Back to Nursing School: Note Taking

Hey friends,

In this post I am going to be sharing how I take notes during class. As I have previously mentioned, I typically do not bring my computer with me. I have found that although I can type everything fast, I am unable to retain that information as well compared to hand written notes. 

I did start out with typing my notes in oneNote. I liked that I could put a star or question mark next to items that were important or I did not understand too well. However, I would spend a lot of time making sure it was all uniformed or inserting screenshots of the slides into my notes. 

I will say that if you must type your notes out, then I suggest using oneNote. It allows you organize all your notes into folders, pages, and subpages. It is essentially a virtual binder. There is also an option for voice and video recording. Another great thing is that it automatically saves, so you never have to worry about losing your work. 

Because my professors put their powerpoints on canvas before class, I will usually print out the powerpoint and bring it with me. My first set of notes in class are typically messy. I follow along with the powerpoint and write down information that my professor says that is not on the slide. Typically this is on a separate sheet of paper as you will see why later. I do not worry about making it look pretty or organization because I am going to transfer my notes later.

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I also voice record all my lectures using the app Evernote in addition to writing down information. Sometimes I will zone out in class and miss something or maybe the teacher is talking to fast. Either way I never have to worry about missing information because I have it recorded. Evernote also lets me organize my recordings into folders and syncs across all my devices. Althought I use Evernote for only recordings, you can also type and draw with the application. Learn more about it here. 

Following the lecture, I take my clean copy of the powerpoint slides and highlight, star, underline, and add any additional information as I listen to the recording. I make this copy easy to read and organized. I will be using it to study from. This is also a good time to add more detail from the textbook. 

By this time I have had been exposed to the lecture twice. As I study for exams I will focus on the powerpoint slides. I do not worry about re-listening to my lectures.  Occasionally I will play them back as I am exercising or during a long car ride. 

And that is how I take notes in class. Everyone is a little bit different, but maybe you will add some of what I do into your routine. Good luck!