The academic year started a month ago and everything is going in full swing. Classes are moving at a faster pace each week, lecture presentations are becoming more complex, seminar interactivity is on the rise, and all this crucial knowledge needs to be memorised. But being both present in class and focused on collecting the most crucial parts of every lecture could be quite a challenge especially if this is your first time in an academic environment. 

Whether you are a slightly overwhelmed first-year Bachelor’s student or a Master’s who has napped in the library more often than in their own bed, efficient note-taking is a skill that should become an inseparable part of your student “starter pack”. So sharpen your pencils, open a fresh new Google Docs and let the tips on how to take the best notes ever begin!

Focus on the essence

No matter how much you try to, you can’t write down every single word from the slide. And you shouldn’t have to. The presentation slides for the teacher serve the exact same purpose as the notes you take for yourself - they contain the essence of that particular lesson. Try to capture the most important part of what the lecturer says at that moment and write it down in simple terms, perhaps as bullet points, abbreviations or short sentences. Like that, you can spend more time actually listening to the lesson while any knowledge gaps can be filled when you revise the lecture slides at home.

Keep an easy structure

Lists, mindmaps or tables - all these note-taking formats could be handy if you are looking for a quick and easy way to keep track of all the information. Writing your class notes in the form of a list is applicable for both “old-school” pen and paper and digital note-taking. Mind mapping can be a perfect way of establishing logic and continuity among the teacher’s statements. Tables, on the other hand, aid for a neat and comprehensive revision of knowledge. You can also try dividing your notes based on certain theories or concepts as their definitions could serve as an ‘umbrella’ for what is discussed during the class.

Listen for ques

Pay attention to certain repetitions - theories that get mentioned multiple times or phrases such as “In conclusion…” or “To sum up…” could be indications that the information you are about to hear is the last few slides of the lesson’s presentation in a nutshell. 

Don’t be afraid to highlight 

Whether it is an actual neon marker or just the cursor of the mouse, highlighting key words and phrases helps not only to remember important information but also enhances your photographic memory when revising the information at a later stage.

Try out different note-taking apps

Digital note-taking holds several advantages especially when it comes to all the possibilities presented by the many available note-taking apps. Overall, these apps have one feature in common and that is that you can keep all of your notes in one place. This is rather convenient as you can maintain your notes organised and can easily look back at what you wrote down weeks before without the unnecessary page flip of a regular notebook. However, keep in mind that you will need some sort of structure or colour coordination that can help you differentiate the different class notes otherwise you might experience an information blur.

*Extra tip: discuss it with your classmates

Once you have entered the exam preparation season, exchanging notes with other students can be a great way to fill potential gaps and solidify your knowledge until this moment. Some student associations provide their members with notes on certain subjects and even organise study days where their members can come and revise together.

When it comes to taking notes in class, it's important to remember that finding the most effective method can be a trial-and-error process. However, with consistent practice, your skills will undoubtedly improve and by the time the next block begins, you will be a true note-taking pro!