]

Shaden,

thanks for the insightful advices. Right now I'm biased. Should I work late at night by taking cafeine or not? Last night or should I say this morning I slept at 3:00 A.M. by trying to finish a homework.

I've scheduled my classes so that I'm free in the afternoon. I could sleep, but soon I'll get a job and...

Any ideas?