Five Ways I Take Notes in College

Starting my fourth year of college (I graduated with two associates degrees in May 2015) I've wrote notes in almost every way possible.

The way I write notes really depends on the class (duh). 

In my Social Psychology class, I wrote in 4 different ways until I figured out what was best. 

Types of Lecture I've had:

1. Goes along with Powerpoint

2. Just rambles 

3. Writes random stuff all over the white boards

4. Makes you write your own book notes then goes over stuff later in class. 

Hand Writing:

1. I bought a Cornell note book (here) when on sale these are the best deal. Original price is around $8. I use the same pen when I write in this notebook, because it writes fine and is really smooth (here is the type of pen).

I have a key when I write notes: 

Definitions have bullet points in the cue column

and arrows in the note section.

They are also highlighted yellowed if on a test, then blue if on final.

Powerful words have a circle around them 

~ Are the studies done

< Title of Powerpoint Page > 

I only do this for the Cornell System. However I plan on doing this, this coming Fall for notes also. 

 * I don't always use the summary part 

2. I also take notes by hand on normal college rule.. these notes are following a powerpoint so for this...

1. I < title the powerpoint slide> if the same slide goes on for three more slides, I don't rewrite it I just keep going under that titles. 

2. I number each slide and skip a line between each slide. 

3. I use different colored pens for definition, studies, and then just the rest of the writing. 

Having so much paper left over I've decided to do this type of note taking for my Fall 2015 semester. I will only change, one thing, I plan on incorporating the Key I use for the Cornell system.

3. Note taking from the BOOK....

I write my own notes going along with the book, leaving space in-between. Then when I get in class I write in whatever the Professor talks about. 

                    

Using Technology 

1.  I have an iPad that I use to follow along with Powerpoint during class. I only take my Macbook Air when I have projects. I hardly ever type my notes, you learn better if you have to physically write them.

I took these notes because I missed a day, lucky another student in the class had the notes and emailed them to me and I just added on to his.

* I recommend becoming friends or hope that a person who types notes will share them with you if you miss a day. 

I used my iPad when I took online classes, I haven't used my iPad for note in along time. But I might pick it up again this semester. 

Extra Way:

I once had a Professor who gave us the Powerpoint online. We had so many Powerpoint's (I filled a 3 inch ring binder FULL with all of them) I just decided to print them out in outline format and wrote my notes in. I ONLY used this for this one class. 

Then during my education class the Chapters were so short, my Professor printed out the Powerpoint's and gave them to use to write in whatever we wanted. 

Over all the type of note style I do depends. I usually go through each type of note taking, during the first week till I figure out which one will work best. Although, the Fall 2015 semester I plan on sticking with hand written while using my Key. I find I learn best using this method. 

Hope you enjoyed. Leave your own advice in the comments. 

My Review on the GoodNotes App

My amazing boyfriend finance got me a iPad Air 32GB Wi-Fi for my birthday. You can get it here.

I was sooo excited because I knew I could use it for school and it would be a lot easier then hauling around my skinny Macbook Air. 

However now on to the review I bought the GoodNotes app for around $3.99. I looked at a lot of other ones and this is just the one I decided would be best for me. 

So what can you do with the GoodNotes app 

1. The main thing (which i'm sure you can already guess) I write all my notes for my online class on this app. 

This is what the front of the Chapter looks like. The design in one you can pick from. 

This is what you can do instead of swiping through each page. You get an over view of them all. 

This is the "home" where all your notebooks are located

There are parts that are really important and I don't feel the need to write it down. So I simply open a text box and type away. 

This is what it looks like if you use a stylus pen. You can also upload google pictures and add them in.
These notes are from Child Psychology. 

I took a picture of the notes I had taken on paper and just uploaded them in to there own notebook in the app. 

My favorite part about this app is you can change the type of paper you want. You can have lined, graph, music, plan type of paper. I use it for math I'll draw my graphs, print them out and turn the graphs in with my homework. 

You can also had shapes, you just draw one and it forms into a straight one. 

