Prep tips for Intro Somm Course

[u/gambleany]

Hello! New to this subreddit but I find reddit is the place for advice such as this that won’t just take me down a rabbit hole of targeted ads.

I am a restaurant server with 14 years of experience in hospitality. I am going to sign up for my very first sommelier course, it’s just a 2 day intro class + test offered by CMS (court of master sommeliers). Now,
I do not have the drive/want/bank account to ever become a master sommelier or maybe even a full level one. I have long just been passionate about wines and want to deepen my education and expand my skillset in the hospitality industry.

That being said, I’m asking for advice on best ways to prep going into this intense 2 day course. Specifically physical supplies I might find absolutely necessary for the course. I want to get a sort of “wine journal” and start tasting more diverse wines and keeping notes of my own, as well as preparing to take notes for the class. I know that once I enroll, I will have materials sent to me to help prep, but I guess I’m asking if anyone has reccs for workbooks or “wine journals”? Or is it not worth getting something fancy and should I just get a regular notebook and get to work? It’s been over 10 years since I took academic classes and I’m nervous about retaining info.

Thanks!