As a freshman in college, I assure you that taking notes effectively is an incredibly valuable skill to be mastered. To be honest, I didn’t used to take notes but after figuring out the benefits of note taking I can't attend a single class without writing notes down. However, many students suffer when taking notes without guidance. In this article, I will summarize what I learned through my experience of suffering while successfully maintaining straight A's!
First of all, why take notes? Basically, it’s a skill that will pay off in college and you won't ever regret it. Furthermore, studies on learning have shown that actively engaging with a topic by listening and then summarizing what you hear helps you understand and remember the information later. Being college students, we need this skill to succeed during our studying experience.
Secondly, no one can deny that there are both positive and negative aspects of taking notes on a device in comparison to on paper. It is my firm belief that taking notes on a device is better for many reasons. Firstly, it's better for the planet because it decreases the number of produced paper. This decreases the number of cut trees, which is ultimately going to save Earth in the long term. Secondly, digital notes are a lot easier to share. Having a device to take notes on eliminates the need to take pictures and send them. Also, when you are asked to turn in anything it is always easier to share something that is already digital. Finally, some experts think that taking notes by hand allows you to remember the material better than typing on a computer. However, if you get a device that you can write on using a pen, then I believe you will get benefits of both: writing by hand and saving online!
So, if you want to get all of these benefits you have to make your decision wisely. Selecting the right device is crucial to take notes effectively. As a college student, as well as a daughter of a manager at Microsoft, I consider myself an experienced person in choosing devices. There are many devices that can help you when taking notes, but from my point of view, these three are the most suitable for a college student: the Microsoft Surface go, HP x360 Chromebook, and the Apple Ipad Pro. Listed below are the features of each.
Why get the Microsoft Surface?
- Affordable price.
- Hybrid device: desktop, tablet.
- Comes with a pen to sketch and highlight on documents.
- Convenient small size and weight.
- The keyboard can be removed.
- Uses face Id.
Why get the Hp x360 Chromebook?
- Affordable price.
- Hybrid device: desktop, tablet.
- 360-degree design.
- Lightweight.
- Fingerprint reader.
Why get the Apple iPad Pro?
- Can be purchased in installments.
- Access to apple store applications.
- Keyboard and pen can be purchased separately.
- High-resolution camera.
- Uses face Id.
In the end, we all want to be focused on our classes, keep things on track by taking notes, and get straight A’s. Now that you know the secret, just make the right choice!
