Lecture notes are probably creeping out of every folder and bag you’ve got as a student. Many students take the time to write helpful lecture notes but then shove them in a corner of their room and forget about them.
Until, of course, it gets to revision season, and you’re desperate to find those notes from last term, but can’t quite put your finger on them…
It’s time to organise yourself. But how do you organise your notes? Many students discuss it, but many don’t bother with it! Here are some tips and thoughts for you to consider next time you bring home some more lecture notes:
Note Organiser Type One: Organises in Advance
At the start of the year, find out the structure of the course. Then, decide how best to collate your notes. By topic? By term? By week? By lecturer? Whatever works best for you. Then, get a filing system going. Filing cabinets can be purchased, or just get box files, which work just fine. Label everything! When you’re done with some notes, file them as you go. This is ideal, as it requires minimal effort. It’s only for those people who are super organised though, so don’t worry if you don’t think you can achieve this.
Note Organiser Type Two: Files Every Now and Again
Sometimes, you just don’t have time to file notes after each lecture. So, file them at the end of the month. Dedicate a time slot to this. So, say ‘Saturday morning I’ll do all my filing.’ This can also work well, as long as you do remember to do it periodically. Forgetting to do so could mean that when it comes to filing your notes, you forgot who was lecturing, what it was about or what category they should be filed under.
Note Organiser Type Three: Doesn’t File, but Likes Visuals
Some people just don’t get anything from filing. Instead, it is better to display information that is useful around your student room. This allows you to see it every day. So, if you struggle with essay writing for example, then you may take essay writing tips from your lecture and draw them up on a poster. Oxbridge Essays, a model essay writing service for students, finds that many people struggle with essay writing and this can be a top reason for achieving poor marks in a piece of work. So, if you have some tips that you really don’t want to forget, it makes sense to put them everywhere, for you to see every day, rather than file them away.
Visual people might display facts and figures on posters too, to help prompt their memories for an exam. Don’t feel bad, if you don’t file – do what works best for your learning style.
Note Organiser Type Four: Uses the PC
Many people find that organising notes on the PC is better than collecting paper. Type up your notes, then file them in different folders on your desktop.
However you file your notes – do something with your notes! There’s simply no point writing them if you don’t use them again!
