Note-taking 101

Approximately 30 per cent of this class is on Facebook. (Calum Agnew photo)

1. The MacBook Pro People: These specimens always have their hands glued to their laptop. The most obsessive of them take verbatim notes, record the lecturer on their computer for later and look up background information on what the prof is talking about. While this all sounds flawless and perfect, the laptop user is also more likely to succumb to internet distractions and may not really be paying attention to what they’re typing.

2. The frantic hand-writers: In my opinion, when you hand-write, the words are better imprinted in your mind and you get the added benefit of having to pay attention to what’s important because you can’t write fast enough. (Or maybe you can, and cheers to you). Downsides? If you’re a doodler, you may find at the end of the semester that sketch you did of Immanuel Kant in no way helps you decipher the categorical imperative.

3. The iPhonies: This person spends the whole time texting, creeping Instagram and thinks that the prof truly thinks you’re just laughing at a crumb on your lap. This person’s note-taking style typically involves a delirious mid-semester email to the whole class asking for notes, which is completely unfair. You lose even more points if you offer to buy someone’s notes, that’s particularly greasy.

So, regardless of how you choose to take notes, my main suggestion is that you take them in whatever medium suits you best, and not to rely on other people lending you their own.