The importance of note taking

      You may see notes like this on tumblr, instagram, tiktok, and maybe even snapchat. It may seem like something you'd want to do. It might also seem pointless or overwhelmingly. But in reality it is a lot easier than it sounds. 

     You don't need all of the fancy pens and highlighters and paper to do this. It may be more aesthetically pleasing if you do though. But in general it's incredibly easy and cheap. You could even do them on your phone or ipad! But all you really need is a pencil, some paper, and a pen or two that you like. It doesn't have to be perfect. It's just what makes you feel like you did a good job. 

     Why am I saying you need to feel like you did a good job? Glad you asked!  When you take notes like this when you're done you tend to stare at them a lot because you have this sense of accomplishment from being able to make them look so pretty. It may seem childish but in the long haul it's really beneficial, as you are absorbing the information while you look at them. It also usually requires writing your notes twice. While it may seem pointless, writing is one of the best things for memory. The more you write the more you retain. 

     The real question is. how do you make these notes? 

Simple. First you will make your first draft. This is just normal note taking that you would normally do in class or when watching a power point. This set is meant to be your outline for the rest of your notes. I like to call this draft my "ugly notes." 

     After this you will start your second draft. Take the paper or page of a notebook you are using and copy the information in pencil from your ugly notes. But this time, format it in a way that you think looks nice. Add illustrations if you think it will help. Now go over the pencil in pen of whatever color and add titles and whatever colors you feel would look good. Now you have your notes!