The last class after a long day can feel like a marathon for many students. They stare blankly at the board while actually trying to figure out The New York Times Connections or are playing a game of Tetris. Students process little of the information on the board, and are usually reluctant when the teacher starts to require note-taking during class. But the truth is, good quality notes make or break a Menlo student’s learning and, in turn, the good grades the majority of students strive for. Taking notes is essential to remembering information long-term, and without them, students undoubtedly fail to perform to their full potential during unit tests or finals. 

Note-taking can vary from student to student since many have different learning styles and ways of processing information. Some prefer the old-school approach of handwritten notes with paper and pencil, while others have gone with a more digital approach: taking notes with an iPad and Apple pencil. 

Senior Marina Xanthopoulos wrote her AP English Language editorial on the importance of note-taking and finding a strategy that works, in her case taking notes on an iPad. Xanthopoulos found that her iPad made note-taking a lot easier, as she can erase more freely and color-code, the latter being a priority for her. Xanthopoulos has had success with the note-taking application Good Notes, which allows her to import flashcards directly from Quizlet and create notebooks to organize her notes by subject. “All the study features are so helpful, and color coding is a big thing for me,” Xanthopoulos said. 

According to Xanthopoulos, another huge benefit of taking notes on her iPad is not needing to reprint her old assignments for practice. Instead, she can transfer everything from Canvas to her iPad and then erase her previous worksheet answers to redo them while studying. The app also allows her to cover up parts of her notes when she wants to quiz herself on terms. “[I love] having everything in one place, [being able to] copy and adjust notes easily, and [having better] note organization” reflected Xanthopoulos.

Senior Saniya Ahmed also finds taking notes on her iPad more effective. She believes that color coding and organizing her notes becomes easier, while also lightening her usually heavy backpack load. Taking digital notes eliminates the need for her to carry notebooks and pencil cases. 

Some students, like sophomore Daphne Ryerson, strongly believe in the traditional note-taking method: handwritten notes on paper. According to Ryerson, it’s easy for her to locate her notes, as she has a notebook for each subject. She is skeptical that notes on online platforms can be easily found months after taking them. Additionally, Ryerson believes the feeling of pen on paper is unparalleled; hand-written notes on paper help her digest information more easily, allowing her to retain the information she learned in class, especially long-term. Ryerson also enjoys using different colored pens and highlighters to improve the quality of her notes. “You can [also] easily get distracted on an iPad,” Ryerson said. 

Note-taking is an essential part of the Menlo learning process; however, the best note-taking method is different for each student. Ultimately, it’s about finding the strategy that works best for you and supports your individual learning style.