My room at home is a mess. There are clothes all over the floor along with an array of random stuff ranging from first grade schoolwork to books I bought years ago and have still yet to read. However, contrary to my disorganized room I believe I have some killer organization skills when it comes to academics.
Maybe I am more organized at school rather than at home just by the sheer fact of not having as much stuff with me, but I like to think that it’s because I’m pretty much the ultimate study geek. I have always loved school — I don’t know if it’s the structured days or the social aspect, but I love being at school and learning.
My junior year of high school is when I decided I wanted to pursue a major in math. That year, some switch was flipped in my brain and I produced the most gorgeous notes for my statistics and calculus classes. But I also predicted burnout — there was no possible way I would be able to keep up these neat notes and outlines, but here I am, a sophomore in college, and, well, I’ll let you judge for yourself…
Okay but enough about me and my obsession with my own notes. Here are some ways to kickstart your school year and start off strong.
- Find a planner that works for you
Personally, I have three separate planners each with a specific purpose. This is definitely overkill, but who knows, maybe my antics will help you out. First, I have an hourly planner, so I can easily visualize how I am spending my time, whether it be in classes, club meetings, or creating a sustainable workout schedule. I use GoodNotes on my 8th gen iPad for this planner, which yes, costs money, but I find great use for the iPad and Apple Pencil in other ways (I will get to this). My second planner is an academic planner: I use a Five Star brand one. In this planner, I keep track of my assignments when they are first assigned and when they are due. I use the weekly feature to plan out what studying or work I am going to do each day, and the monthly page to track due dates, all while using specific colors for each course. My third planner is totally unnecessary, but I love it. I mainly use it for social events or keeping track of work or doctor’s appointments (which yes, I also have blocked off on my hourly calendar). This planner is pretty much for a mental health check in, giving me a therapeutic coloring page to work on every week — it reminds me to take some time to focus on wellness, and eliminates the stress of having to decide what to color.
2. Be smart with time spent studying
My number one studying habit is rewriting my notes after class. Yep, that’s it. No Quizlet, no memorization tricks, no excessive rereading, just copying down what I already have. When I take notes in class, they’re definitely not the neatest. I write fast and sometimes ugly, typically on graph paper with a solid mechanical pencil. Whether it be rewriting your notes in pencil again, with pen and highlighters, or on the iPad (my main use for GoodNotes), copying down your notes again after class with streamlined formatting helps you assess your understanding, and will make it easier to review in the future. In the hour that it takes me to reformat my lecture notes, I am not only creating neater notes but also solidifying my understanding of the topic.
3. Your notes are YOURS
In my high school AP Biology class, my teacher tried to dictate the way that we took notes, and if we did less than adequate on an assignment, he would blame it on not using his note taking technique. His technique absolutely did not work for me at all, and I spent so much time struggling before finally switching to taking notes my own way. Honestly, for each of my classes, I take notes a little differently. For PEP 111 and 112, writing directly on a copy of the lecture slides is what made me most successful. For MA 222, I outlined the textbook before class and added additional notes in the margins during lecture. Your preferred study method may take some trial and error, so don’t be afraid to try different techniques until you find personal success.
4. Food is your Fuel
I know sometimes it can be difficult, but please don’t forget to eat! Try planning times for meals to ensure your body is getting what it needs to be productive this semester. Fruits and veggies are both filling and brain food. A balanced meal is important to both physical and mental health, so make sure to have some protein, carbs, and healthy fat at each meal and snack. But most importantly, make sure to stay hydrated! Hydration starts the day before, so always have a water bottle in hand for success!
Lifestyle HACKs is an Opinion column written and created by Zoe Hack ‘24 to discuss studying guides and techniques, healthy cooking and eating, and other lifestyle tips during college life.
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