We also have vocabulary for my math class, however; it's not required for the assignments but we still have to learn it for the test. So what I do it take pictures of the questions and just write the answer in using my stylus pen. Again why write a bunch of stuff when you can take a picture.

This is what it looks like when you are writing (the easier way).

The blue box shows up at the bottom. This is where you write at. 

This is helpful because it doesn't pick up your hand when you write (at least how I write). 

A blue box will also pop up once you write to the middle and what you do is just start writing in the blue box and it will take you to the beginning, end, or a new line of the page. It basically prevents you from having to move the blue box around to keep writing. 

Something else I do is I will take pictures of the homework I'm about to turn in. I do this because I turned in 3 math assignments and needed them to study with for the test that was two days later. So I obviously wasn't going to get those assignments back, but his worked just as well.

I will also keep pictures of work outs I want to do and I keep track of my plan of study. I recently changed my major and needed somewhere to keep track of all my classes.

   

It's a great app! I use it everyday for homework, exercising, and to watch some Netflix.

This is where technology has its advantages. 

My Goal For Myself!

I just turned the big 21! Party! No, not even close actually I'm not the party type.

But I decided this was when I was going to change and actually SAVE MONEY! Those words together is something I haven't been able to put together. I love food, clothes, and make up. I mean what girl doesn't. I applied for a credit card and well I'm starting to think its was a BAD idea.

Though I'm not going to give up, I'm going to get my self together pay off my bill and learn to control myself. Because my goal is to

1. Save 75% of my checks
2. Only buy stuff when I need it
-small bills (I still live at home)
-pads
-contact solution
-hair products
-face wash
-medicine
-food for work on friday nights
-every day essentials I have to have

3. I don't plan on buy anything because I think I have to have it.---Will see how well this works! For this is my biggest problem!
4. I want to be smart about the things I do buy
-go to thrift stores
-use things I already have


5. And most importantly saving $10,000 in the next year! That doesn't seem like a lot but I'm a full time college student and work 25 hours a week at a restaurant (and I'm not a server). My boyfriend however works a way better job and he's checks will be paying/ going towards the saving account for our future house. My contribution will be more towards furniture and appliances.


So fingers crossed I can do it. And leave comments for any advice.

So I just got approved for my first CREDIT CARD, eek! But I'm pretty excited all at the same time.

Because this means I'm one step closer to buying a home. 

All and all the Credit Card is to build credit. Because I have NONE! 

Since I got approved, I went and bought checks (first time also) and am now waiting on both the card and checks to come in. Once they do I"ll be ready….well not yet.

I'm going to get money in my savings first (along with what I already have) but this is how I feel about credit cards myself

1. If I'm going to buy something huge (say a iPad) I want to make sure I have at LEAST HALF of the total of the item (iPad $600 have $300 saved) saved up before I go buying it. If you can have the whole amount saved and just pay in payments that is ever better. 

2. If you use your card for small things, DON'T buy so many small things that it adds up to a big monthly bill! 

3. BE SMART all my life, I've heard credit card debt is bad, don't do it. But for me I don't have an option I'm NOT renting (I have two dogs, and want to decorate), I don't know any other way to build credit beside get a credit card. 

So enough talking and on to the way I will be organizing my credit card payments, and monthly flow of money. 

 I repurposed my coupon binder into my money organizer.

 So first thing first clean up the old labels
-Get acetone
-Cotton balls

Just go over the permanent marker with acetone and its back to normal.

Make a list of places/ Categories you shop at the most

-Target

-Wal-Mart

-Beauty 

-Gifts

-Crafts

-Extra 

Now that you have your list take your permanent marker and write on the clear pockets what receipt you want them to hold.

Now on to the actual money organizing of things…

I bought a "To- Do List, Groceries List" magnet note pad at Wal-Mart (for a $1) hole punched it and made that were I'll write my monthly income and subtract as I pay bills, or buy things. 

To make sure the holes worked in the binder I used one of the clear pockets and hole punched the paper. 

