Saturday, November 21, 2015

Organising notes and information while studying

"Hello IkaN!
I hope you're okay and happy :)
Can you teach me how to be organized? How can I save my notes?
I don't know why I'm so untidy. I want to be just like you, helping others & having good grades! <3
Please help me out here!"

- Email by an awesomite

Hello! I'm okay and at peace (:

Your organization depends on where you study from.

I study from books and ebooks so my study life seems very complicated to others.

I can read while I'm in the bus or in the train on my phone, so I always have ebooks or audio lectures with me. I can't write while traveling so everything I learn is saved on my phone. When I study with my books at home, I like having the traditional pen & paper to write, doddle and draw. Or a white board.

Here's how I save the information I have studied:

1. Make subject wise notebooks and write notes in it:
This is effective when you're studying from multiple text books and you need to merge all information into one for fast review during exams. I recommend making notes after you've read from all the textbooks if you're using this technique. You don't need to be tidy!
PS: This is time consuming.

2. If you're using ebooks, highlight and bookmark:
I read Harrison (Which is a HUGE internal medicine book) this way. The bookmarks would show me the topics I've read and while revising, I'd go through the highlighted lines only.
(App I use: Adobe Reader)

3. Type your notes and make sure they're synchronised:
If I have too much information on the digital platform and too little time to write on paper, copy paste on a notes app. Make sure you sync and back em up.
(Apps I use: Google Keep, ColorNote)

4. Blog:
The internet a wonderful place to save everything! (Many a times, I look for my own notes on Google =P)
If you don't have time for a fancy blog, just a simple tumblr with your study material is a good way to keep things in one place.
(Apps I use: Blogger, Tumblr)

Extra tips:
- Make a separate book for points you write during lectures. They're not always important but you will want you refer that book for the one thing your teacher said that you can't recollect while studying.
- If you think it's important, always write / save it somewhere. In my experience, you regret the things you didn't save =P
- Don't always focus on making the notes. Understand the information first, then organize it so that you revise and remember it.

The fact that you find me someone you wish to be like makes me happy. I hope I live up to the image you have of me =)

Until next time!


Wondering what do I write? Well..
Ask about something you don't understand @_@?
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Go ahead. Comment all you like here! (: