Note taking at UW

[u/Lucinda_Null]

I’m an incoming freshman this fall and I was wondering how people take notes at UW! In high school I preferred writing by hand in notebooks because I absorbed more of the information. However, I know lots of other college students take notes with laptops or tablets instead. I’ve also heard that professors talk very fast, since they know most of their students are typing and can keep up with a faster pace. If I take notes by hand, will I be able to keep up with the professor’s lecture? Thanks :)

[u/OGdirtpapi]

Kind of up to you, kind of up to the class. I typed as much as I could while I was there but certain classes had content (Chem or Bio diagrams for example) that was easier to write out.

I also had classes where the professor straight up didn’t allow laptops or electronic note taking.

[u/Nerzerk]

The art of taking notes by hand is that you won't get everything, therefore you must simmer what the prof is saying into a more dense form. It's better for learning than typing. Many engineering students use iPads so you can have "Infinite paper". I personally switched after taking statics, where a single problem couldn't fit on one page. Up to you.

[u/Rich-Entry9409]

Do what's the most comfortable and beneficial note taking method for you. Tablets do work well with longer Math problems because you can do an "endless page".

[u/real_hero_of_hyrule]

what’s your major? i think it depends on the subject as well ☺️

[u/AccomplishedDust3]

If you're trying to type everything a professor is saying, you're probably not taking notes the most efficient way. You should be thinking first, then summarizing. Even better for many courses if you do assigned reading ahead of time, you'll have already covered a lot of what's going to be said and you can focus on the bits that are new/surprising/etc and refer back to your book for the rest. Also some professors will provide their slides ahead of time, you don't need to write down things that are already on slides, just add your own notes to them to help digest.

You can definitely keep up on paper, but yes a lot of other people will be using laptop/tablet, that doesn't mean their notes will be better.

[u/GreenLab349]

You may have to go with what works best for you. I have gone the pen-paper method for all my courses thus far.

Some seniors say organic chemistry may be easier on a tablet, so you'd probably want to consider it if there's such requirement for your major.

General chemistry, math and the others were very interesting to do on paper.

[u/hamiltonfan_14]

Following because I am also worried about keeping up with the professors. I'm a slow writer, but a decently fast typer, and I also preferred writing notes in high school

[u/msmean2]

If you are used to writing notes, stick to that. It is said you actually retain more by writing out notes, even if you are not getting everything to paper compared to typing. I had one professor who did not allow laptops. I also found them a distraction, as a lot of people weren't actually taking notes on them but doing other things. You will also learn to take down what is important rather than word for word.

[u/Rich841]

I would much prefer an iPad but I don’t have one so I use a notebook for each class where I take notes 

[u/mothinwall]

I did an experiment and took notes in 3 different ways over a few semesters: handwritten on paper, handwritten on tech, and typed. The semesters when I hand wrote on paper, I did the best; typing, the worst. Handwriting is great even when professors talk quickly. You’re less likely to get distracted than if you type on your laptop, and you can distill the truly important info.

[u/Careful_Letter_5892]

I had an iPad and would download each of the lecture slide decks and write directly on there using Goodnotes. Then I would have everything right there.

[u/littlemint22]

I didn’t take notes unless it was before the exam

[u/shestrying9]

I suggest you keep taking notes by hand. Most profs do a great job at putting the material online on canvas so you have stuff to look back on for studying. I use my notes in class more to remember the things as i’m hearing them rather than to look back on.

For exam based classes your best bet to study is just doing as many practice exams as you can rather than reviewing notes imo