First let me break down what I pay a month:
1. $80 insurance
2. Soon to be Discover payments (hope to keep around $100 a month or less)
3. Around $25 on gas a week (as we all no gas changes)

So, how do I plan on using my To-Do list paper well as I get checks, I get paid weekly.
*mind you I'm a full time college student so I don't work a lot. 

$200    - Check I got paid for that week

-$100   - Discover bill

-$30     -Gas 

-$20     -Dinner 

__________

That leaves me with $50 till the following week when I get paid again.
However I would put $40 in saving and use the $10 for the rest of the week.

*Every week will have different expenses. But I'll be able to track how much I'm spending towards gifts, gas, insurance, Discover, and saving in a month. 

My goal:
To Keep Track of my expenses WAY better then what I do now
Build Credit- NOT GO INTO DEBT
Only buy/spend money on things I NEED
Save every last drop of extra money I have
Buy a house in two years 

I'm sure as I start using my monthly organizer more in depth I'll change it up a little. If I do I will add a update. 

Hope you enjoy, sharing is caring! 

College Help: Tips to get you through your first semester

When it came to my first semester of college I was terrified, I thought I was going to get lost, get over my head, or worst even drop out. 

But, I made it, I'm getting ready to start my 6th semester of college and I've learned a lot about how to stay organized, stay calm, and get a 3.8 GPA! 

So what are my tips well…

1. Go check out the school you'll be going to. Whether that be a tour, or just going to walk around on open house. Getting to see where all your classes are will help calm your nervous.

-If the school website offers a map print it out and use that (when I go to my university I'll probably do that) 

2. Invest in a good backpack, you'll be carrying a lot around and you don't want your back to be hurting. This site is a great place to hunt down the perfect backpack for you. 

3. Get a laptop or tablet, I can't begin to tell you how important this is. Some colleges do have computer rooms but not all are always available. Heck some even let you rent a laptop or tablet for the semester. Buying a laptop or tablet really depends on the your personal perspective. I use this one and I love it. 

4. Always have your computer set up with the right software such as 

    a. Microsoft Word  this lets you make PowerPoint, word documents, and excel all that you'll need for    college classes 

    b. At least two kind of search engines (safari, Google chrome, etc) I don't no if this will work for none Mac computers, but I say this because some of my power points and word documents wouldn't open on certain search engines. 

    c. Evernote this has been a life saver for me in college. I can scan my notes into my computer into my Evernote account and search my notes. Yes, you read right search my notes. It's incredible. Also I just got a email this morning, saying you can buy a pen to write with on your iPad/iPhone and it syncs to your Evernote account. I'm thinking save some trees and go this direction.  

   

5. Get a good planner one that has everything you need. These are really good one 

• PlumPaperDesign Here you can pick your front cover, add your name and whether you want the classes inserted in or blank. This is my personal planner and I love it each class has it's own box and it's so organized.

• 

  I love this design so much 

  

  This is what the blank classes look like I do recommend this because college classes change every semester.

  
   
• Erin Condren Life Planner a little on the expensive side but well worth it. The only reason I picked the PlumPaper was because of the classes. But Erin Condren Planners have a pencil couch, stickers and really awesome accessories. 
• Target also has really cute planners 

6. My favorite part school supplies, in college its really all about how organized you are. Now I know everyone has their own way of doing things, but this is the way I've found works well for me. 

• Have a separate notebook for every class (I am actually combining two classes in a 5 subject notebook this semester) I like this method because I no all my notes/ homework are in one place. 
• Have a "Home" for everything. I use Flex fives star folders (I recommend the 2 inch one) they have individual pockets. I use my label maker and each class has their own tab so now I have a place for Homework, Important and just to store all that extra paperwork. 

• Use something to hold all your pencils and post it etc. I use this and love it, its holds all my things post it, pens, white out, stapler, pens, pencils. 

• But I also found in a YouTube video that, you buy this and put it throw the flex folder (the rings open up) and store everything here. I myself am going to try this, this semester and see how much I like it. 
  

• Have something to store everything in after the semester is over. I use three ring binders and have them organized into subject, but I'm getting close to ten of those. So I'll probably go to a normal plastic bin.
• Find a good pen to take notes with I use two

 
I love these pens. The Bic one has four colors light colors the other one has dark colors. I love these because it's easier to change up your color coding when taking notes.
The Sharpie pens write amazing there smooth and don't bleed through the paper. I honestly can say the Sharpie pens are my favorite.

• The best notebooks are the five star ones I can't find a better one. 

7. The number one thing every college student needs to master is, Note Taking Skills  This part is very important because it's how you study (most of the time). My tips are mainly to write with good hand writing, use color coding, highlighters, and use the Cornell system it just has a good layout to find things later. 

http://we-get-shit-done.tumblr.com

*Honestly every class I take notes differently: If they have notes up on the board I write in the Cornell, if its just lecture I literally just write and hope to stay caught up, or I read the chapter ahead of time and t write my own notes (in the Cornell) and when I get to class I add to the notes as the teacher talks. The read chapter before has really worked for me.

8. Now, for the most important things I could share with you as a first time college student is simply.

1. Don't stress- there is simply no reason to (I no its easier said then done) but if you take good notes study at least 45 minutes a day prier to the big test you'll be fine.
2. DON'T CRAM: Your in college, therefore; everything you're reading/ studying will come back to help you. Especially if it's your major class. Actually study what your reading. 
3. Get a tutor. I plan on getting one this semester because I'm going into a harder math class and I HATE MATH!   
4. Keep everything I no seems a little over board but it really does help. I've gone and looked at my old papers to help me remember the layout. I've even used my old assignments to help me with others. 
5. Keep your major classes, I'm a elementary education major so all of my elementary classes I've kept everything. 
6. Take time in-between studying. Don't just study for a solid hour without a break you'll probably burn yourself out and you still have another five hours of studying to do. What I do is study for about 45 minute then get up and walk around.
7. Don't get on social site, YouTube, or Pinterest in-between your breaks you'll get side tracked and forget to study. 
8. Be organized.
9. Have a certain spot to study, my first semester I studied on my bed and it was a bad decision. At night I couldn't go to sleep, my mind was constantly running. So I bought a desk and now I sleep way better because my bed is for sleeping not for studying.
10. You'll change your mind, not even kidding. When you get to college some people know what their going for others not at all. So if you get two semester or even years in and change your mind, that's fine change it. It's whats best for you. I was going to college for Physical Therapy then I got one semester in and changed my major to Elementary Education. I can tell you I'm a lot happier with my decision to change and my family thought it was a better choice also. Update: I've actually changed my major again, I'm doing child psychology. And I'm really excited. But I'm one semester away from graduating with my associates in teaching so I'm cramming my last semester and I'll be graduating with two associate degrees in May 2015. I'M VERY EXCITED! 

Well, I hope my advice helps I'm not an expert at all but I have had my share of college struggles. So keep your head up, study hard and make some friends. 

Have extra advice then leave a comment. 

DIY Gift for the guy in your life!

 The easiest cutest gift I've ever made for my
boyfriend. It cost me around $15 at most.
Its "Remember When" jar, I put all the great things about our relationship up to that time inside the jar.


-Glass jar at Michael's $7
-Baseball scrap paper $.59
-Extra colorful paper I had already
-Letters stickers $2.99
-Markers (already had)
-Baseball pull $5.99
-Sand Paper









First, take colorful paper cut it into squares and write all the great things you remember about your relationship.
1. First Kiss
2. Hugs

Second, take the baseball paper and measured it around the glass jar. I really had no measuring method. I basically just folded the paper to the width I wanted and went from there till I got it to the perfect size.

Third, I took the stickers letters and wrote "Remember When"

I also used some
glitter

 

                             

Now for the fun part putting the baseball pull on the top of the jar.
-I used sand paper to rough the surface up to make it stay better
-then using a hot glue gun (other glues would probably work better but I had got glue on me) I glued the pull to the top of the jar and let it dry completely before I tested it out.
(also don't forget to cut the metal off the pull, duh)

And this is the finish product. It was simple and meant so much to him.